The importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Is it binding?

The Universal Declaration begins by recognising that ‘the inherent dignity of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’.

It declares that human rights are universal – to be enjoyed by all people, no matter who they are or where they live.

The Universal Declaration includes civil and political rights, like the right to life, liberty, free speech and privacy. It also includes economic, social and cultural rights, like the right to social security, health and education.

The Universal Declaration is not a treaty, so it does not directly create legal obligations for countries. However, it is an expression of the fundamental values which are shared by all members of the international community. And it has had a profound influence on the development of international human rights law. Some argue that because countries have consistently invoked the Declaration for more than sixty years, it has become binding as a part of customary international law.

Further, the Universal Declaration has given rise to a range of other international agreements which are legally binding on the countries that ratify them. These include

the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and

the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).