PARIS 10 December 2008 Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed 60 years ago

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was signed on 10 Dec 1948 at Palais de Chaillot in Paris. The landmark 60th anniversary falls in a period of increased human rights activism. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which is pushing for legally-binding measures to fight "Islamophobia,"could use the anniversary to promote this goal. The anniversary also promises to be a focus for indigenous groups wanting to put teeth into the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People.

In March the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), a non-governmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations, warned that Islamic governments are trying to use the United Nations to shut down free speech. The warning came during the OIC leaders' summit, at which "Islamophobia" was high on the agenda. Following the uproar over the Mohammed cartoons in 2006, the OIC stepped up its attempts in international forums to protect Islam against criticism and succeeded in 2007 in getting the UN General Assembly to pass a first-ever resolution on the "defamation of religions." Islam was the only religion mentioned by name in the text.

In a statement delivered to the UN Human Rights Council, the IHEU said the implications of this resolution for freedom to criticize religious laws and practices are obvious. Armed with UN approval for their actions, states may now legislate against any show of disrespect for religion, however they may choose to define 'disrespect.'"

The UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People, which was passed by the UN General Assembly on 13 Sep 2007, outlines the rights of the world’s estimated 370 million indigenous people and outlawing discrimination against them – a move that followed more than two decades of debate. One-hundred-and forty-three countries voted in favor. Eleven abstained. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, each with activist indigenous populations, voted against it. May/08

STORY SUPPLIED BY NEWSAHEAD CORRESPONDENT C.BALAJI, WHO IS AVAILABLE FOR FREELANCE ASSIGNMENTS IN INDIA AND THE REGION. email: mohan balaji 

RELATED READING:

OIC wants 'binding legal instrument' to fight Islamophobia (CNS 13 Mar 2008)
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200803/FOR20080313a.html

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Islamic states seek world freedom curbs: humanists (Reuters 12 Mar 2008)
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1277265220080312?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=22&sp=true

United Nations adopts Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples ( www.un.org, 13 September 2007)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23794&Cr=indigenous&Cr1

International Humanist and Ethical Union
http://www.iheu.org/