Fifty-seven years ago this week, with the memories of World War II still fresh, humankind had cause for hope. On December 10 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, noting, amongst its many articles: ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person,’ and that the promotion of ‘the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.’