Your rights made simple
On this page we've simplified the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
All 30 rights are equal to each other and it is the duty of governments to protect and promote them.
Click on a right to read a case study from around the world. 1 All Human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights
Case Study: Discrimination based on descent
2 All people are entitled to rights without distinction based on
race, colour, sex, language, religion, opinion, origin, property,
birth or residency
Case Study: World Conference Against Racism
3 Right to life liberty and security of person
Case Study: International campaign to ban landmines
4 Freedom from slavery
Case Study: The trafficking of children in West Africa
5 Freedom from torture
Case Study: Freedom from torture in Mexico
6 Right to be treated equally by the law
Case Study: Slobodan Milosevic's trial
7 Right to equal protection by the law
Case Study: Sharia law
8 Right for all to effective remedy by competent tribunal
Case Study: Domestic violence
9 Freedom from arbitrary arrest
Case Study: Anti-terrorist legislation post Sept. 11
10 Right to fair public hearing by Independent tribunal
Case Study: The prisoners of Guantanamo Bay
11 Right to presumption of innocence until proven guilty at public trial with all guarantees necessary for defence
Case Study: Legal proceedings in Malaysia
12 Right to privacy in home, family and correspondence
Case Study: Privacy on the Internet
13 Freedom of movement in your own country and the right to leave and return to any countries
Case Study: Internally displaced in Turkey
14 Right to political asylum in other countries
Case Study: Asylum seekers in Australia
15 Right to nationality
Case Study: The issue of nationality in Ivory Coast
16 Right to marriage and family and to equal right of men and women during and after marriage
Case Study: Forced early marriage
17 Right to own property
Case Study: Land reform in Zimbabwe
18 Freedom of thought and conscience and religion
Case Study: Legislating against religious hatred in the UK
19 Freedom of opinion and expression and to seek, receive and impart information
Case Study: Freedom of expression in Uzbekistan
20 Freedom of Association and assembly
Case Study: Anti-globalisation protests
21 Right to take part in and select government
Case Study: Democracy in East Timor
22 Right to social security and realisation of economic, social and cultural rights
Case Study: Bangladesh's micro-loans
23 Right to work, to equal pay for equal work and to form and join trade unions
Case Study: Ecuador's trade unions
24 Right to reasonable hours of work and paid holidays
Case Study: Enforcing labour standards in a global economy
25 Right to adequate living standard for self and family, including food, housing, clothing, medical care and social security
Case Study: World Summit on Sustainable Development
26 Right to education
Case Study: Education in Afghanistan
27 Right to participate in cultural life and to protect intellectual property rights
Case Study: West Papua's cultural identity
28 Right to social and international order permitting these freedoms to be realised
Case Study: Military intervention for human rights
29 Each person has responsibilities to the community and others as essential for a democratic society
Case Study: Guns in the USA
30 Repression in the name of rights is unacceptable
Case Study: The concept of Asian Values