Significance of Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is annually celebrated on December 10 in commemoration of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, 1948 and to promote and protect human rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of individuals people all over the world. The belief that everyone, by virtue of her/his humanity, is entitled to certain human rights is fairly new. However, a number of documents from the earlier centuries paved the way for adoption of a universal notion of human rights which include the Magna Carta drafted in 1215, the English Bill of Rights of 1689, the French Declaration on the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights in 1791 and so on. These documents, when translated into policies, excluded women, people of colour and members of certain social, religious, economic, and political groups and so failed to deliver justice to all in an inclusive way.

The idea of human rights emerged stronger after the Second World War Being shocked at the horrendous mass extermination of the Jews, people with disabilities, homosexuals and others by Nazi Germany a number of nations felt it imperative to raise voice for the rights of the people from various walks of life, against the inhumane abuses of governments and rulers. Eventually, governments from across various countries pledged to form an international body (the United Nations) to safeguard the rights of people, especially the defenceless. The 32nd US President Franklin D Roosevelt in his State of the Union Address in 1941 first mooted the idea of human rights. In his speech, which is known as 'Four Freedoms', he visualized a world that should stand on four essential freedoms - freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from want and fear. The impact of his speech was so large that voices from across the world came together to support the drafting of the United Nations Charter in 1945 in San Francisco. As a corollary to that a Commission on Human Rights was constituted on February 16, 1946 to draft a document for articulating the fundamental rights and freedom proclaimed in the Charter. Finally the Commission came out with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) under the bold and aggressive leadership of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the former First Lady of the US, which was adopted by the 56 member countries on December 10, 1956. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950, after the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V) inviting all States and interested organizations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.

The UDHR consists of a preamble and thirty Articles covering such human rights as freedom of expression, assembly, movement, and religion. It sets out the basic principle of equality and non-discrimination in terms of the enjoyment of human rights, and affirms that everyone shall be free from slavery, torture, and arbitrary arrest or detention. Here are the 10 first Articles grounding our Rights and Freedom: 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights; 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status; 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person; 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law; 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law; 8. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the Constitution or by law; 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; 10. Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him/her.

Although it is not mandatory for the nations to follow the UDHR, it can be seen as contributing to the understanding, implementation, and development of international human rights law. The UDHR is widely recognized as having inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than 70 human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global and regional levels. There have been a number of international covenants on different aspects of human rights since the adoption of the UDHR.

Human Rights Day is celebrated across the globe to create awareness regarding human rights. Every year Human Rights Day is celebrated with a special theme for Human Rights Day to make this day of celebration more impactful and encouraging. This is done to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of human rights in the minds of the people. The theme adopted for the year 2022 is 'Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All'. On Human Rights Day, 2022 UN Human Rights will launch a year-long campaign to promote and recognize the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR 75), which will be celebrated on 10th December, 2023. The year-long campaign will showcase the UDHR with focus on its legacy, relevance and activism using the slogan, "Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All." It will then promote the universality of human rights and empower everyone, especially young people, to stand up for human rights.

Although the UDHR has encouraged the dignity and equality, and inspired the defenceless to stand for their rights and freedom, it has been under a sustained assault in recent years. As Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says, "Even as the 30 Articles of the Declaration have sparked transformation in all areas of our lives, the embers of racism, misogyny, inequality, and hatred continue to threaten our world." But still his observation strikes a note of optimism. He says, "The language and spirit of the Declaration have the potential to overcome division and polarization. It can make peace with nature, our planet, and point the way to sustainable development for future generations." The UN Human Rights Office plans the activities for the year with these three objectives of increasing global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and for the future, countering the increasing skepticism of, and rollbacks against human rights and offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people better fight for their rights.

The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. In spite of gross violation of the human rights and an attitude of sheer apathy towards the rights of the people demonstrated by various oppressive forces, the UDHR is still a tool with great potential. It offers us a solid ground to stand united and protest against injustice, discrimination and violence that blatantly violate our rights as human beings.