Today, 10 December, is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,Rights, whose values of freedom, equality and solidarity are shared by secularism.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a “common standard of achievement for all peoples”. It is not addressed solely to States, but calls on all individuals to ensure the development of human rights “through teaching and education”, and to work towards their universal and effective recognition and application. Secularism attaches particular importance to education aimed aiming at the emancipation of pupils through the practice of free thought.
The declaration proclaims fundamental freedoms and the principle of equality for all, but also the need for solidarity, which requires the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights.
Secularism shares these objectives and intends to contribute to their achievement. Founded on the principle of the impartiality of public authorities, secularism guarantees the exercise of rights and freedoms for all, regardless of origin, convictions, beliefs or any other distinction. This founding principle of democracy has universal value and potential.
Secularism as a principle of State organisation is essential to the development of a democratic political system. As the guarantor of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the secular State protects the right to believe, not to believe or change one’s beliefs, as enshrined in the Declaration.
The Declaration is a historic proclamation of the universality of human rights and the unity of humankind.
However, more than 70 years after its proclamation, and despite the immense progress made, there are still many obstacles to the principles of the Declaration.
Worse still, political and religious movements are openly combating them. Fundamentalists of all religions, dictatorial and warmongering regimes, identity movements of various persuasions and the extreme right are attacking human rights, questioning their universality and seeking to impose their particular vision on society as a whole.
This can only lead to a war of all against all. On the contrary, secularism and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by emphasising what we have in common, enable us to live in a peaceful and cohesive society.
Ilustration: Eleanor Roosevelt holding poster of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (in English), Lake Success, New York. November 1949 Wikimedia Commons This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
