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Atlantic Charter
Atlantic Charter Atlantic Charter</a>United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a speech before the United States Congress, identifies "Four Freedoms" as essential for all people: freedom of speech and religion, freedom from want and fear.
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill adopt the Atlantic Charter, in which they state their hope, among other things, "that all men in all the lands may live out their lives in freedom from want and fear." -
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International Human Rights 1945 to the present.
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1945 The UN and Human Rights
1945 Charter The United Nations (UN) is established. Its Charter states that one of its main purposes is the promotion and encouragement of "respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion." Unlike the League of Nations Covenant, the Charter underscores the principle of individual human rights. -
Declaration of Universal Human Rights
Declaration of Human Rights 1948 Convention on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize (ILO); Declaration of the Rights of Man by the Organization of American States (OAS); and Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (UN) are adopted.
UN General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -
Geneva Conventions
1949 Geneva
Geneva Conventions provide standards for more humane treatment for prisoners of war, the wounded, and civilians. Statute of Council of Europe asserts that human rights and fundamental freedoms are the basis of the emerging European system. -
European Commission on Human Rights
1953 Convention European Commission on Human Rights and Court of Human Rights are created; Convention on Political Rights of Women (UN) is adopted. -
US Civil Rights Bill
1957 US Civil Rights The United States Congress approves a civil rights bill, to protect voting rights for African-Americans. It is the first civil rights bill since the Reconstruction period, which immediately followed the Civil War. -
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First World Conference on Human Rights is held in Tehran.
1968 Tehran The United Nations convened member States to evaluate the failures and successes of human rights promotion since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to work toward the elimination of racial discrimination and apartheid. -
Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid
Un Resolution on Apartheid International Convention on Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (UN) is adopted. -
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Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to democracy in 1994 -
United States ratifies the International Convention
1994 Ratification United States ratifies the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. -
50th Anniversary
50th Anniversary 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights marks a cornerstone event in humanity’s struggle to recognize, promote, and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
