Declaration of Human Rights: family and marriage

10 April 2024

On December 10 last year, we began a series on Human Rights. While everyone talks about them, few of us really know what they are and what they stand for.

Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees respect for the freedom and dignity of persons in the area of private and family life. Marriage must be free and consented to by the future spouses, and must guarantee equal rights, regardless of gender. In other words, men and women have equal rights in marriage.

Article 16 of the Declaration of Human Rights

Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

The Red Cross is naturally committed to defending Human Rights. This commitment was reinforced in 2022 with the signing of the national “Business and Human Rights” Pact. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the reference documents of the Code of Conduct and Ethics of the Luxembourg Red Cross.

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