Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 (UDHR) — KSLU Hr Notes
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 (UDHR)
10 December 1948 — Adopted by UNGA: 48 votes for, 0 against, 8 abstentions (USSR bloc + Saudi Arabia + South Africa). Celebrated annually as Human Rights Day.
flowchart TD
U["UDHR 1948 — 30 Articles"]:::root
U --> A["Arts. 1–2 — Foundational — Dignity, Equality, Non-discrimination"]:::block
U --> B["Arts. 3–21 — Civil and Political Rights — Life, Liberty, Fair Trial, Speech, Vote"]:::block
U --> C["Arts. 22–27 — Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — Work, Education, Health"]:::block
U --> D["Arts. 28–30 — General — Social order, Duties, No abuse of rights"]:::block
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classDef block fill:#E0FFE0,stroke:#2E7D32,color:#000;
linkStyle default stroke:#888,stroke-width:1px;Important UDHR Articles to Remember
| Article | Right |
|---|---|
| 1 | Born free and equal in dignity |
| 3 | Life, liberty, security |
| 4 | Freedom from slavery |
| 5 | Freedom from torture |
| 7 | Equality before law |
| 9 | No arbitrary arrest |
| 10 | Fair hearing |
| 11 | Presumption of innocence |
| 14 | Right to seek asylum |
| 18 | Freedom of religion |
| 19 | Freedom of expression |
| 21 | Right to vote |
| 23 | Right to work |
| 25 | Adequate standard of living |
| 26 | Right to education |
Legal Effect of UDHR
| Nature | Status |
|---|---|
| Not a treaty — no signatures, no enforcement mechanism | Technically non-binding |
| Morally and politically binding under Art. 56 UN Charter | All UN Members |
| Core rights now considered Customary International Law | Binding on all States |
| Persuasive authority in domestic courts | Used in Maneka Gandhi, Vishaka, Puttaswamy, NALSA |