The european Convention

In 1948 most of the major world powers adopted the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights. Their stated aim was to prevent future breaches of

human rights, following the horrific events of the second world war. Two

years later, in 1950, the European states came together to adopt their

own European Convention of Human Rights.

The UK was one of the first European states to sign up to the convention

in 1951, although it was not until 1966 that UK citizens could take

cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

Those signing up to the convention had to agree to uphold a set of

fundamental human rights. These are:

*the right to life;

*prohibition of torture;

*prohibition of slavery and forced labour;

*the right to liberty and security;

*the right to a fair trial;

*that there should be no retrospective criminal offences;

*respect for private and family life;

*freedom of thought, conscience and religion;

*freedom of assembly and association;

*the right to marry;

*the right to an effective remedy;

*prohibition of discrimination;

*the right to property and education; and

*the duty to hold free elections.