Universal Declaration of Human Rights facts for kids

Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1949)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (often called the UDHR) is a very important document. It was created by the United Nations. It talks about basic human rights. These are rights that every person has. You have them just because you are human! The United Nations agreed to this declaration on December 10, 1948.

The UDHR has been translated into over 300 languages. This is more languages than any other document. The Guinness Book of World Records says so!

What Are Human Rights?

The UDHR has 30 different parts, called articles. Each article explains one important idea about human rights. These ideas are meant to protect everyone. They make sure people are treated fairly.

Here are some of the most important ideas:

• Everyone is born free and equal. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
• Everyone has a right to life, liberty (freedom), and safety.
• No one should be treated badly or unfairly. This is called discrimination.
• Everyone has the right to belong to a country. This is called having a nationality.
• Everyone has a right to go to school.
• Everyone has a right to get a job.
• Everyone has a right to vote. They can also take part in their country's government.
• Everyone has a right to enjoy their own way of life.
• No person should ever be tortured. No one should be treated in a cruel or unkind way.
• Everyone has the right to seek safety in another country. This is if they are in danger in their own country.
• Everyone has a right to their own opinions. They can decide what is right or wrong. They can also choose a religion.
• Everyone has a right to speak or write freely. They also have the right to join a peaceful group. This is to share their opinions.
• Everyone has a right to help if they are sick or old. This also applies if they lose their job or cannot work.
• We all have duties to our community. This is where we can grow and develop freely.
• No one can use these rights to take away the freedom or rights of others.

All 30 Human Rights Explained

Here is a simpler list of all the rights in the UDHR:

1. We Are All Born Free & Equal. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
2. Don’t Discriminate. These rights belong to everybody. It does not matter what our differences are.
3. The Right to Life. We all have the right to life. We also have the right to live in freedom and safety.
4. No Slavery. Nobody has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make anyone our slave.
5. No Torture. Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us.
6. You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go. You are a person just like everyone else!
7. We’re All Equal Before the Law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly.
8. Your Human Rights Are Protected by Law. We can all ask the law to help us. This is when we are not treated fairly.
9. No Unfair Detainment. Nobody has the right to put us in prison without a good reason. They cannot keep us there or send us away from our country unfairly.
10. The Right to Trial. If we are put on trial, it should be public. The people who try us should be fair. No one should tell them what to do.
11. We’re Always Innocent Till Proven Guilty. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it is proven. If people say we did something wrong, we have the right to show it is not true.
12. The Right to Privacy. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has the right to come into our home, open our letters, or bother us or our family without a good reason.
13. Freedom to Move. We all have the right to go where we want in our own country. We can also travel as we wish.
14. The Right to Seek a Safe Place to Live. If we are scared of being badly treated in our own country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe.
15. Right to a Nationality. We all have the right to belong to a country.
16. Marriage and Family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a family if they want to. Men and women have the same rights when they are married and when they are separated.
17. The Right to Your Own Things. Everyone has the right to own things or share them. Nobody should take our things from us without a good reason.
18. Freedom of Thought. We all have the right to believe in what we want. We can have a religion, or change it if we want.
19. Freedom of Expression. We all have the right to make up our own minds. We can think what we like, say what we think, and share our ideas with others.
20. The Right to Public Assembly. We all have the right to meet our friends. We can work together peacefully to protect our rights. Nobody can make us join a group if we don’t want to.
21. The Right to Democracy. We all have the right to take part in our country's government. Every grown-up should be allowed to choose their own leaders.
22. Social Security. We all have the right to affordable housing, medicine, education, and childcare. We should have enough money to live on and medical help if we are ill or old.
23. Workers’ Rights. Every grown-up has the right to do a job. They should get a fair wage for their work. They also have the right to join a trade union.
24. The Right to Play. We all have the right to rest from work and to relax.
25. Food and Shelter for All. We all have the right to a good life. Mothers and children, old people, unemployed people, or disabled people all have the right to be cared for.
26. The Right to Education. Education is a right. Our parents can choose what we learn.
27. Copyright. This is a special law that protects artistic creations and writings. Others cannot make copies without permission. We all have the right to our own way of life. We can also enjoy the good things that art, science, and learning bring.
28. A Fair and Free World. There must be proper order so we can all enjoy rights and freedoms. This is true in our own country and all over the world.
29. Responsibility. We have a duty to other people. We should protect their rights and freedoms.
30. No One Can Take Away Your Human Rights. These rights cannot be taken away from you.

Images for kids

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  In miniature book

See also

In Spanish: Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos para niños