COMMENT: Anniversaries often prompt reflection. Today's 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a useful moment to look at what we have achieved in terms of human rights and what more we need to do.
New Zealand was one of the 48 states that proclaimed the Declaration at the United Nations General Assembly in Paris, on December 10, 1948. The declaration, which includes 30 articles and a preamble, was worked on by representatives from around the world, including our Prime Minister Peter Fraser.
Supporting Fraser were South Canterbury Hospital Board member and political activist, Ann Newlands, and a young lawyer and diplomat, Colin Aikman, who was studying in London.
While the declaration sets out fundamental principles, it doesn't bind countries to adopt them. Instead, countries commit to implementing the broad set of rights by ratifying two treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The first covenant includes the right to life, freedom of religion, speech and assembly, electoral rights and the rights to due process and a fair trial. The second covenant covers labour rights; and the rights to health, education and an adequate standard of living.