Article 7 - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (English version)

This piece is part of a collection of 30 xylographs, produced by the multimedia artist Otávio Roth (1952-1993), that graphically express the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The series took two years to reach completion, with each piece printed on handmade paper created by the artist himself. Driven by the desire to democratize access to the Charter, Otávio Roth synthesized its message in graphic pieces that facilitate the understanding and memorization of the Charter’s content.

Roth was the first living artist invited to exhibit at the United Nations. His prints have been on permanent display at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna since 1981. In addition to the English series, the artist produced other series in Japanese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Danish, using techniques as diverse as crayon, watercolor and pulp painting.

About Article 7
The law is the same for everyone and must treat everyone fairly. These principles of equality and non-discrimination help to establish the rule of law. Several international treaties have amplified the rights listed in Article 7, and over the decades, jurisprudence has added new obligations on the State to prohibit and prevent discrimination. Under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, for example, countries must support people with disabilities to enable them to make legal decisions themselves, rather than deny them legal capacity. The principle of equality for all does not apply only to governments. Discrimination must also be addressed in workplaces, schools and homes.