Congressional Digest

Excerpt

The concept of human rights — that people the world over,
by virtue of their humanity, are entitled to certain inalienable
rights — is a modern one, though its roots lie in earlier
traditions and documents, and abuses have existed
throughout history.
A turning point came in the aftermath
of World War II when the newly formed
United Nations in 1948 adopted the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. The Declaration urged member
nations to promote and adhere to a number of human,
civil, economic, and social rights, asserting that such rights
are part of “the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace
in t…