In Article 7, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights expands on rights we have already discussed with Articles 1, 2, & 6: equality and non-discrimination. Clearly, the writers of the UDHR felt this was an important issue to cover. Article 7 reads:
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
What Does That Mean?
All should be equal before the law.
All should be equally protected by the law.
All should be equally protected from discrimination that denies them their rights as stated in the UDHR.
Did you notice I said “should be”?
Despite the progress that has been made in the 70 years since this document was written, many inequalities still exist, and discrimination is far from being eliminated.
Article 2 of the UDHR tells us that there should be no discrimination based on “distinction of any kind,” including race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
While humans are sadly quite good at coming up with reasons to discriminate, the major bases for discrimination are these:
Sex
Race, Ethnicity, or Color of Skin
Caste, Clan, Tribe, or Culture
Religion or Ethno-Religious Group
Language Spoken (or Not Spoken)
Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity
Disability
Nationality or Migration Status
Family Status or Marital Status
Age
Political Opinion
Socio-Economic Status
Discrimination and Inequality Today
Papua New Guinea is one of the most violent places in the world and one of the most dangerous places to be a woman, with an estimated 70% of women experiencing rape or assault in their lifetime.
Hear the story of Alyce and the work that Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is doing to address gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea:
The Dominican Republic has such rampant institutionalized racism against those of Haitian descent that it warrants its own word: antihaitianismo. They are denied birth certificates and citizenship, preventing them from receiving schooling or healthcare or visas to enter other countries. Sonia Pierre was an activist in the Dominican Republic who led the movement against antihaitianismo.
As of June 2018, homosexual activity between consenting adults was still illegal in 73 countries, mostly in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. There are eight countries where LGBT+ people risk the death penalty: Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, Syria, and Iraq.
In September 2018, India took itself off that list of now-72 countries when they legalized homosexual activity between consenting adults. This was the end of a 17 year battle for LGBT+ rights in India. Part of that battle can be seen here:
In Tanzania, superstitious beliefs regarding witchcraft lead to killings and amputations of people with albinism in order to use their body parts for charms. In an effort to ensure the physical safety of individuals with albinism, the government created “temporary holding shelters” in the late 2000s. These special boarding schools may have contributed to a decrease in the number of physical attacks, but they have become a long-term “solution” that has led to other issues: denying children their rights to family life, an adequate standard of living, and inclusive education.
Here is the story of one little boy who lost his hand to these brutal attacks: