A world Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly’s 58-member Social Committee in the early hours of this morning. The vote, which leaves but one hurdle before the declaration is accepted by the international body, climaxed two-and-one-half years of work by several U.N. bodies.
The Declaration is expected to be passed on by the Assembly some time before Saturday night, when this session is elated to end. The Assembly will also be voting this week on an international convention outlawing genocide.
The 31-article Declaration guarantees that all rights and freedoms set forth in the document shall be guaranteed to all without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, religion. The freedom to practice and teach religion is also guaranteed, as is the right of everyone to a nationality, the right to change nationality and the right of any individual to leave any country including his own.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
