“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

This is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10th, 1948. Its 75th anniversary on Sunday prompts reflections on the declaration’s real historical role. Has it helped achieve the rights proclaimed in its 30 articles?

In summary, they begin with fundamental rights: to life, liberty and security of person; against slavery; to recognition, equality and remedy for people before the law; against arbitrary arrest and for a fair and public hearing; to be presumed innocent and against arbitrary interference with their reputation.

They go on to proclaim rights to: freedom of movement within and without states; seek asylum; have a nationality, marry, own and not be deprived of property. Freedoms of opinion, expression and assembly follow, including “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”. Then come rights to take part in governing a country or be represented, with equal access to public services, and to vote in elections by secret........

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