entire deliberations one can conclude that the human embryo deserves respect but it cannot be considered as a person as it lacks the essential attributes of personhood. Legal and Constitutional Status of the Embryo/Unborn Foetus: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in its Article 1 says that: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. [20] “The word “born was used to exclude the foetus and embryo from granting human rights. An amendment was proposed and rejected that would have deleted the word “born”, as it was deliberated to protect the right to life from the moment of conception.” [21] Even the Convention on the Rights of the Child does not recognize the right to life until birth. [21] Thus a foetus has no rights under UDHR. The main standard for the protection of human life in general international law is Article 6 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR). Article 6 of the CCPR, in its first paragraph the norm prescribes that “every human being has the inherent right to life. However, the phraseology of the norm doesn't outline the term “human being”. [22] The unborn foetus has full potential to become a human being in right environment. The liberal interpretation of the above fundamental right, one can conclude that the unborn foetus, from the conception till birth, has a right of life and it is immaterial whether the foetus is created in vitro or in vivo. Now, if this standard were transferred to all forms of unborn life, not only would research with embryonic stem cells infringe upon Art. 6 CCPR, but the legality of liberal abortion laws would also be highly debatable. [22] The US Supreme Court has never ruled on the constitutional status of embryos outside of the body and most US states have no law on the matter. But the court has ruled that foetuses are not persons within the meaning of the 14th Amendment, and thus do not have constitutional rights as such. Presumably that ruling would also extend to embryos as well. [23] Article 4 of the American Convention on Human Rights states: “Every person has the right to have his life respected. This right shall be protected by law and, in general, from the moment of conception. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life”. [24] But the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, one of two adjudicatory bodies that interprets and monitors compliance with the American Convention, has clarified that this protection is not absolute.” [25]
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