1.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

It's easy to say what the political rights of a citizen are, as they are specified in the
legislation of their State; but what authority can define which rights all humans have in
spite of their nationality?

Until recently, this has been an unsolved problem, since, as mentioned in the previous
section; human rights have been based on religious belief or human reason. However,
not all religions profess the same moral, not all people attending the same reasons.

Since the creation of the United Nations (1945), which currently belong almost all the
nations of the Earth, the issue has been resolved: human rights are recognized and
proclaimed by the General Assembly of this organization in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights of 10 December 1948.

The rights contained in the Declaration are:

Human and universal. Protect all humans, regardless of their age, sex, religion,
nationality...and are also recognized by virtually all humans through their
representatives at the United Nations.

Imprescriptible. Any human being acquires for the simple fact of birth and they cant
be caught at any time of his life.

Inalienable. No human being can dispose in exchange for something or for the benefit
of another person or the state.

Inalienable. No one, for any reason, may resign, even free, to them.

Historical. Is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a closed set of a preamble and
thirty articles or can be extended set? Most scholars believe that human rights are
historical, i.e., over time can increase their number. Indeed, human progress has no limit
on the moral field and always there will be something to do.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not binding; but is extremely important
because it serves as a basis for subsequent international treaties to which the signatory
states declare mandatory.
2. HUMAN DIGNITY

Slavery has been present in all cultures. The slave was treated as a thing or an animal
owned by his owner, he could do, with him or her, whatever he wanted. A human being
became a slave by force and was deprived of all rights. Slaves could not marry without
permission of the owner, and their children were not theirs. The son of a slave was born
slave. In Rome, who fled was cut off nose or ears; if relapsed, he was cut legs. From the
second century A.D. started carrying metal necklaces engraved with the owner's name
with some inscription.

After the colonization of America by Europeans, millions of Africans, who were

enraptured in their land, were taken to the new continent-men, women, children-. In the
XIV, XVII and XVIII centuries, over thirteen million were turned into merchandise, but
only eleven million reached American shores. The rest died during the trip due to
illness, accident, abuse, hunger or thirst.

The abolition of slavery took long in coming. Slave owners did not want to lose their
benefits. But little by little, it was consolidating the antislavery movement. Throughout
the nineteenth century, many nations were prohibiting slavery. Currently slavery has
been legally abolished in all countries, at least in theory. The Universal Declaration of
Human Rights banned it in 1948. But experts suggest that, in fact, still working in
slavery. There are countries where children are sold to devote to work or prostitution.

As we have seen with the example of slavery, for many centuries it was thought that
humans were not equal. It wasnt thought that all of us formed part of a common
humanity. The tribe itself was respected and the tribe next was despised. Gradually,
under the influence of philosophers, religions and many people who fought and
supported the claims of the victims, the idea of equality of humans was imposed. And
we were equals precisely in dignity.

Dignity is a quality that all persons, which makes them valuable, important and
respectable by the fact that people, regardless of their strength, wealth, knowledge,
culture, religion or sex. They are not valuable because "fend for something" but in
themselves, by existing.

Be treated as persons means, among other things, be treated as someone irreplaceable.

Why do we seem monstrous that killed children who have a mental or physical
disability or elderly who cant fend for themselves? Because they are people and
therefore valuable, worthy of protection, respect, support and love. And this recognition
requires us to care for and respect to everyone, also to those who for reasons of health or
age depend on us. The dignity ennobles all of us.