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Does it have any legal significance in the United States? Or was it more of a non-binding feel good type of thing?

TylerDurden
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1 Answers1

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The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights has no legal force or effect in American law. See, e.g., Barbara Macgrady, Note, Resort to International Human Rights Law in Challenging Conditions in U.S. Immigration Detention Centers, 23 BROOK. J. INT'L L. 271, 300 (1997) ("Since Congress has made its intent clear [by adopting NSE declarations], it is certain that the courts will not enforce these treaties in a domestic action.").

It is, at most, non-binding aspirational guidance to legislators.

ohwilleke
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  • Is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights even a treaty? As far as I recall the signatories do not make any promises about conduct or anything else, and I am fairly sure there is no enforcement mechanism (how could there be, im the absence of promised conduct?). Regardless of whether it counts as a treaty, there's nothing really to enforce. – phoog Jan 28 '24 at 15:52
  • @phoog It is not a treaty. It is a UN General Assembly Resolution. – ohwilleke Jan 28 '24 at 23:11