International_Human_Rights_Day

Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day

International annual celebration of human rights

For the day celebrated as Human Rights Day in South Africa, see Human Rights Day (South Africa).

Human Rights Day (HRD) is celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year.

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The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. The formal establishment of Human Rights Day occurred at the 317th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on 4 December 1950, when the General Assembly declared resolution 423(V), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit.[1][2]

The day is normally marked both by high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. Besides, it is traditionally on 10 December that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights and Nobel Peace Prize are awarded. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations active in the human rights field also schedule special events to commemorate the day, as do many civil and social-cause organisations.

History

Turkish journalists protesting imprisonment of their colleagues, 10 December 2016

Human Rights Day is the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[3]

The formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950, after the Assembly passed resolution 423(V) inviting all States and interested organisations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.[4] The popularity of the day can be shown by the fact that the commemorative Human Rights Day stamp issued by the United Nations Postal Administration in 1952, received approximately 200,000 advance orders.[5]

A 1963 postage stamp from Soviet Union, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

When the General Assembly adopted the Declaration, with 48 states in favor and eight abstentions, it was proclaimed as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", towards which individuals and societies should "strive by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance". The measure was received by both advocates and critics alike as "being more declarative than legislative, more suggestive than binding."[6]

Although the Declaration with its broad range of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights is not a binding document, it inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights. Today the general consent of all United Nations Member States on the basic Human Rights laid down in the Declaration makes it even stronger and emphasizes the relevance of Human Rights in our[who?] daily lives.[according to whom?]

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, as the main United Nations rights official and his Office plays a major role in coordinating efforts for the yearly observation of Human Rights Day:

Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime... Poverty eradication is an achievable goal.

— UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, 10 December 2006

The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights occurred on 10 December 2008, and the UN Secretary-General launched a year-long campaign leading up to this anniversary.[7] Because the UDHR holds the world record as the most translated document (except for the Bible), organizations around the globe used the year to focus on helping people everywhere learn about their rights.

On 9 December 2001, President George W. Bush made a Presidential proclamation that Human Rights Week began on 9 December.[8] He also made the same proclamation on 10 December 2008.[9]

Past observances

A 1998 postage stamp from Faroe Islands
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Date variance

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960. This massacre occurred as a result of protests against the Apartheid regime in South Africa.[36] South African Human Rights Day was declared a national holiday when the ANC was elected as the government with Nelson Mandela as the first democratically elected leader.[37] Parliament's role on this day is to empower the people so that the democratic processes becomes known to all South Africans.[38]

It is celebrated on 11 December in Kiribati.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    United Nations General Assembly Session 5 Resolution 423(V). A/RES/423(V) 4 December 1950. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  2. [2]
    Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (2009). "The History of Human Rights Day". Retrieved 29 October 2009.
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    James, Anu (9 December 2015). "Human Rights Day: Best Quotes By Famous Personalities to Mark UN Day". International Business Times. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
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    Lawson, Edward (1996). Encyclopedia of Human Rights. Research and contributing editor, Jan K. Dargel (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis. pp. 722–724. ISBN 9781560323624.
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    Green, James Frederick (1956). United Nations and Human Rights. The Brookings Institution. p. 676.
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    Cohen, G. Daniel (2011). "The 'Human Rights Revolution' at Work: Displaced Persons in Postwar Europe". In Hoffmann, Stefan-Ludwig (ed.). Human Rights in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press. pp. 49–50. ISBN 9780521194266.
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    "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948–2008". United Nations. 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
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    Office of the Press Secretary (12 December 2001). "Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, 2001". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: Federal Government of the United States. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017. Alt URL
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    Office of the Press Secretary (19 December 2008). "Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, 2008". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: Federal Government of the United States. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017. Alt URL
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    "A global campaign against Internet censorship and the long-term imprisonment of journalists in Asia". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on 9 December 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2006.
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    Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). "HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2013". United Nations Human Rights. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
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    Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. "Stand up for someone's rights today". Retrieved 10 December 2015.
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    Rupali Pruthi (10 December 2018). "Human Rights Day 2018 observed around the world". Jagran Prakashan Ltd. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  29. [29]
    Chan, Cathy; McNicholas, Aaron (8 December 2019). "Protesters Mount Largest Rally in Six Months: Hong Kong Update". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L P. Retrieved 8 December 2019., Bloomberg, 8 December 2019
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    "Hong Kong protesters keep up pressure with mass march". CNN. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
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    "Human Rights Day 2020: Theme, History, Quotes, Observed, Celebration". S A NEWS. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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    Human Rights Day 2021
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    "Human Rights Day | Stand up for human rights". 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  34. [34]
    Human Rights Day 2022
  35. [35]
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    "Human Rights Day". South African Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2006.
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  38. [38]
    "Human Rights Day". Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
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