The great promise

It has been 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in Paris. In response to the countless atrocities of the Second World War, the United Nations General Assembly agreed on 30 fundamental articles on 10 December 1948. Among many other things, the declaration enshrines the right to life, liberty and security of person, the right to equality before the law, the right to asylum and freedom of expression. Preventing injustice and protecting freedoms by recognizing and respecting human rights – all of this is proclaimed in the guideline.

But how reliable is this promise? Why does it – in practice – by no means always apply to all people and why does the enforcement of rights so often fail, as a look at current wars and crises around the world shows? To what extent do an unfair education system, the gap between rich and poor or unequal opportunities for people with and without a history of migration thwart the principles? These questions are as topical as ever.

Over the past 35 years, CIVIS has nominated and honoured a large number of outstanding contributions that highlight both: Moments of promises fulfilled and failed. Moments in which people could rely on the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration and moments in which this was not the case. The following compilation consists of nominated and award-winning productions from radio, television, cinema and the Internet that are, directly or indirectly, committed to this issue.