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Human Rights Day: Things You Need To Know

The year-long campaign seeks to shift the needle of understanding and action towards a more excellent knowledge of the universality of the UDHR and its activism

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Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on 10 December to make people aware of their rights worldwide and to mark the anniversary of the universal declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adoption.

According to the United Nations (UN), UDHR, a landmark document available in 500 languages, affirms the sacred rights that every individual is allowed as a human being and not based on their colour, race, religion, gender, language, opinion, nationality, birth or other status and many more.

History

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted UDHR. Yet, the formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950 after the assembly passed resolution 423 (V), bringing on all states and interested organisations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.

When the general assembly adopted the declaration, it was claimed as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations."

The universal declaration of Human Rights sets out a wide range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all of us are entitled. It ensures the rights of every individual everywhere, without differences based on nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or any other status.

In December 1948, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) was the first United Nations agency to place the universal declaration in the spirit of all its actions to encourage it worldwide through education and the media.

Theme: Dignity, freedom and justice for all

Every year the world celebrates Human Rights Day with a theme. This day helps to educate the people on issues of concern for human rights. This year’s Theme is ‘Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.’ 

“The promise of the UDHR dignity and equality in rights has been under a sustained assault in recent years. As the world faces challenges new and ongoing – pandemics, conflicts, exploding inequalities, morally bankrupt global financial system, racism, climate change – the values, and rights enshrined in the UDHR provide guideposts for our collective actions that do not leave anyone behind,” as per United Nations.