That does not apply, however, to the hypocrisy of many states where human rights and the Universal Declaration are concerned. Some of the worst offenders are states that trumpet loudest their attachment to the Declaration, yet have failed to institute measures to ensure that their commitment is honored by all sections of society, especially by those in authority, like law enforcement officers. So-called racial profiling, by no means unique to the US, is just one example of rights violations. England, France, Austria and Germany, to mention only a few states, must also answer charges. Education, or the lack of it, is often blamed for the slow progress made in advancing the goals of the Universal Declaration.
Ignorant people perform ignorant acts because they are stupid, and thoughtless of the consequences.
Five years ago, the UN sought to address this weakness by initiating a Decade for Human Rights Education. Today, at the halfway mark in the Decade, improvement is slight. In a Human Rights Day message, Kofi Annan complains that only a few countries so far have even started to develop effective national strategies for human rights education. Annan also believes that the more people know what their own rights are the more they will respect the rights of others and the better then the chances that all may live together in peace. Picking up the education theme, Harri Holkeri, the President of the current General Assembly, mentions that the Universal Declaration is the most translated document in the world, having been printed in more than 300 languages.