THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES IS THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
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The Universal Declaration marked the first occasion on which an organised community of nations made a declaration of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It sets forth the human rights and freedoms to which all men and women, everywhere in the world, are entitled.
Article 1 articulates the philosophy upon which the Declaration is based: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
Unlike the human rights covenants which flowed from the Declaration and which are binding only upon those countries which have ratified them, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is truly universal in scope. It preserves its validity for every member of the human family, everywhere, regardless of whether or not governments have formally accepted its principles. The Declaration has powerful moral authority throughout the world and growing political potency. It represents the seed from which fundamental, international human rights have blossomed.
The importance of freedom of religion is stressed in the Declaration’s preamble and guaranteed under Article 18, which states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practise, worship and observance.”
UN Declarations describe discrimination as “an offence [or: an affront] to human dignity”, and stress that it constitutes a denial of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and indeed a threat to international peace and security. These principles of equality before the law and non-discrimination are of such fundamental importance that they are regarded as principles of customary international law, binding on all civilised nations.
As stated in one United Nations study:
“The important guiding principle is that no individual should be placed at a disadvantage merely because he is a member of a particular ethnic, religious or linguistic group. Above all, in any multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-linguistic country, the strict application of the principles of equality and non-discrimination is an indispensable requirement for maintaining the political and spiritual unity of the State concerned and achieving understanding and harmonious relations between the various components of society.”
Continued...
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