Featured moment · World history
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
10 December 1948
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark statement of rights and freedoms to be recognised for all people.
Image note: The photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt holding the declaration was taken in 1949.
What happened?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed in Paris on 10 December 1948. Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights during its drafting.
Why it mattered
Though not itself a treaty, the declaration profoundly influenced subsequent international human-rights conventions, national constitutions and public debate.