On December 10, much of the world celebrates Human Rights Day. The United Nations established Human Rights Day in 1948 when U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of celebrating Human Rights Day. The values promoted in the UDHR are just as critical today as they were in 1948.
The UDHR consists of 30 articles. They claim basic human rights for every person. The declaration is not legally binding, but is the basis for many international treaties, constitutions, and laws. Over 48 countries (including the U.S.) voted on and ratified the declaration. In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the U.S. and delegate to the U.N. chaired the committee that drafted the declaration.
The UDHR was written following the atrocities that occurred during World War Two. It is, in part, an attempt to save future generations from the devastation that conflict wreaked upon the world. The declaration is also an effort to curb human rights violations around the world.
Begin By Educating Yourself
First, know what your rights are. Education is crucial to maintaining our human rights. It is vital to know what your human rights are because if you don’t, how will you know if they are being violated? How can you protect them?
It is also incredibly important to know that your rights, my rights, and every other human’s rights are the same. If we know this, perhaps we will be less likely to violate another’s rights and more likely to stand up for them.
As I read through the articles, I found myself thinking, over and over, “but this is not how things really work. People’s right are being violated every day.” It’s true. Slavery still exists. People regularly work for less than equal pay. In some countries, child brides are still forced to marry. People are discriminated against because of race, religion, gender, and a slew of other factors. Asylum seekers are criminalized. Around the world, people are fleeing their homelands because they lack basic human freedoms. In short, our world still has a long way to go in improving human rights.
Taking Action
Unfortunately, people who speak against human rights violations are often labelled as troublemakers or dissidents. This is often the case when one speaks against the status quo. But history has shown that many human rights activists eventually become celebrated heroes, Think of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, Jr. And what about Malala Yousafzai? She is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Improvements have been made in the protection of human rights, but there is still much to do. A read through the 30 articles of the UDHR and another read through any major newspaper or news website will show you that we still have an enormous amount of room for improvement. Positive change only takes place when people get involved and demand it.
30 Articles of the UDHR
The UDHR begins by declaring that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Do you know what your basic human rights are? You can read the original wording of the document here at the U.N.’s website. A more basic version for kids can be found here. Below is my own simplified version of the 30 articles.
-
All humans are born free and equal
-
These rights belong to everyone without distinction of any kind including: race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
-
The right to life, liberty, and personal safety belongs to everyone.
-
All forms of slavery are prohibited.
-
Torture is forbidden. Likewise, no one should be subjected to cruel, inhumane, or degrading punishment.
-
Everyone is recognized as a person under the law.
-
Equal protection under the law with no discrimination is the right of every person(see article 2).
-
All have the right to ask for protection of these human rights under the law. We can ask for legal protection in order to assure our human rights.
-
No one can be arrested, imprisoned, or exiled without legal reason.
-
Everyone has the equal right to a fair and public trial.
-
Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a fair and public trial.
-
All people have a right to privacy.
-
People has the right to travel freely within their country. They also have the right to leave and return to their own country.
-
Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution., but not to escape prosecution of non-political crimes.
-
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
-
Every adult has the right to marry and have a family. Marriage laws cannot discriminate based on race, nationality, or religion. Marriage can be entered into only by full and consenting partners. In addition, the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of humanity and is entitled to protection by society and the state.
-
Everyone has the right to own property alone and in conjunction with others.
-
All people have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. In addition, they have the right to change their religion or belief and the practice of it.
-
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
-
Peaceful public assembly is a human right, and no one can be forced to belong to an association or party.
-
We have the right to take part in our government and to choose our leaders.
-
Every person has the right to social security. This is not talking about the United States’ program. Instead, it refers to the rights of having housing, education, healthcare and other basic human needs be priorities in our society and our government.
-
Workers have the right to be paid a fair wage for their labor. They also have the right to join a union if they want to.
-
We have the right to rest and relaxation, including holidays and paid leave.
-
Everyone has the right to food and shelter. Mothers and children are entitled to special protection. All children, regardless of birth circumstances, have the right to equal protection under the law.
-
Everyone has the right to education. Primary education should be free and required. In addition, parents have the right to choose the kind of education their children receive.
-
We all have the right to participate in the cultural life of our communities, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and it’s benefits. Creators have the right to copyright their contributions.
-
Every man, woman, and child has the right to live in a fair and free world.
-
Everyone has a duty and to keep the world a free and safe place.
-
No person or government can to use these declarations to impede on the rights and freedoms of any individual. No one can take your human rights away.
Celebrating Human Rights Day
Each year, the United Nations focuses on a different theme to celebrate Human Rights Day. Some past themes include: speaking up and stopping discrimination, fighting poverty, the global fight against torture, and embracing diversity, ending discrimination. This year’s theme is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In case you want to celebrate and promote Human Rights Day, check out the ideas below.
12 Ways to Celebrate and Promote Human Rights
-
Go to the U.N.’s website and record yourself reading an article of the declaration in your own language. Then, post it using the #standupforhumanrights.
-
Participate in an anti-bullying program or campaign.
-
Find ways to support refugees around the world. Did you know that there are over 60 million refugees worldwide? Doctors Without Borders is one good organization. Another to consider is the the International Rescue Committee.
-
Share the UDHR or specific articles of declaration on social media using the #standupforhumanrights.
-
Donate to a fund that supports women’s rights, equal educational rights, or provides micro loans to women. Check out Kiva.org for more information on micro loans.
-
Read a biography of a human rights activist like Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, or Malala Yousafzai.
-
Donate to Unicef or another organization fighting to end childhood hunger.
-
Check out the Amnesty International website to see how they fight to end human rights abuses and see how you can too.
-
Discuss with your friends, family, and children what it means to be free and equal.
-
Provide volunteer hours to a food bank or women’s shelter in your community.
-
Visit a Holocaust Memorial site or museum in your area.
-
Watch a documentary about civil rights, women’s rights, or another human rights issue.
A few last thoughts
While researching the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Human Rights Day, I have learned many important things. Human rights are relevant to every single person and on every single day, not just on December 10. The universal values found in the UHRD are important to a shared humanity. The UHRD empowers everyone. Equality, justice, and freedom are remedies for violence and are promoters of peace. When humanity abandons these values, all of humanity is at risk. If we want human rights for ourselves, we must stand up for them and for the rights of all people.
Thank you for reading. I know there’s a lot to this post, but it’s something very important if we want to live in a world of peace and safety. Please use the social media buttons to share. I look forward to reading your comments below.
Please note that this article contains affiliate links. See disclosure page for details.
