To: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Unite for Rights
We’re launching a petition to call on the UK Government to renew its commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Adopted in 1948, the UDHR is the closest humanity has ever come to agreeing on a fundamental, enforceable set of rights for all people, in all countries. We also call on the UK to continue supporting the European Court of Human Rights, which represented one of the first steps toward making the rights in the UDHR enforceable.
Why is this important?
In these fragmentary times, when human rights are increasingly under attack around the world, it's more important than ever to show global support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The rule of law is being eroded, not only by authoritarian regimes but also through the complacency of democratic governments. Without renewed commitment and enforceability, the UDHR risks becoming symbolic rather than transformational.
Bringing attention back to the UDHR and working toward an enforceable International Bill of Rights is the only way we can restore respect for human dignity, the rule of law, and the original vision of a world governed by shared principles of justice and equality. But to do this, we need a global base of supporters and the backing of powerful governments, like the UK, willing to lead by example.
