About 75 years ago, on 10 December 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted. After years of war and oppression, the creation of this declaration was a milestone in the history of mankind. The UDHR has had a major influence on human rights treaties that have been established since then, including the European Convention on Human Rights (1950), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (both from 1966), as well as various national constitutions.
Today, attention to the principles enshrined in the UDHR is still a necessity, as human rights are under attack worldwide – often literally. But how relevant are they after 75 years? There are sometimes voices that proclaim that the UDHR is mainly an invention of Western countries, and that human rights in it may not be as universal as once thought. In 1948, some 50 countries were members of the United Nations; now there are almost 200. Continued support for the UDHR is therefore not self-evident and requires the commitment of all of us.
The UDHR consists of 30 articles. These articles are explained here and illustrated with current examples.
Opening of the academic year dedicated to human rights
The opening of the Academic Year 2024-2025 focused on human rights and their significance for the university and the city of Utrecht. Professor Antoine Buyse spoke of the UDHR as an enduring source of inspiration, mobilisation, resistance and progress for millions of people. Read his speech here or watch the livestream via the link below.
Everyone contributes, also in Utrecht
The Universal Declaration states that human rights must be protected by everyone, including all of us. In short videos and portraits, residents of the city of Utrecht and researchers from Utrecht University show what human rights mean to them and how they contribute to them. What do these human rights mean to you?
The information was created through the efforts of Utrecht law students under the supervision of Antoine Buyse and Hanneke van Eijken. The videos were created by True Heroes Film. The portrait photos were taken by photographic artist Jan Banning (© Jan Banning/Courtesy Galerie Fontana).
The project has been made possible by the support of and substantive collaboration with a diverse group of partners.