The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

N ineteen ninety-eight is an important year; it is a year when we mark the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also an important year for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is a year when we reaffirm our commitment to work for change and to demonstrate that the principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration are not too theoretical, nor too abstract. It is also a time to recognize the importance of the Universal Declaration for health issues globally. If we strive to give such principles practical effect, the success of our efforts can be measured by the improved health and well-being of individuals around the world. The Universal Declaration was the first international agreement aimed at the improvement of human rights for all people. The year 1948 was, of course, ordinary time. The devastation of World War II and the revelations at Nuremberg made nations more willing to commit to a universal standard of human rights protections. today, when we have become concerned about a lack of individual and collective will, it is worth remembering that not only after that war, but throughout, dedicated groups and individuals around the world worked tirelessly for the human rights of ordinary men and women. This can serve as a reminder that no matter how hard the going gets, we must not sacrifice human rights for other goals. The Universal Declaration is a document that owes much to the vision of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of those wartime champions of human rights. She was the US representative to the UN Commission on Human Rights and later its

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