|
3. THE PERSON: HISHER DIGNITY AND
RIGHTS
3.1. Dignity and Equality
18. The concept of the dignity of a human being must always
be the key to interpreting the 1948 Declaration. This is mentioned in
the first paragraph of the Preamble, taken up in the first article, and
subsequently repeated throughout the whole Declaration. All the
affirmations, principles and rights mentioned in the Declaration were
written and must be interpreted in the light of the dignity of a human being.
19. The Declaration gathers up the fruits of
humanity's historical heritage. Moreover, the Christian understanding of man
makes it possible to arrive at a deeper foundation of this reality by making it
known that man is the only being who has worth in himself and not only by
reason of the species. Furthermore, man has been created in the image and
likeness of God (Gn 1:27) and thus endowed with an absolute value.
The human creature is wanted and loved by God as an end in itself.22
Therefore, man is not an instrument, a means or something that can be
manipulated.
20. The Universal Declaration begins by affirming that
it recognizes the innate dignity of all the members of the human family
as well as the equality and inalienability of their rights.23
It thereby records that this dignity is a reality that emanates from man's
essence, i.e., from his nature. Therefore, this is a reflection of the
substantial and spiritual reality of the human person and not a creation of the
human will, a concession by public authorities, or a product of cultures or
historical circumstances.
21. In the Declaration, the dignity of the human being
is put in relation to the reason and conscience with which the
human being is endowed 24 and thus to his free will.
The Encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963) also expressly emphasizes this.25
In this way it is made clear that dignity is not a generic, a merely formal or
an empty concept but a meaningful one, as the subsequent articles of the Declaration
specify: that is, the dignity and the possibility of every real person to
achieve hisher own personality and rights, not in an abstract way but
concretely, as a woman or man, wife or husband, child or parent.
22. On the other hand, the Declaration affirms and
recognizes the full equality of every person 26 and hence
prohibits all forms of discrimination or limitations of one's rights on the
basis of "race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status".27
This equality is also shown clearly by recognizing that every person is
entitled to rights at every stage of hisher development and at every moment of
hisher existence.
|