“Drafting Through Dialogue”

The drafting process for the booklet you see on this website has been ongoing for 14 years! In 2024 Version 14 was published in hardcover booklet form, and digitally on this website. Over 75,000 hardcover copies, in eight languages, have been distributed internationally over these 14 years, including presentation nearly every year to the Human Rights Council and its predessor, the Human Rights Commission.

 Each year a new Version is published using comments made throughout the year. Comments suggesting changes of wording to the draft International Bill of Rights document can easily be made on the Eleanor Lives! home page. All comments are responded to on the website so that the drafting process is completly transparent.

The “drafting through dialogue” process seeks wide participation from people of all backgrounds and professions. The draft document on the website is a starting point, not a finished document. 

The goal is to draft the most beautiful document possible. It is of no concern whether one ruler or country will accept the document. The standard for all comments is what is best for humanity.  All people, nonprofits and businesses who participate in the drafting process are asked to imagine that after the list of rights is selected, they could emerge at any place, in any country, and as any person, rich or poor, powerful or not, and have those rights.

There are certain core principles to which all comments are asked to comply. For instance, all Articles are written with the intent that they can be enforced in court. Civil and Political, Economic and Social and environmental rights are all enforceable in courts; there is no hierarchy or generation for rights. Here are a few core principles:

1. Every person on Earth has the same degree of power to create rights,and they may enforce these rights in the courts of any country, even if they are a visitor to that country.
2. In court, any person may bring an action against any person, business, or government that violates their rights set forth in the International Bill of Rights. There is no soverign immunity for governments when government officials violate rights. The power to govern is given by the people, and the people can insist upon enforceable rights as part of their social contract with those who govern.
3. The IBOR document will always include the creation and operation of Regional Court systems along with an International Court of Human Rights that will infrequently review cases from the Regional Courts.
4. The IBOR document will always require 1% of GDP from each country to fund the operation of courts internationally, including the courts supported and created by the document.
5. To promote universal rights and case law, no country may ratify IBOR with reservations.

The drafting through dialogue process is preparing the way for the Human Rights Council, the International Law Commission, and the United Nations General Assembly to open up an International Bill of Rights drafting process, beginning with what you see here. Each country may join in to the regional and international courts, just as Europe and much of Africa and Central and South America have done with regional courts

Eleanor Lives! and individuals, organizations and businesses who participate in the the drafting through dialogue process, will continue to work alongside the Human Rights Council, International Law Commission, and the General Assembly until 50 countries have ratified and IBOR takes effect.