This comprehensive and reader-friendly introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is packed with clear explanations and familiar examples drawn from current events, encouraging readers to know and defend their basic rights as human beings.

Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a reaction to the mass devastation and suffering unleashed by the war. The desire to avert future catastrophes motivated the formation of the United Nations in 1948, and first order of business of the fledgling organization was to pass the thirty articles of the declaration.

Chapter by chapter, this book provides detailed explanations of the concepts underlying each of the thirty articles, supplemented by examples that will be familiar to contemporary readers: from pop-singer Britney Spears’ lawsuit to break free from her father’s guardianship, to the boycott of Xinjiang cotton by international brands, to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Other issues addressed include labor rights, the rights of refugees, the death penalty, children’s rights, the right to education, the right to privacy, and much more. Each chapter concludes with guided discussion questions to encourage deeper reflection on the nature of our basic rights. An appendix of reflections penned by influential human rights workers provides additional food for thought.

Using clear explanations and easy-to-comprehend prose, the Plainlaw Media Ltd. has authored this systematic guide to human rights, facilitating readers’ engagement with fundamental issues in the world today, and promoting the knowledge necessary to safeguard their own basic rights.