What´s Universal Declaration Of Human Rights?

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” as Mark Twain is often reputed to have said explains with much rhetoric that in fact history is not repeated in a sense that the same events happen over and over again, instead events embrace similar themes. The same concept of Mr. Twain’s history comparison can be brought in support of why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) drafted in 1948 by the UN --an international agreement that dictates basic rights and undeniable freedoms in which all human beings are entitled to-- should be updated. After analyzing the Human Rights Treaty it was concluded that amending the UDHR should be considered because of advancements in the world, in main part due to globalization and

Throughout Northern and Central Africa ethnic fighting and mass genocide has run rampant. Clashes between, diverse ethnic and cultural people has caused instability, these mass humanitarian disasters that can no longer be ignored. With the help of other nations South Sudan can go from another mass genocide waiting to happen, to a region supplier of much needed resources, with the help of other nations. In the 1990’s Rwanda genocide was basically ignored by the United States government and because of this hundreds of thousands were either killed or injured in the area. In the early 2000’s the war in Darfur, created a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Darfur's non-Arabs. Again thousands of Africans were killed and the United

Social justice is a long debated subject that continues to prove controversial and divisive all over the world. Opinions on what constitutes social justice vary on a continuum from more conservative opinions which note individual responsibility to a more liberal stance which promotes a moral responsibility to support social equality (Mapp, 2008). Despite the varying opinions of what establishes social justice, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) serves as the first step in promoting social justice by outlining the basic rights that should be afforded to humanity (United Nations, n.d.). More specifically, Article 22 of the UDHR states that all people should have access to social security protection that works to provide essential needs, provisions for preserving dignity, and freedom to pursue personal interest (United Nations, n.d.). In spite of the established declaration, social justice remains unavailable for too many people. Worldwide, the lack of social protection leads to 1.4 billion people struggling to meet their essential needs due to lack of access to resources which promote a decent standard of living. Another 100 million fall into poverty due to unforeseen complications (GIPSPSI, 2011). Therefore, there is a crucial need to recognize social protection as a human right in order to guarantee equal access to basic services and equal opportunity to all of humankind.

In Tampa, Florida, Ralph Wald walked in on his former neighbor Walter Conley, in bed with his wife. After he fatally shot Conley, who was less than half his age, Wald claimed he did not recognize him and assumed he was a stranger raping his wife. He was acquitted after two days of testimony and according to the Tampa Bay Times, Wald’s defense team invoked the Stand Your Ground law noting that Wald had ‘no duty to retreat’ when facing danger within his own home. Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such

uman rights are defined as “a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person”. Human Rights are continually evolving and changing for the better, they are constantly reassessed and improved for the world’s greater good. Countless people have tried to define what a Human Right is and who they belong to, but we always seem to come across the same philosophers and documents that truly define Human Rights. John Locke was a famous English philosopher in the seventeenth centaury who believed in natural rights provided by a “higher power”. Another name often associated with Human Rights is Mahatma Gandhi was a famous civil rights activist, particularly known for the steps he took against discrimination in India, and the leader of infamous nonviolent protests for his campaign against discrimination. One of the most infamous documents written about human rights is The UN Declaration of Human Rights was written in 1948, and is one of the most popular references of basic Human Rights.

With the Black Lives Matter movement at an all-time high, Dream Kardashian being born, and protests about Trump becoming president many people have forgotten about South Sudan. South Sudan in the world’s youngest nation located in East-central Africa. It is a country that is rich in oil, but it is also one of the least developed countries in the world since it has been in decades of civil war. South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. The country has fought numerous civil wars, the most recent being due to the collapse of a peace deal, signed by the two opposing factions, President Salva Kirr, and Riek

South Sudan has a long history of violence, chances for economic success, and geographic position that would suggest success in development, but the very issues that should increase the development cause issues in South Sudan. South Sudan became an independent country from Sudan on July 9, 2011 and has a population between 7.5-10 million people about 50.6% of which live under the poverty line (“South Sudan” The World Factbook and “South Sudan country profile”). The journey to independence has been long; however, in 1956 the entirety of Sudan gained independence from the British and Egyptian colonial rule, which is when the conflict between the southern portion of the country began (“South Sudan country profile”). The south thought that the government was backing out of a promise of a federal government and attempting to convert the whole country to islamic beliefs (“South Sudan profile- overview”). Civil war began in 1955 for the same reason and

In the aftermath of battling a two-decade civil war, South Sudan has ultimately seceded from its former country, Sudan, in the year of 2011. Following its independence, South Sudan attempted to fabricate a modern governmental system in hopes of terminating its authoritarian past. Although South Sudan strived to follow a democratic reform, their system, however, was structured in a manner that failed to resolve both social and economical disputes. The dissimilarities between major ethnic groups, a lack of education, and the halt in oil production made it difficult for South Sudan to flourish as a unified nation. Therefore, considering these issues, the United Nations Special Task Force on South Sudan, has made recommendations that

At the core of society are the undeniable rights we are afforded as human beings. These rights are outlined in the United Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a way to protect each individual’s freedoms. Since its adoption sixty-seven years ago, society and its viewpoints have changed drastically (“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights”). Therefore, while at the time the intentions for this document might have been genuine to protect all people, they are no longer sufficient. The lack of inclusion in this document has led to the creation of documents such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Freedom, Webster's dictionary defines freedom as the power or right to speak, act or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. I believe that freedom is the fundamental right that all humans are born with regardless of their status or whatever label that has been put on them. Freedom is what unites all people in the sense that we are all free to make whatever we want of ourselves; to do, say and think what we please without any unjust consequence. In the opening words of the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the United Nations composed, it states “Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all the members of the human family is the foundation of freedom.” In other words,

South Sudan is the newest country in Africa; it received its independence in 2011 from Sudan after a prolonged 22-year civil war. The war between the government of Sudan and Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement/Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLM/SPLA) started in 1983. The civil war ended when the two parties in conflict signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005. The CPA ended the war leading to South Sudan independence through a referendum held 2011. Throughout the CPA, the USA got involved and supported the process as well as supporting the new leadership of South Sudan towards development, stability and political systems. Therefore, the USA played a great role in creating

In 2013, the parents of an Amish girl with leukemia decided to refuse further chemotherapy for her and rely on “natural remedies” instead. The state of Ohio responded by taking the family to court to attempt to force the girl into chemotherapy, which they argued was necessary to save her life. The court ruled in favor of the government, and in response the family fled the country, arguing that the treatment violated their cultural and religious norms, and there was no assurance that it would be effective. This case brings up several complicated issues of human rights that implicate principles from the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Declaration of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, Convention on the Rights of a Child, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The situation of the Ohio Amish family spotlights a potential for conflict between the principles of protecting religious and cultural minorities, allowing for freedom of belief and autonomy over one’s own body, and the rights of a child to both her own religion and culture and to access the same standard of healthcare available to others in her country. In this particular situation, resolving the conflict is a matter of life and death: is it more important to be surrounded by one’s own culture and religion, or to have potentially life saving health care treatment? While I

The “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” was created, after the Holocaust, in 1948. The terrible unfair treatment that occurred, during the Holocaust, most likely helped to create many of the articles in the “Universal Declaration of Human RIghts.” Articles such as, Article 2 Article 3, Article 5, and Article 12 are some of the articles that would have been violated during the time of the Holocaust.

“Quick Facts: What You Need to Know about the South Sudan Crisis.” Mercy Corps, 15 Mar. 2018,

I feel that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) does have a western bias. Many people look to US for guidance, but not many other nations copy our way of life. States can sign treaties, but they cannot be reassured that the other nation will keep its word. The US and the UN should maybe not be engaging in promoting western society, but they should be engaging in promoting the protection of human rights. The UN UDHR fought for minimal rights in 1948 by identifying three types of generations of rights. The first was political participation and civil liberties inspired by the Enlightenment. For example, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the rights written in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. The second was social and economic rights of state commitments motivated by social dislocation of the Industrial Revolution. This can be found in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as well, along with all the articles of what states can and cannot do. The third and final was the protection of community identity and national solidarity. These rights can be found in the Bill of Rights, which protects the rights of citizens. All of the above rights are protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which reflects western interests, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which is supported in communist and other developing countries. Four current