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Human rights timeline some key developments

The modern concept of human rights has its foundations inthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by theUnited Nations in the aftermath of the Second World War.However, the ideas behind human rights have been presentthroughout history in many different societies andcivilizations. This timeline explores some of the roots andorigins of human rights and how they have developedthroughout history into the conception we have today.

Human rights have emerged out of a wide range of ideas,laws, movements and events, and we have only been able toinclude a selection in this timeline. We have focused inparticular on legal and institutional developments relevant tothe UK.

1760 BCIn Babylon King Hammurabi draws up

the Code of Hammurabi, an earlylegal document that promises to makejustice reign in the kingdom and

promote the good of the people.

c 528 BC 486 BCIn India, Buddha preaches morality,reverence for life, non-violence and

c 26 33 ADIn Palestine,Jesus Christ preaches

morality, tolerance, justice, forgiveness

613 632In Saudi Arabia, Prophet Mohammedteaches the principles of equality,justice and compassion revealed in The

1215In England the Magna Carta is

agreed, limiting the power of the Kingand giving free men the right to be

1689The English Parliament agrees theEnglish Bill of Rights, curtailing thepower of the monarch and includingthe right to be free from torture and to

1789In France, the National Assembly

agrees the French Declaration ofthe Rights of Man and of the

Citizen, which guarantees the rights to

liberty, equality, property, security and

1833The British Parliament abolishes

slavery in the British Empire throughthe Slaver Abolition Act.

1919The International Labour

Organisation (ILO) is established toadvocate for rights in labour law, e.g.

employment discrimination and forced

1945The United Nations (UN) is created

to reaffirm faith in human rights, in thedi nit and worth of the human erson

1950The European Convention on

Human Rights is adopted by the

Council of Europe. The UK signed up to

1791The United States Congress agreesthe US Bill of Rights, amending theUS Constitution to include rights totrial by jury, freedom of expression,

1893New Zealand gives women the vote the first country in the world to do

1934The National Council for CivilLiberties (usually known as Liberty)is established, a non-governmentalorganisation that seeks to protect

civil liberties and promote human

1948The Universal Declaration of

Human Rights is adopted by the UN.

1961Amnesty International is created by

British lawyer Peter Benenson.

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1964The Civil Rights Bill is passed in the

US, banning discrimination in voting,obs ublic accommodation and other

1965The International Convention onthe Elimination of all Forms of

Racial Discrimination is adopted andopened for signature by the UN thefirst core human rights treaty to enter

1968The first world conference on humanrights is held in Tehran.

1979The Convention on the Eliminationof Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW) is adopted and opened forsignature by the UN. CEDAW enteredinto force in 1981.

1984The Convention Against Torture isadopted and opened for signature bythe UN, entering into force in 1987.

1966The International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights and theInternational Covenant on

Economic, Social and CulturalRights are adopted and opened for

signature by the UN. They entered into

1969The American Convention on

Human Rights is adopted by a largenumber of the nations of the Americas,

entering into force in 1979.

1981The African Charter on Human and

Peoples Rights is adopted by theOrganisation of African Unity (now the

African Union).

1989The Convention on the Rights ofthe Child is adopted and opened for

signature by the UN, entering into forcein 1990. This is the most widely ratified

human ri hts treat onl the USA and

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1990The Convention for the Protectionof all Migrant Workers is adoptedand opened for signature by the UN.The UK has not signed up to this

1998The Human Rights Act 1998 isadopted by the UK Parliament, makingmost of the rights contained in theEuropean Convention on Human Rights

2007The Convention on the Rights ofPersons with Disabilities is adoptedand opened for signature by the UN.The Convention received the highestnumber of signatories in history to aUN Convention on its opening day, and

1990In South Africa, President F.W. de Klerk

lifts the ban on the African NationalCongress (ANC) and other anti-

apartheid organisations. NelsonMandela is released from Robben

1999The Northern Ireland Human RightsCommission is set up to promote

awareness of the im ortance of human

2007The leaders of the 10 Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)countries sign the first-ever ASEAN

Charter, which contains a provision forthe establishment of an ASEAN

2007The Government publishes theGovernance of Britain Green Paper,

a set of wide-reaching proposals thatlook at the rights and responsibilities of

2007The Equality and Human RightsCommission is launched in GreatBritain. The Commission works toeliminate discrimination, reduce

inequality, promote human rights andbuild good relations throughout

2008The Scottish Human RightsCommission is set up to promote andprotect the human rights of everyone

To be continued