The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A Commentary

The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10 December 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly marked a groundbreaking moment in the field of international law. Not only would it start to move away from its original conception as an exclusively State-centered domain: it would also mark the progressive transformation of international law into a law for humankind. This instrument started a codification and institution-building process that would slowly evolve into a complex framework of treaties, bodies and procedures revolving around the protection of the human being against the actions - or omissions - of the State. This commentary provides a specific article-by-article analysis and reflection of the negotiation history and evolution over time of each one of the rights enshrined therein.