AMERICAN DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS

AMERICANDECLARATIONOFTHERIGHTS

ANDDUTIESOFMAN



(AdoptedbytheNinthInternationalConferenceofAmericanStates,

Bogotá,Colombia,1948)



WHEREAS:



 The American peoples have acknowledged the dignity of the individual, and their national

constitutionsrecognizethatjuridicalandpoliticalinstitutions,whichregulatelifeinhumansociety,haveas

theirprincipalaimtheprotectionoftheessentialrightsofmanandthecreationofcircumstancesthatwill

permithimtoachievespiritualandmaterialprogressandattainhappiness;



 TheAmericanStateshaveonrepeatedoccasionsrecognizedthattheessential rightsofmanare

not derived from the fact that he is a national of a certain state, but are based upon attributes of his

humanpersonality;



 The international protection of the rights ofmanshouldbetheprincipalguideof an evolving

Americanlaw;



 TheaffirmationofessentialhumanrightsbytheAmericanStatestogetherwiththeguarantees

given by the internal regimes of the states establish the initial system of protection considered by the

AmericanStatesasbeingsuitedtothepresentsocialandjuridicalconditions,notwithoutarecognitionon

their part that they should increasingly strengthen that system in the international field as conditions

becomemorefavorable,



 TheNinthInternationalConferenceofAmericanStates



AGREES:



 Toadoptthefollowing



AMERICANDECLARATIONOFTHERIGHTS

ANDDUTIESOFMAN



Preamble



 All men are born free and equal, in dignity and in rights, and, being endowed by nature with

reasonandconscience,theyshouldconductthemselvesasbrothersonetoanother.



 Thefulfillmentofdutybyeachindividualisaprerequisitetotherightsofall.Rightsandduties

are interrelated in every social and political activity of man.While rights exalt individual liberty, duties

expressthedignityofthatliberty.



 Dutiesofajuridicalnaturepresupposeothersofamoralnaturewhichsupporttheminprinciple

andconstitutetheirbasis.



 Inasmuch as spiritual development is the supreme end of human existence and the highest

expressionthereof,itisthedutyofmantoservethatendwithallhisstrengthandresources.



AmericanDeclarationoftheRightsandDutiesofMan



 Sincecultureisthehighestsocialandhistoricalexpressi onofthatspiritualdevelopment,itisthe

dutyofmantopreserve,practiceandfosterculturebyeverymeanswithinhispower.



 And,sincemoralconductconstitutesthenoblestfloweringofculture,itisthedutyofeveryman

alwaystoholditinhighrespect.



CHAPTERONE



Rights



Article I.Every human being has the right to life,

libertyandthesecurityofhisperson.



Righttolife,libertyandpersonalsecurity.

ArticleII.Allpersonsareequalbeforethelawand

have the rights and duties established in this

Declaration, without distinction as to race, sex,

language,c reedoranyotherfactor.



Righttoequalitybeforelaw.

Article III.Every person has the right freely to

profess a religious faith, and to manifest and

practiceitbothinpublicandinprivate.



Righttoreligiousfreedomandworship.

ArticleIV.Everypersonhastherighttofreedomof

investigation,ofopinion,andoftheexpressionand

dissemination of ideas, by any medium

whatsoever.



Right to freedom of investigation, opinion,

expressionanddissemination.

Article V.Every person has the right to the

protectionofthe law againstabusiveattacksupon

hishonor,hisreputation,andhisprivateandfamily

life.



Righttoprotectionofhonor,personalreputation,

andprivateandfamilylife.

ArticleVI.Everypersonhastherighttoestablisha

family,thebasicelementofsociety,andtoreceive

protectiontherefore.



Righttoafamilyandtoprotectionthereof.

Article VII.All women, during pregnancy and the

nursing period, and all children have the right to

specialprotection, careandaid.



Righttoprotectionformothersandchildren.

Article VIII.Every person has the right to fix his

residencewithintheterritoryofthestateofwhich

he is a national, to move about freely within such

territory,andnottoleaveitexceptbyhisownwill.



Righttoresidenceandmovement.

Article IX.Every person has the right to the

inviolabilityofhishome.



Righttoinviolabilityofthehome.

Article X.Every person has the right to the

inviolability and transmission of his

correspondence.

Right to the inviolability and transmission of

correspondence.

AmericanDeclarationoftheRightsandDutiesofMan



Article XI.Every person has the right to the

preservation of his health through sanitary and

social measures relating to food, clothing, housing

andmedicalcare,totheextentpermittedbypublic

andcommunityresources.



Right to the preservati on of

healthandtowell‐being.

Article XII.Every person has the right to an

education,whichshouldbebasedontheprinciples

ofliberty,moralityandhumansolidarity.



Righttoeducation.

Likewiseeverypersonhastherighttoaneducation

thatwillpreparehimtoattainadecentlife,toraise

hisstandardofliving,andtobeausefulmemberof

society.



The right to an education includes the right to

equalityofopportunityineverycase,inaccordance

withnaturaltalents,meritand the desiretoutilize

theresourcesthatthestateorthecommunityisin

apositiontoprovide.



Everypersonhastheright toreceive,free,atleasta

primaryeducation.



ArticleXIII.Everypersonhastherighttotakepart

in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the

arts, and to participate in the benefits that result

from intellectual progress, especially scientific

discoveries.



Righttothebenefitsofculture.

He likewise has the right to the protection of his

moral and material interests as regards his

inventionsoranyliterary,scientificorartisticworks

ofwhichheistheauthor.



Article XIV.Every person has the right to work,

underproperconditions,andtofollowhisvocation

freely,insofarasexistingconditionsofemployment

permit.



Righttoworkandtofairremuneration.

Every person who works has the right to receive

such remuneration as will, in proportion to his

capacity and skill, assure him a standard of living

suitableforhimselfandforhisfamily.



Article XV.Every person has the right to leisure

time, to wholesome recreation, and to the

opportunity for advantageous use of his free time

tohisspiritual,culturalandphysicalbenefit.



Righttoleisuretimeandtotheusethereof.

AmericanDeclarationoftheRightsandDutiesofMan



Article XVI.Every person has the right to social

security which will protect him from the

consequencesof unemployment, oldage, and any

disabilities arising from causes beyond his control

that make it physically or mentally impossible for

himtoearnaliving.



Righttosoc ialsecurity.

Article XVII.Every person has the right to be

recognized everywhere as a person having rights

andobligations,andtoenjoythebasiccivilrights.



Right to recognition of juridical personality and

civilrights.

ArticleXVIII.Everypersonmayresorttothecourts

toensurerespectforhislegalrights.Thereshould

likewise be available to him a simple, brief

procedure whereby the courts will protect him

fromactsofauthoritythat,tohisprejudice,violate

anyfundamentalconstitutionalrights.



Righttoafairtrial.

Article XIX.Every person has the right to the

nationality to which he is entitled by law and to

changeit,ifhesowishes,forthenationalityofany

othercountrythatiswillingtograntittohim.



Righttonationality.

Article XX.Every person having legal capacity is

entitled to participate in the government of his

country, directly or through his representatives,

andtotakepartinpopularelections,whichshallbe

by secret ballot, and shall be honest, periodic and

free.



Righttovoteandtoparticipateingovernment.

ArticleXXI.Everypersonhastherighttoassemble

peaceablywithothersinaformalpublicmeetingor

an informal gathering, in connection with matters

ofcommoninterestofanynature.



Rightofassembly.

ArticleXXII.Everypersonhastherighttoassociate

with others to promote, exercise and protect his

legitimate interests of a political, economic,

religious, social, cultural, professional, labor union

orothernature.



Rightofassoci ation.

ArticleXXIII.Everypersonhasarighttoownsuch

private property as meets the essential needs of

decent living and helps to maintain the dignity of

theindividualandofthehome.



Righttoproperty.

Article XXIV.Everyperson has the right to submit

respectfulpetitionstoanycompetentauthority,for

reasons of either general or private interest, and

therighttoobtainapromptdecisionthereon.



Rightofpetition.

AmericanDeclarationoftheRightsandDutiesofMan



Article XXV.No person may be deprived of his

liberty except in the cases and according to the

proceduresestablishedbypre‐existinglaw.



Rightofprotectionfromarbitraryarrest.

No person may be deprived of liberty for

nonfulfillment of obligations of a purely civil

character.



Every individual who has been deprived of his

liberty has the right to have the legality of his

detentionascertainedwithoutdelaybyacourt,and

the right to be tried without undue delay or,

otherwise,tobereleased.Healsohastherightto

humanetreatmentduringthetimeheisincustody.



ArticleXXVI.Everyaccusedpersonispresumedto

beinnocentuntilprovedguilty.



Righttodueprocessoflaw.

Everypersonaccusedofanoffensehastherightto

begivenanimpartialandpublichearing,andtobe

triedbycourtspreviouslyestablishedinaccordance

with pre‐existing laws, and not to receive cruel,

infamousorunusualpunishment.



ArticleXXVII.Everypersonhastheright,incaseof

pursuitnot resultingfrom ordinarycrimes, toseek

and receive asylum in foreign territory, in

accordancewiththelawsofeachcountryandwith

internationalagreements.



Rightofasylum.

ArticleXXVIII.Therightsofmanarelimitedbythe

rights of others, by the security of all, and by the

just demands of the general welfare and the

advancementofdemocracy.

Scopeoftherightsofman.



CHAPTERTWO



Duties



Article XXIX.It is the duty of the individual so to

conducthimselfinrelationtoothersthateachand

every one may fully form and develop his

personality.



Dutiestosociety.

Article XXX.It is the duty of every person to aid,

support, educate and protect his minor children,

anditisthedutyofchildrentohonortheirparents

alwaysandtoaid,supportandprotectthemwhen

theyneedit.



Dutiestowardchildrenandparents.

AmericanDeclarationoftheRightsandDutiesofMan

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Article XXXI.It is the duty of every person to

acquireatleastanelementaryeducation.



Dutytoreceiveinstruction.

ArticleXXXII.Itisthedutyofeverypersontovote

inthepopularelectionsofthecountryofwhichhe

isanational,whenheislegallycapableofdoingso.



Dutytovote.

ArticleXXXIII.Itisthedutyofeverypersontoobey

the law and other legitimate commands of the

authoritiesofhiscountryandthoseofthecountry

inwhichhemaybe.



Dutytoobeythelaw.

Article XXXIV.It is the duty of every able‐bodied

persontorenderwhatevercivilandmilitaryservice

his country may require for its defense and

preservation, and, in case of public disaster, to

rendersuchservicesasmaybeinhispower.



Dutytoservethecommunityandthenation.

It is likewise his duty to hold any public office to

which he may be elected by popular vote in the

stateofwhichheisanational.

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Article XXXV.It is the duty of every person to

cooperate with the state and the community with

respect to social  security and welfare, in

accordance with his ability and with existing

circumstances.

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Dutieswithrespecttosocialsecurityandwelfare.

ArticleXXXVI.Itisthedutyofeverypersontopay

the taxes established by law for the support of

publicservices.



Dutytopaytaxes.

Article XXXVII.It is the duty of every person to

work,asfarashiscapacityandpossibilitiespermit,

in order to obtain the means of livelihood or to

benefithiscommunity.

Dutytowork.