环球英语 — 27：The Universal Declaration of Human Righ
Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight. I’m Bryan VanHaitsma.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
One of our producers, Christy VanArragon, carries something very special in her handbag. Yes, she carries money in her handbag. She carries pictures of her family. She carries her driving licence. But she also carries something else. She carries a small book. In the book there is a list of her rights as a human and as an international citizen. The list is called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Here is Christy to tell us more about why she carries this list of human rights.
Christy
I carry the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for two reasons. First, if I know what these rights are I can be sure that I am respecting the rights of other people, and that they are respecting mine. And I can know if my government is respecting human rights or not. But I also carry the list because sometimes I forget all of the rights I have. I am very thankful for my rights. I want to remember that not all people experience these rights. There are many people who struggle without their rights. Yet these people deserve rights just as much as I do. My list helps me to remember to work hard so that all people can experience their rights.
Voice 2
On December 10 1948, the countries belonging to the United Nations, or UN, signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At that time there were fifty-eight [58] nations belonging to the UN. Today, there are one hundred and ninety-one [191] nations that belong to the United Nations. That is most of the nations in the world!
Voice 1
All nations that join the UN accept the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as being good. The Declaration is not a treaty. However, accepting the Declaration means that governments should work to encourage these human rights in their own nations. That is one hundred and ninety-one nations that should be working to encourage human rights! So, do you think the world is doing a good job protecting human rights?
Voice 2
Well, maybe you cannot answer that until you know what the Declaration says. We have prepared this special version* from the one that Christy carries in her handbag. As you listen, remember that ‘we’ means all of us - everybody, and no-one means none of us, nobody. Ask yourself, ‘Did I know that all people should have all of these rights? How is the world doing at respecting these rights? How are individual governments doing? And how am I doing?’
Voice Mix
We are all born free. We should have equal respect and equal rights. [1]
Everybody should have these rights. It does not matter what colour, race, sex, or age we are. It does not matter about our religion or our political opinion. It does not matter if we have money or not. It does not matter where we are from. [2]
We all have the right to life and security.[3]
No-one should be a slave. Slavery and the slave trade are not permitted in any form. [4]
No-one should experience torture. Nobody should be treated or punished as if they are less than human. [5]
We are all people, and the law should recognise that, everywhere. [6]
We should receive equal protection under the law. That includes protection of the human rights in this Declaration. [7]
We should be able to go to a court of law if our legal rights are broken. [8]
No-one should be arrested without good reason. No-one should be held prisoner or exiled without reason. [9]
Everybody has the right to a fair trial. We should be considered innocent until proven guilty. [10, 11]
We should not suffer attacks on our good name or honour. Our family and home should be respected as private. [12]
We have the right to move freely in our own countries. We should be able to leave any country, including our own, and return to our country. [13]
Everybody has the right to seek freedom from persecution in other countries. [14]
Everybody has the right to be a part of a nation.[15]
Adult men and women have the right to marry and start a family. Marriage should only happen when both the man and the woman agree. [16]
Families should be protected by their nation. [16]
Everybody has the right to own property. [17]
We have the right to freedom of thought and religion. And we have the right to change religions. Everybody has the right to worship in public or in private. [18]
We have the right to express our own opinion. [19]
We have the right to gather peacefully. [20]
We have the right to take part in the government of our own countries. We have equal rights to public services that the country offers. [21, 22]
Everybody has the right to work. [23]
Everybody has the right to equal working conditions. Everybody has the right to equal pay for equal work. [23]
Everybody has the right to form and join trade unions - groups that protect workers’ interests. [23]
Everybody has the right to rest. Working hours should be reasonably limited, with paid holidays every so often. [24]
Everybody has the right to health and well-being. This means that everybody has the right to food, clothes, housing, and medical care. [25]
Everybody has the right to an education. [26]
Everybody has the right to enjoy the arts and culture of their community. [27]
Everybody has the right to social and international order. [28]
We have these rights, but we must use them in a way that respects other people’s rights. [29] This Declaration itself should never be used to destroy people’s human rights. [30]
Voice 1
The truth is that many people all over the world do not experience all of their human rights. They struggle every day. Every nation experiences problems with human rights -- mine and yours.
Voice 2
That is why the Declaration of Human Rights is so important. It is important that all people know what their human rights are. But, it is more important that people know the rights of other people. Knowing about human rights can make it easier to respect the rights of other people.
Voice 1
For people of faith, respect for humans shows respect for God, who created us. The Bible says, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” That is - treat people how you would like to be treated.
Voice 2
Defending the human rights of other people helps build communities where freedom and dignity are expected and respected. The UN believes that protecting human rights involves everybody, especially those people who enjoy their human rights. It involves governments, but it also involves individuals. The roots of respect for human rights are in you, and in me.
