2018 is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it is timely for The Salvation Army to take this opportunity to reflect on its understanding of human rights at this important moment in world history. Fifty years ago, in 1968, the United Nations designated it ‘International Human Rights Year’. The Salvation Army marked the 20th anniversary by publishing a book called Human Rights and The Salvation Army, and in 2018 it is important to reaffirm that commitment.

As Christians, we believe that every human being is made in the image of God, which imbues each individual with dignity and worth. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an internationally recognised and agreed framework for transferring such a belief into a tangible, measurable and enforceable reality in our world. The challenge is for each country and individual to live up to the Declaration.