History 101
What is the relationship between the UNDHR and World War II?
The UDHR was adopted in 1948 in response to the horrors of this global event.
The number of countries that abstained (refused to vote) on the UDHR in 1948.
8
Which right relates to life, liberty, and security?
Article 3 guarantees this most fundamental right.
What was South Africa's stance in the voting of the UDHR and why?
This country abstained in 1948 because its new "Apartheid" system directly violated the UDHR's call for equality.
What is a "guiding star"?
The 2023 article we read calls the UDHR this, a metaphor for its guiding (but not controlling) nature.
Who is Eleanor Roosevelt?
This First Lady of the United States was the "guiding star" and chairperson of the UDHR drafting committee.
The article you read in class is _____ years old and it was writen to mark the ______th aniversary.
The 2023 article we read celebrated the UDHR's 75th anniversary. As of 2025, the UDHR is this many years old.
Which article relates to the right to food / shelter / medical care?
Article 25 guarantees a right to a "standard of living," including this basic need.
This major power (and its states) abstained, likely due to a different Perspective on individual vs. state Power.
Soviet Union
According to the article, the UDHR is not just for governments, but for these people who use it to demand justice. Who does the article refer to?
activists / human rights defenders?
What is "binding"?
The UDHR is a "declaration," not a treaty, which means it is not legally...
According to the UN Foundation article, the UDHR has inspired or informed over _____ international treaties.
70
Which article relates to the right to dignity and rights?
Article 1 states that all human beings are born free and equal in these two things.
A "Challenge" to the UDHR in 2025 is that it doesn't explicitly mention rights related to this major global environmental issue.
Climate change? (Or digital/AI rights)
The UDHR is the foundation of this entire field of global rules and standards.
international human rights law
What was Saudi Arabia's response to the adoption of the UDHR?
This country abstained from the 1948 vote because it argued the UDHR's articles on marriage and religion conflicted with its national religious laws.
The total number of articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is _____
30
Which right relates to education?
Article 26, which is crucial for long-term development, guarantees the right to this.
What is "cultural relativism"?
The Ethical debate about whether "universal" rights can apply to all cultures, or if they are a Western concept.
What is the use of the UDHR in "holding countries accountable" (or "investigate them" / "pressure them")?
Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch use the UDHR as a standard to do this to governments.
What is the connection between the UDHR and the Cold War?
The UDHR was adopted at the very beginning of this global power struggle, which is why the Soviet Union abstained.
The United Nations itself was founded in this year, just three years before adopting the UDHR. What year was that?
1945
Which is the right that relates to the freedom of opinion and expression?
Article 19, which is often debated today in the context of social media and "fake news."
What does IGO, NGO, and IHL stand for?
IGO stands for Intergovernmental Organization, NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organization, and IHL stands for International Humanitarian Law
What is "national interest" and how does it connect to UDHR?
One of the reasons why a powerful country might "abstain" from a rights vote or later "veto" a resolution: its own economic or political goals are more important than the issue.