Issue 48 February 2010 - Introduction from the Editor: On Dignity

 

"Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"... So read the very first words of the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the foundation of modern human rights law. But what is meant by dignity and why does it precede reference to human rights in the Preamble? What relevance does it have today?

A senior judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg recently told me that dignity not only had a past and present but that he anticipated that art.8 (right to private and family life, home and correspondence) jurisprudence would increasingly develop practical applications of the promotion and protection of dignity particularly in institutional care settings.

This resonated with the nationwide public consultation carried out between Janu­ary and March of 2009 by the Scottish Human Rights Commission which confirmed that dignity in care, particularly of older and other vulnerable persons, was regarded by the public as the primary human rights concern.

So, I am very pleased to include in this Issue contributions from Dr Mary Ford and Dr Elaine Webster, of the University of Strathclyde, who have provided very stimulat­ing answers to a number of questions on the topic of dignity.

Of course we continue to be indebted to Scott Blair for another valuable case law digest and update from the European Court of Human Rights.