CHAPTER 3
Internati~nal Bill of Rights
The International Bill of Rights consists of the following documents:
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948;
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966;
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration that
was adopted by the United Nations' General Assembly on 10th December, 1948 at
the Palais de Chaillot, Paris. This was perhaps one of the important consequences
of the Second World War and recognised the first global expression of rights to
which all human beings were inherently entitled. The Declaration is a statement
of principles to base a new world order so that all the death and destruction
that took place in the world wars would never happen again. The principal
drafter of the document was John Peters Humphrey. The Commission on Human
Rights, a standing body .of the United Nations was constituted to undertake
the work of preparing what was initially conceived as an International Bill of
Rights (i.e. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights).
The Declaration contains a preamble and 30 articles. Articles 1 and 2 are the
base with the principles of dignity, liberty, equality and brotherhood. The main
body of the Declaration forms the four columns:
• Articles 3-11: Talk about right to life, prohibition of slavery, etc.
• Articles 12-17: Constitutes the rights relating to civil and political
society.
• Articles 18-21: Enumerate rights like the right to freedom of religion,
freedom of association, etc.
• Articles 22-27: Set out the social, economic and cultural rights.
• Articles 28-30: Miscellaneou s provisions.
Preamble to Universal Declaration of Human Rights
f The seven paragraphs of the preamble set out the reasons or the objectives
o the Declaration which is followed by a statement "proclaiming " the
Declaration.
19
20 Human Rights
Para I: Asser~ that the rec~gnition of human dignity of all people.
foundation of justice and peace in the world. lS
Para II: Observes that disregard and contempt for human rights have
in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind and :Ul
four freedoms: freedom of speecl:t, ~~-~ef~ fI:e~dom from want, and freedorn t
fear are "proclaimed as the highest 'aspiration " ·of the people. &
Para III: St~tes _that ~? that; pe~p~e a~re not COplpelled to rebell~on a .
tyranny, h~~ ri~hts,, shou~~ be_~r<?tected ~y -~~ ?f]~~!" ~ • _· , , g
Para IV: Relates h~~ _rights. t~ _the ~e~el~~~~n! ?~ f!fe~dly relati
between nations. , ·' · '· ,·,•:,· > • •• • ,. .c, !l,-i •' l(;i,r ... ' · , , •. Jj
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• ~. ( • ,·~ f ..
Para V: Links the Declaration· back to -the· United Nations Charter w.
reaffirms faith· in fun~amental human, rights~andr dignity and worth of
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• Para VI: Not~s th~t all me~ber~. ~f'.l'th~, U:~ted ___ N,a~on~ h~ve _pledg
1
~emselv~~- to -~0i:~v_e ~-~~operation, w1t~.the l!~.ted.~a t~o~! the pro~oti
ofreedf
uru:v~~ '. ~~sp~t Ir~~'
oms. . ..
0~9~strv~~~~. _pf h~~~ I ~l&ht,s ~d, ~da,m~
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. Para Vil: Observe~ .tha~ ': a co~on un~[Link]).g" ~f rights and freedo
~ of .'~~e_gr~~~~s_t):mp~~~~e" for ~-e f~ll-~~~lizati~n, of t~at pledge.! i··. ,L:,
These· paragraphs are followed by the "proclamation~~ of the Declaration·
a [Link] standard of a~evemen t .for, all peoples and ·all nations; so that
individuals and all organs of [Link] by teaching• and education,'prom
respect for these ,rights and freedoms and rby progressive measures,' nati
and •international,, secure .-their~· universal. and effective . recognition·
Observance·~ ' l , . , . . r •. 1,.' I ." . .•, •• ,I. ,1.)
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In the preamble, governments •commit· themselves I and ·their' peopl~
' •
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progressive measures to secure the universal and effective recogrution t -' t I
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observance of the human rights. set out in, the Declaration., It also serves as
foundation' for ·a, growing. number of, international, treaties and: national·~
and international, regional, national and suo:.national institutions protecting
prom_(?~g h_~[Link] ts. 1 . :1., , •(·:~ • ,, ;. ;•::1 .t:. .: =·•1 '\. -
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India ~[Link] sal·D~dara tion·oJ Human Rights' ..''-. i • L 1 • 11
: •
Human rights have been an inherent componen t of various philosophi
and. therefore, the, Indian. Constitution, as a result, stands '.as. ~n~ ,of. the Ill_
com~rehensive [Link]-contained documen_ts on human rlgh~s~-.Indi~.too~ a:el
part m drafting of the Universal Declaration on Human Rigl)t~ espe~1ally _Ul
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of g~der equality. India has been: advo~ating a h?Hstic, ~n1-~tegra~ed approa
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that gives equal emphasis to all [Link]· based on· their· [Link]
inter?ela~ ess, indivisil;>i.1:i,ty1 ~nd... J~-~ersal_ity, 1 an~ 1.~einfor<;e~. J the ;:C,
~ela:tio~~p between dem~acy , d~vE:lop~ent, h~~an r~gh~. ~~d.:mterna.
~C>_C?pe~ation f~r <:fevelop~ei;tt~ The rights ~e~ti~ned ~ t}:le_ Declara~on
made a part of the Constitution of India by its framers under the Part 1 11
~"1
International Bill of Rights 21
Part IV in the fopn ,of '<:;<?~!ence of the constitution', This can very well be
appreciated by the following: • • ' r
.. ~
S. UDHR CONSTl~IO~ , RIGHTS _GUARANTEED
NO.
1. Article
' t
1 f t
Article 19, Article 14,
J >Freedom, equaliry, dignity,
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Preamble, Article 51A : b~otherhood •., • , , J ', •
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• ' • '- . J , '
2. Article 2 Article 15(1) No discrimination J ,. •
3. - Article 3 Article .21
l , •
Life, ~berty,:·security ·of person ._
4. Article 4 I
Article 23 Prohibi~on [Link] and slave trade
(forced labour) • ' •• _,. _ . ' ~·
r . . , • •, , ,.. ·,. , •. . ,
.
•
5.'
'
Article 5 '
... , , • , -} • ._, , .. • • , '. l •
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•Af~cl~ 21 'a~ inte:f~~ed • • Inhuman, degrading punishment or
• as regards prisoners and -treatment, torture • 1r •
.' r ,. under-trials (no specific • !l ' , '
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r provision) ·. ' I !•'·, - : ;• J , • r , '; ~ r ' '. :-: ' •: •- ! • r , '. ' I
6. Article 6 Article'14,' Article 21 ., ' • Recognition as per~n before law· '
1
7. • ' Artide 7 • Article 14,' Article 15, '-ti i:q~aliry before law, ~qual protection
~
. I J Article 17, Article 18 1 • ·o r of laws, rio discrimination • . ·: - - ·
I • f '.r rj ('•'(' (~
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B. r' Art.8 1 1
Article 32~ Article 226,' : 'Effective remedy for violation of
1
I • : Article" 13(2)" • r 'r , t • fundamental rights r r. • ) :
9. ' Article 9 Articler 22 •• , 1 "'i • , '• N~ a~}?[Link] ~~st, exile 0~ 'detention
"' .,J 1 '" f • {
• • \ : , ( l • ' ' 1 • I f , ,. ,
10. '· Article 10 Article 50, principles' of • Fair public' hearing by impartial •
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tribunal
, • natural
, . justice ..,
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11. Article 11 Judicial• Inten,retation Presumption of innocence • until
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•• proved guilty in ,public trial. with
all guarantees necessary for defense
in criminal cases , '
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Artici~ 21 •(int~rpretation ) Pr1vacy .
. .' J : r f ) •, , , l t t , ._ , . •
• by Indian Judiciary in •
f ., • I f 1 , ~
• cases like Kadak Singh v. l '
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..• .
State .of Uttar Pradesh
13. Article 13 · Article 19(1)(d), ,r 1 , ' ~,,, .Freedom of movement and residence
• 1.
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·: Article (l)(e), Article 21 within borders of a state 1 '
14. Article 14 ' 1' · No specific law in India except of its
! '
1,', I• tradition of giving refuge to people I
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15. Article 15 Article 5 :, • , •• •• · s •• Citizei1ship; : > •
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16. Right to marry and found a family
17.
.
Article 16 -Article 21, Article 15 1
l
Article 25 1
Article 39(e), Article' 39(f), • Right to standard of living ad_equate ,for
> judicial interpretation health of himself
I
, .! ' ,, I
, and of his family under 'Article 21 .
18. Article 17 1
- Article 300A
I
Property ' •' 1: • . •~ , .
19. Article 18 Article 25 l ' • Freedom. I
of thought, conscience and
.. ' . , '. . )
religion • i • .. • • • : ' • .' • • • •
20. ; Article' 19 .Article 19(1)(a) , Freedom of <>pinion and expreesion
21. Article 20 · Article 19(l)(b), Peaceful assembly and assodation •
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I.. • •
.. , Article (19)(c) • .
22. , Article 23 • Article 19(1)(g) t
j Work ~d free' choice of em'plo)'!Peft~
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•. • .• J I • , t.a"' j
24 • • ••Human Rights
• Eleventhly, it has become accepted as an influential statement of stan
even by countries that are doubtful. abo~t the ~hole human rights ent .
When. countries such as Burma, Argentina, China and the former, Yu
feel bound to defend, themselves when they are accused of being ing:
of the UI?HR, then it can be said to have achieved an important politic;
moral status. • • · ,. , ,•• .
,· _ Time·· and again, the si~cance of th'e Declaration h~s been emphas·
For example, at an International Conference on Human Rights in Teher
Universal Declaration · was once agam • d~l ared _as ~ common understandian, n
between _the people of the world concerrung the malienable and inviolable .g
of all members of the human family. It was said that it constitutes an obli: .
for_ [Link] of the internation al community . While again emphasizin a
importance of .the Declaration, over 150 ~ountries once again .re.;.affirmed g
commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the, 1993,W
Conference on Human Rights in Vienna and Programm e of Action.. The un
is an increasingly powerful instrument for the achieveme nt of human di •
and peace for all. • . . , ; L .. 1 ; •. , •
Criticisms to. the Declaration·· ' ' ' ., ,
: The ,Uni~ersal Declaration <?f Human Rights represents the recogni •
that therE: are. certain rights that hum~- beings have simply. by virtue of •
human, which no State can alienate under any, circumstances. This Declarati
which sets the standards for the treatment of individuals across the intemati
system,-is accepted· as an
integral' part of the body of international: law toda
But it f~ short of certain, aspects: ~ J J ; • , ., , } • : d,.. ., ; , ••
I ' •, l I "" .,, " , • i ,,. ,. 1 • l - • •• '
• '..Firstly,.. the. questi~ri. of t~e universalit y of the _Decl_aration_ itself is· r •
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ori. two grounds.• The Declaration 'is not_ broad_ enough' to b~ ~\;ersal., S
arguments are heard from some feminist scholars and from within the debate
the_ hierarchy ofrights: The' oilier criticism ~om~s froni' the cul~ral relatiyists Y'1
a ·set of'standard s that transcend ·cuI~-
state that it is'impossible tor create r-..,r, t; • t'"t.J • ) •\
t_ I ; # , , • •-: • I f {: ; .J t. # f
Secondly, Article 38 of the Statute of the Internation al Court of Justice ?u, ..
the sources from which such law is derived, i.e., the international conventi
whether' general or particular~ establishing rules' expressly rJcognised. by.
contesting Stat~s; [Link] 'custoin, as' evidence'of gen'.eral practice ~~c~
1 1
a
as law;"the general principles. of law. rec~gnised by civili:ze~ natioris;)u~
1
decision and the teachings of the ~~st_ hig~y tjualified pu~lid~ts; of the y~o
~tions, as s1:1bsidiary means fc?r ~e I determina.t!o~ o~ ~~es of l~w ~n~ d~iSl
m. good faith. The Declaration falls into· the category of g~neral pnncip~~0
~tema~?na l. !~~ ~~ •as' such ~as a. mor~: a~bi~ou_s . P?s_itio~.· ID: in~~rna!£
~~ ~_,do ~eaties or even· custoD:15. 'lflere are .~1fferu:ig ,u:iterpret~tt ons th
m~g of :'general principles in interna~ional law_." 01e y1ew s~~~~. ~~t di
5 1
are merely. commonalties found .•among •th,e establis'1ed and _e~ispng }u ·p
p~cip!es of ~ nation-stat~s, while· the oth~r· vi~w a,rgues. ~at t~e~e
de
i;r;
.~u:~
are dex:ive~ fro!-11 natural law;Jin either ·case; given that ~ere. is ~o
a~~on_ty 1? .the. ~temationa l system, ~e ~~ceptan,c~ of !hes~ prmcip~on· itse
upon ~ublic .~ttitudes toward~ th~i~ legitimacy. Further,. the Declar:da Bha
merely a recommendation. However, it has been held in Keshvana