The growing threats to human rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed on 10 December 1948, transformed an aspiration into legally binding standards and spawned a raft of institutions to scrutinize government conformity and condemn noncompliance. It remains the central organizing principle of global human rights and a source of power and authority on behalf of victims. Numerous UN conventions, declarations and protocols produced the progressive result of universalizing human rights. They are our “firewalls against barbarism” (Michael Ignatieff).

Related Subject(s): Human Rights and Refugees