UAE's Permanent Committee For Human Rights Organises Seminar On Universal Declaration Of Human Rights History And Future

The UAE's Permanent Committee for Human Rights (PCHR) and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), with insights from the British Institute for International and Comparative Law, hosted an event on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This gathering, held on 25 January at AGDA, was the first in a series of six events scheduled between February and June 2025.

During the event, speakers examined the UDHR's history and its current relevance. They discussed how its creators balanced universal principles with cultural diversity. The document, drafted in 1948 after two World Wars, was crafted by an international committee led by Eleanor Roosevelt. Contributors included Charles Malik from Lebanon, Peng Chun Chang from China, and John Humphrey.

Dr. Victory Stewart-Jolly from AGDA highlighted that significant contributions to the UDHR came from figures in the Global South. "Most of the iconic articles...were championed not by French or American jurists, but by Indian, Lebanese, Iraqi, Chinese and Dominican," she stated. These contributions have often been overlooked in literature.

Dr. Kelechi Akubueze from Nigeria shared insights on Africa's perspective on the UDHR. He noted that while African voices were under-represented during its drafting, many principles align with traditional African values like Ubuntu, which emphasises human dignity and communal responsibility.

Ambassador Dr. Ibrahim Salama addressed how past considerations illuminate today's complex human rights challenges. He stressed the need for coherence in a fragmented human rights architecture. The open discussion also explored whether the UDHR remains true to its original aspirations.

A key topic was dispelling the idea that the UDHR favours Western concepts. Dr. Stewart-Jolly emphasised that many important elements were integrated by jurists from diverse backgrounds who faced opposition but remained committed to defending human rights.

The PCHR serves as a national coordination mechanism among UAE ministries and human rights bodies. Established in October 2019 by the Council of Ministers, it aims to advance human rights according to international standards.

This event is part of a larger series building on discussions held in 2024 that attracted over 700 attendees and more than 20 speakers from various fields. The series aims to continue exploring critical issues related to human rights globally.

With inputs from WAM