The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an international document that situates the basic rights and central freedoms which all humans are entitled. The Universal Declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 10 December, 1948. The Universal Declaration recognises ‘the inherent dignity of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’. The Universal Declaration includes civil and political rights, like the right to life, liberty, free speech and privacy. It also includes economic, social and cultural rights, like the right to social security, health and education.
Human Rights Act:
The Human Rights Act 1998 was introduced in the United Kingdom in October 2000. The act gives all public authorities a general duty to ensure that everybody should be treated equally and with dignity – no matter what their circumstances.
This means everybody should have access to public services and the right to be treated fairly by those services. This applies to all public services, including the criminal justice system.
The human rights that are contained within this law are based on the articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Act ‘gives further effect’ to rights and freedoms guaranteed under the European Convention.
Times when Human Rights have been abused:
1: “On 27th of February 2002, in the Indian city of Godhra, Gujarat, a Muslim crowd attacked a train filled with Hindu activists, firing two cars, and killing 27 persons. The event triggered a violent spiral of religious revenge and four days later, 2,000 Muslims were killed, their houses, mosques and trades destroyed and hundreds of women raped and mutilated before the members of their families.
Later investigations revealed that the attacks had been planned and done with the mutual approval and collaboration of the local authorities.”
2: “The Vietnamese authorities