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So Which Is the Most Important? So which is the most important? Sixty years of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Sixty years of the United Nations Universal Declaration Human Rights Jubilee booklet, jointly published by the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Layout: Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Press, Information and Communication Department Photos: Maria Friberg, courtesy Galleri Charlotte Lund, Stockholm Printed by: EDITA, Västerås, 2008 ISBN: 978-91-7496-393-9 Article no: 08.068 Telephone (switchboard): +46 8 405 10 00 The booklet can be downloaded from The Swedish Government website: www.sweden.gov.se So which is the most important? Jubilee booklet, published by the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Contents Much has changed but the fundamental ideas are the same - Carl Bildt and Nyamko Sabuni .......................5 A feeling’s throw from the precipice – Kristina Lugn .........6 The first UN declaration on the rights of the individual .....8 The foundations for freedom, justice and peace ............10 Similar protection systems throughout Europe ..............12 Human rights in Sweden ..............................................14 Dialogue promotes understanding and respect .............16 Religions must command respect rather than demand it – Asma Jahangir ...........................................18 Not so stupid as to claim that my way is the only way – Jonas Gardell ...............................................20 The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ..............................................................22 A prerequisite for commitment .....................................26 Great danger that we create truths that fail to stand up to scrutiny - Hans Blix .............................................28 We can, of course, make use of our right to contradict –Thomas Hammarberg ................................30 Rare for motorists who have exposed others to danger to cite freedom of movement in their defence – Martin Scheinin ..........................................................32 So which is the most important? I hope I never need to choose – Elisabet Fura-Sandström .............................34 The common theme – no distinction ..............................36 The principles must be reaffirmed – Mary Robinson ......38 “The equal value of all people” is often followed by a little “but” - Hans Ytterberg ....................................40 Human rights conventions .............................................44 Glossary ........................................................................45 PHOTO: MARIA FRIBERG 4 Much has changed but the fundamental ideas are the same The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. The Declaration established a set of common basic values both with regard to the view of human beings and to the relations- hip between the state and the individual. It also set standards for human rights, which take precedence over political, econo- mic, cultural and religious differences. Now that the Universal Declaration is sixty years old, we want to emphasise once again that these fundamental norms are universal and binding for all the world’s states. All states have an obligation to safeguard the equal value and rights of all people. Sweden must be a clear voice for human rights in the world. Because of this, we are giving priority to human rights work during our Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2008 and our EU Presidency in 2009. At the national level, our long-term objective is to en- sure full respect for human rights in Sweden. Much has changed in the sixty years of working to realise the Universal Declaration. Much has clearly improved, but the picture is not entirely positive. Nor does everyone always see the same picture. In this booklet, a number of people from Sweden and other countries give their highly personal views on various articles of the Universal Declaration. They have written about Article 2 on equal treatment, Article 18 on freedom of worship and Article 19 on freedom of expression. These are all fundamen- tal human rights, and they are as burningly topical today as they were sixty years ago. Carl Bildt Nyamko Sabuni Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Integration and Gender Equality 5 People live only a feeling’s throw from the precipice. All of us live only a thought leap from the Big Dipper. I now find myself only a blow kiss from the funeral parlour. With me I have a child who is calling from all the corners of the world. Kristina Lugn Member of the Swedish Academy (Goodbye, Have a Good Life! 2003) 6 PHOTO: MARIA FRIBERG 7 The first UN declaration on the rights of the individual All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This is a firmly established human rights principle. It applies throughout the world, irrespective of country, culture or context. Human rights are rights that states, through international agreements, must guarantee indi- vidual people. These rights serve to limit the state’s power over the individual. The state and the entire public sector are responsible for promoting and protecting these rights. For this reason, every right of the individual imposes an obligation on the state. Human rights cover many aspects of life. Their purpose is to enable everyone to live a decent life, and they include rules about people’s right to life, their rights to their own thoughts and religious beliefs, the protection of the family, freedom from torture and slavery, the right to education, equality, freedom of ex- pression and the right to take part in the mana- gement of their countries. THE EXPERIENCES of the Second World War led to the emergence of the idea, among the UN member countries, that the international com- munity must assume joint responsibility for the human rights of the individual. The promotion of human rights is therefore one of the UN’s objectives and the UN is one of the world’s most important actors for implementing and monitoring human rights. The General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. It is a unique international document. It was the first declaration about the rights and freedoms of the individual to be adopted by the United Nations. The Declaration establishes that the rights apply to everybody, irrespective of race, skin colour, sex, language, religion, political opinion or social status. This is stated in Article 2 of the Declaration. Three of the writers contributing to this bro- chure discuss what this has meant for human rights work internationally, in Europe and in Sweden. The foundations for freedom, justice and peace The world has changed over the past sixty years since the adoption of the Declaration. But the ideals that inspired those who drew up the guidelines for the work still apply today. The Universal Declaration has served as a sour- ce of inspiration for the human rights conven- tions that have subsequently been drawn up. The introduction, describing the purpose and objectives of the Declaration in general terms and as general principles or values, reads as fol- lows: “WHEREAS RECOGNITION OF the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the founda- tion of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclai- med as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, Whereas it is essential to promote the deve- lopment of friendly relations between nations, 0 Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, Whereas Member States have pledged them- selves to achieve, in co-operation with the Uni- ted Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and funda- mental freedoms, Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importan- ce for the full realization of this pledge, Now, Therefore the general assembly pro- claims this universal declaration of human rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to pro- mote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and ef- fective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.” Similar protection systems throughout Europe Alongside the development of UN systems for the protection of human rights, similar regional systems have also emerged. The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was adopted in 1950, one year after the establishment
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