The issuance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 was the most significant achievement of the United Nations in its history. It could have marked the beginning of a new era in human history, where humanity would have reached a stage of maturity, agreeing on the protection of human dignity, freedom, and rights.
However, after 73 years since the issuance of this declaration, we must pause to assess its impact: What was its influence? What were the resulting outcomes? Were its provisions respected? Why did the United Nations fail to enforce its implementation among its members? And what does the future hold for human rights?
A thorough response to these questions could pave the way for a new phase in the struggle to protect human rights—transforming these principles from mere text into a global culture, collective agreement, and political and civilizational awareness.
Western Hypocrisy
It is undeniable that Western hypocrisy, double standards, racism, and the prioritization of colonial interests rooted in dominance and resource exploitation—often in alliance with dictatorial regimes—are among the key factors that hindered the implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and nullified the real value of its provisions.
This means that the U.S. and European countries violated the Declaration’s provisions when they allied with dictatorial regimes, encouraging them to commit the most heinous crimes against humanity to protect their interests. These authoritarian regimes perpetrated these crimes primarily against political groups despised by the West, with Islamic movements being the most targeted. Members of these movements were subjected to violations, including murder, either under the guise of law or extrajudicially.
Studying the West’s silence on the violation of Islamists' rights by dictatorial regimes is a testament to its hypocrisy and racist double standards in dealing with human rights.
This silence may also provide an answer to the question: Why has the world failed to enforce the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? From 1948 until today, countless facts show how the West encouraged regimes that oppressed Islamists because it viewed them as adversaries. These movements were seen as the only obstacle to the full Israeli control over the Middle East, the usurpation of Palestine, and the realization of the so-called "Deal of the Century."
The West has been silent about “Israel’s” crimes against humanity, including the massacres committed against Palestinians, their forced displacement, the destruction of their cities, and the torture of their prisoners.
Simultaneously, Western countries—especially the United States—protected dictatorial regimes that oppressed Islamists, subjecting them to violations no less brutal or horrific than those committed by “Israel” against Palestinians.
This underscores the inherent racism and the lack of justice and equality in how humans are treated, contradicting the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states:
"Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world, and whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and whereas the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law."
The Concept of the Human Family
The above text is rich and serves as a foundation for the principles that nations must adhere to and the concepts on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is based.
The first concept clearly highlighted in the text is the “human family” and the idea that all its members should enjoy equal rights.
This concept resonates deeply with me and has significantly influenced my studies in international media and public perception. There’s no doubt that this concept finds its roots in Islam, as reflected in the Farewell Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) on Mount Arafat: "No doubt! Your blood, your properties, and your honor are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this (sacred) town (Mecca) of yours, in this month of yours.
O people, the believers are but brothers, and it is not permissible for a man to take from his brother’s wealth except with his good will. Have I conveyed? O Allah, bear witness.
O people, your Lord is One, and your father is one. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust. Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab except by piety. Have I conveyed? O Allah, bear witness."
Agreement on this concept is a significant civilizational achievement, as it is tied to a network of values, including human dignity, equality, the prohibition of racial discrimination, and the pursuit of justice and peace.
The Declaration therefore linked this concept to the protection of human rights through law and emphasized the right of individuals to rebel against tyranny and oppression if the law fails to safeguard their rights.
The Concept of Human Conscience
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights employed the concept of “human conscience” and asserted that barbarous acts stemming from the neglect and contempt of human rights constitute an affront to this conscience.
This concept suggests that humanity has reached a level of maturity and wisdom enabling it to judge actions based on conscience and to evaluate them in light of a commitment to human rights. Any violation of these rights, therefore, is an affront to this collective conscience.
The Declaration also linked this concept to the emergence of a world in which individuals enjoy freedom of speech and belief and are free from fear and want.
This aspirational tone of the preamble is rooted in a vision of building a new world based on the protection of human rights, expressing the United Nations' faith in these rights and its resolve to advance social progress and improve living standards in an atmosphere of freedom.
The Concept of Social Progress
This concept, which appears in the Declaration, highlights that the establishment of human civilization, progress, and improved living standards relies on expanding the scope of freedom, allowing individuals to express their ideas, produce knowledge, and exchange it.
This indicates that the violation of individuals' rights to expression and speech inevitably closes off the avenues for progress, limiting the ability of societies to build and develop their civilizations.
It is thus worth asking:
- Has the West’s insistence on encouraging authoritarian regimes and allying with them been a deliberate attempt to impose backwardness and poverty on nations, preventing them from benefiting from their people's talents, ideas, and efforts to achieve independence?
- Was this strategy designed to prevent former colonies from achieving progress, democracy, and freedom, ensuring the continued exploitation of their resources?
The preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reflects lofty aspirations, yet it failed to resonate in a world governed by the use of force, where Western powers attempt to impose their colonial ideology on other nations.
Cooperation and Commitment
The preamble of the Declaration states that member states of the United Nations pledged to cooperate in ensuring the observance and respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The UN General Assembly called on nations to bear this Declaration in mind and to strengthen the respect for these freedoms through education and actions that ensure their recognition and effective observance globally.
However, it is evident that nations have not adhered to the Declaration. Numerous events prove that its provisions have been violated and that the United Nations has failed in its responsibility to enforce compliance. As a result, peoples no longer rely on the United Nations in their struggle to demand human rights. This indicates a loss of trust in the organization, with historical experiences confirming its failure to condemn nations that violate human rights or commit crimes against humanity.
Why Did the UN Fail to Protect Human Rights?
Answering this question requires a review of the process of establishing the United Nations, its organizations, and how they are managed, as well as the extent of their subordination to Western countries possessing military power and their excessive use of it.
The United Nations and its agencies have become tools in the hands of the United States, leading to a loss of trust among nations in the organization’s ability to protect human rights. Consequently, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has lost its luster despite containing concepts and provisions that could serve as a theoretical foundation for protecting and ensuring respect for human dignity.
Thus, the world has missed a historic opportunity to achieve peace, progress, and address humanitarian disasters and tragedies, which have often been caused by injustice, oppression, tyranny, and the arrogance of power.
The United Nations proved weaker than the monumental mission laid out by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: to protect the human family from the dangers of racism, tyranny, and injustice.
Could the United Nations have fulfilled this civilizational role and confronted the cruelty and arrogance of states in dealing with citizens? Undoubtedly, it could have if it had been built on the principles of justice, equality, and respect for the rights of nations, truly serving as a council for the human family.
However, despite acknowledging the failure of the United Nations and its inability to protect human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can still serve as a starting point for future struggles of nations against tyranny and the arrogance of power. This struggle is what could protect the human family from destruction and annihilation.
Defending human rights and respecting human dignity is a great honor for any state or organization. This defense affirms a commitment to humanity and represents a civilizational achievement worthy of pride. Conversely, violating human dignity and rights is a disgrace and a crime against humanity.
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