A series of loud car horn blasts echo through the city streets.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a seminal document of international human rights law, was adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. This foundational text, drafted by a committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, involved key figures such as Charles Habib Malik from Lebanon, René Cassin from France, and John Humphrey, a Canadian law professor.
Charles Malik, a Lebanese philosopher and diplomat, was one of the drafters of the UDHR. He questioned the source of human rights, suggesting they are inalienable and grounded in a Supreme Being. Malik, along with French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, contributed to the biblical roots of the UDHR, rooted in the understanding that each person was created with dignity and sanctity.
Maritain, although not a direct drafter of the UDHR, significantly influenced the intellectual foundation of the human rights ideas that shaped the declaration. He promoted the idea of natural law and Christian humanism, concepts that underpinned much of the philosophical discourse on human rights during that era.
Eleanor Roosevelt, as chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights, was a driving force behind the UDHR, promoting a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations. René Cassin, a French jurist, is often credited as a principal author because of his key role in redrafting the text to integrate and clarify various contributions.
The very concept of human rights is biblical in origin, and the drafting of the UDHR was a collective international effort, involving diplomats, jurists, and philosophers from diverse backgrounds. Malik was directly involved as a drafter and contributor, while Maritain provided influential philosophical guidance though he was not on the drafting committee itself.
Fast forward to the present day, and human rights are currently being challenged by autocrats and anti-democrats like Putin. Yet, the legacy of the UDHR remains strong, with its principles enshrined in international law. The roots of human rights extend beyond the Enlightenment, reaching back to minority Christian traditions such as Mennonites and Baptists.
Recently, the departure of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator, has huge ramifications for the global geo-political balance. Millions of Syrians have been forced to flee from their homeland over past decades of Assad rule. However, with his forced departure, millions of Syrians are now free from the oppressive regime.
The Schuman Centre for European Studies published an article on this topic, with Jeff Fountain serving as the Director. The article was first published on the author's blog, Weekly Word, and was later published in Evangelical Focus under the title 'Window on Europe - Honking horns'. The article highlights the importance of the UDHR and its biblical foundations, emphasising that every article of the Declaration of Human Rights can be supported by scripture.
Two Sundays ago at 4.30am, a convoy of cars draped with Syrian flags drove through the centre of Amsterdam, symbolising a new era for the Syrian people. As we reflect on Human Rights Day, it is important to remember the legacy of the UDHR and the ongoing efforts to uphold its principles in a world where they are increasingly challenged.
[1] UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). The Story of Human Rights: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/History.aspx [4] Maritain, J. (1943). Man and the State. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
- Despite current challenges to human rights by autocrats and anti-democrats, the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) remain sturdy, with its roots reaching back to biblical origins and the intellectual foundations of diplomats, jurists, and philosophers such as Charles Malik and Jacques Maritain.
- The ongoing work of upholding the UDHR's principles in a world where they are increasingly challenged is evident in articles like 'Window on Europe - Honking horns,' published by the Schuman Centre for European Studies, stressing the biblical foundations of the UDHR and the importance of maintaining the common standard of human rights established by this groundbreaking document.
