Effects of the United Nations on Human Rights
Effects of the United Nations on Human Rights
The United Nations is an organization created at the end of World War 2 as a place to discuss international matters in peace and to solve problems diplomatically. During its years of existence the United Nations has dealt mostly with matters concerning peace keeping; but lately it has spread its influence over many different issues including the protection of Human Rights. In the many cases of Human Right violations that the United Nations handled, it was generally successful in preventing any further instances and punishing the government/organization responsible for the violation.
The greatest tool in preventing these violations that the United Nations has put into play is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document signed December 10th, 1948 was a guideline for all future cases on the issue. It outlines the basic human rights of man and gave a starting point for any country attempting to create a bill of rights. As the document, it was very specific thus there was little need for improvement and it has been almost unchanged since its creation. The first article of the declaration states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1). By giving equality to all human beings, the declaration immediately alleviates any loopholes that may be used to undermine the authority of the document. The declaration prevents exemptions from this article to those countries that consider part of their population to not be a part of the general term, man. In many societies women are also considered to be below the status of being part of mankind and are therefore exempt from any legislature directed through that word. The proceeding is also prevented by the second article that supports the first by stating that all are subject to the rights set forth in this document. Finally the document states the ever-important right of Life, Liberty and Security. By outlining these basic rights the United Nations has outlawed the following; Homicide and manslaughter, the violation of the right to life in any human being; Suppression of freedom of speech, the right of liberty is the right of speaking about your government freely, taking that away is taking your liberty; and finally slavery, a slave has no security and never will, therefore slavery is forever outlawed along with the preceding. This single amendment covers such...