UN Adopts Human Rights Declaration: Global Standards Set
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, with 48 votes in favor, none against, and eight abstentions (including the Soviet Union, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa). The document was drafted by a committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, with principal authorship by Canadian John Peters Humphrey and French jurist Rene Cassin. Its 30 articles established for the first time a common standard of fundamental rights for all human beings, including the right to life, liberty, security, education, and freedom from torture and slavery. While not legally binding, the Declaration has influenced constitutions worldwide, formed the basis for international human rights law, and inspired over 70 human rights treaties now in force.
June 18, 1948
78 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on June 18
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