The document often regarded as the first formal statement of human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. Drafted in response to the atrocities of World War II, the UDHR set out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and recognized, establishing standards for freedom, justice, and peace. This landmark declaration emphasizes rights such as the right to life, liberty, and security, freedom of thought and expression, and the right to work and education. The UDHR became a cornerstone for international human rights law and a guiding principle for ethical governance.