| HR 55 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights; reaffirm support |
First Reader Summary
A RESOLUTION reaffirming support for the principles embodied in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and for other
purposes.
| House |
Action |
Senate |
| 1/25/99 |
Read 1st Time |
|
| 1/26/99 |
Read 2nd Time |
|
HR 55 LC 19 4013
A RESOLUTION
1- 1 Reaffirming support for the principles embodied in the
1- 2 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and for other
1- 3 purposes.
1- 4 WHEREAS, on December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the
1- 5 United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal
1- 6 Declaration of Human Rights; and
1- 7 WHEREAS, following this Act, the Assembly called upon all
1- 8 member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration
1- 9 and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read, and
1-10 expounded principally in schools and other educational
1-11 institutions, without distinction based on the political
1-12 status of countries or territories"; and
1-13 WHEREAS, in recognition of the continuing significance of
1-14 this seminal document in proclaiming and asserting
1-15 fundamental human rights and freedoms for all peoples and
1-16 all nations, the full text of the Declaration is as follows:
1-17 "UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
1-18 PREAMBLE
1-19 Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the
1-20 equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human
1-21 family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in
1-22 the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights
1-23 have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the
1-24 conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which
1-25 human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and
1-26 freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the
1-27 highest aspiration of the common people,
1-28 Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to
1-29 have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against
1-30 tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be
1-31 protected by the rule of law, Whereas it is essential to
1-32 promote the development of friendly relations between
1-33 nations, Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in
1-34 the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human
1-35 rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and
1-36 in the equal rights of men and women and have determined
-1-
2- 1 to promote social progress and better standards of life in
2- 2 larger freedom,
2- 3 Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve,
2- 4 in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of
2- 5 universal respect for and observance of human rights and
2- 6 fundamental freedoms, Whereas a common understanding of
2- 7 these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance
2- 8 for the full realization of this pledge. Now, Therefore,
2- 9 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims
2-10 THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common
2-11 standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations,
2-12 to the end that every individual and every organ of
2-13 society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind,
2-14 shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect
2-15 for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures,
2-16 national and international, to secure their universal and
2-17 effective recognition and observance, both among the
2-18 peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples
2-19 of territories under their jurisdiction.
2-20 Article 1.
2-21 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
2-22 rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and
2-23 should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
2-24 Article 2.
2-25 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set
2-26 forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any
2-27 kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion,
2-28 political or other opinion, national or social origin,
2-29 property, birth or other status. furthermore, no
2-30 distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,
2-31 jurisdictional or international status of the country or
2-32 territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
2-33 independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other
2-34 limitation of sovereignty.
2-35 Article 3.
2-36 Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of
2-37 person.
2-38 Article 4.
2-39 No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and
2-40 the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
-2-
3- 1 Article 5.
3- 2 No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman
3- 3 or degrading treatment or punishment.
3- 4 Article 6.
3- 5 Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a
3- 6 person before the law.
3- 7 Article 7.
3- 8 All are equal before the law and are entitled without
3- 9 discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are
3-10 entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in
3-11 violation of this Declaration and against any incitement
3-12 to such discrimination.
3-13 Article 8.
3-14 Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the
3-15 competent national tribunals for acts violating the
3-16 fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by
3-17 law.
3-18 Article 9.
3-19 No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention
3-20 or exile.
3-21 Article 10.
3-22 Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public
3-23 hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the
3-24 determination of his rights and obligations and of any
3-25 criminal charge against him.
3-26 Article 11.
3-27 (1) Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right
3-28 to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to
3-29 law in a public trial at which he has had all the
3-30 guarantees necessary for his defense.
3-31 (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on
3-32 account of any act or omission which did not constitute
3-33 a penal offense, under national or international law, at
3-34 the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier
3-35 penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at
3-36 the time the penal offense was committed.
3-37 Article 12.
-3-
4- 1 No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with
4- 2 his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to
4- 3 attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the
4- 4 right to the protection of the law against such
4- 5 interference or attacks.
4- 6 Article 13.
4- 7 (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and
4- 8 residence within the borders of each state.
4- 9 (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country,
4-10 including his own, and to return to his country.
4-11 Article 14.
4-12 (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other
4-13 countries asylum from persecution.
4-14 (2) This right may not be invoked in the case of
4-15 prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes
4-16 or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of
4-17 the United Nations.
4-18 Article 15.
4-19 (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
4-20 (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his
4-21 nationality nor denied the right to change his
4-22 nationality.
4-23 Article 16.
4-24 (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation
4-25 due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to
4-26 marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal
4-27 rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its
4-28 dissolution.
4-29 (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free
4-30 and full consent of the intending spouses.
4-31 (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit
4-32 of society and is entitled to protection by society and
4-33 the State.
4-34 Article 17.
4-35 (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well
4-36 as in association with others.
4-37 (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his
4-38 property.
-4-
5- 1 Article 18.
5- 2 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience
5- 3 and religion; this right includes freedom to change his
5- 4 religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in
5- 5 community with others and in public or private, to
5- 6 manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice,
5- 7 worship and observance.
5- 8 Article 19.
5- 9 Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
5-10 expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions
5-11 without interference and to seek, receive and impart
5-12 information and ideas through any media and regardless of
5-13 frontiers.
5-14 Article 20.
5-15 (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful
5-16 assembly and association.
5-17 (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
5-18 Article 21.
5-19 (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the
5-20 government of his country, directly or through freely
5-21 chosen representatives.
5-22 (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public
5-23 service in his country.
5-24 (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the
5-25 authority of government; this will shall be expressed in
5-26 periodic and genuine elections which shall be by
5-27 universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret
5-28 vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
5-29 Article 22.
5-30 Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social
5-31 security and is entitled to realization, through national
5-32 effort and international co-operation and in accordance
5-33 with the organization and resources of each State, of the
5-34 economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his
5-35 dignity and the free development of his personality.
5-36 Article 23.
5-37 (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of
5-38 employment, to just and favourable conditions of work
5-39 and to protection against unemployment.
-5-
6- 1 (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right
6- 2 to equal pay for equal work.
6- 3 (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and
6- 4 favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his
6- 5 family an existence worthy of human dignity, and
6- 6 supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social
6- 7 protection.
6- 8 (4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade
6- 9 unions for the protection of his interests.
6-10 Article 24.
6-11 Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including
6-12 reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic
6-13 holidays with pay.
6-14 Article 25.
6-15 (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living
6-16 adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of
6-17 his family, including food, clothing, housing and
6-18 medical care and necessary social services, and the
6-19 right to security in the event of unemployment,
6-20 sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack
6-21 of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
6-22 (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special
6-23 care and assistance. All children, whether born in or
6-24 out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
6-25 Article 26.
6-26 (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education
6-27 shall be free, at least in the elementary and
6-28 fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be
6-29 compulsory. Technical and professional education shall
6-30 be made generally available and higher education shall
6-31 be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
6-32 (2) Education shall be directed to the full development
6-33 of the human personality and to the strengthening of
6-34 respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It
6-35 shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship
6-36 among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall
6-37 further the activities of the United Nations for the
6-38 maintenance of peace.
6-39 (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of
6-40 education that shall be given to their children.
-6-
7- 1 Article 27.
7- 2 (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the
7- 3 cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to
7- 4 share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
7- 5 (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the
7- 6 moral and material interests resulting from any
7- 7 scientific, literary or artistic production of which he
7- 8 is the author.
7- 9 Article 28.
7-10 Everyone is entitled to a social and international order
7-11 in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this
7-12 Declaration can be fully realized.
7-13 Article 29.
7-14 (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone
7-15 the free and full development of his personality is
7-16 possible.
7-17 (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone
7-18 shall be subject only to such limitations as are
7-19 determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due
7-20 recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of
7-21 others and of meeting the just requirements of morality,
7-22 public order and the general welfare in a democratic
7-23 society.
7-24 (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be
7-25 exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the
7-26 United Nations.
7-27 Article 30.
7-28 Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying
7-29 for any State, group or person any right to engage in any
7-30 activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of
7-31 any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein."
7-32 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
7-33 REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body support and
7-34 reaffirm the principles embodied in the Universal
7-35 Declaration of Human Rights and express a commitment to
7-36 promote and advance those principles and the rights and
7-37 freedoms which they guarantee.
-7-
Clerk of the House
Robert E. Rivers, Jr., Clerk
Last Updated on 02/24/99
