Every year on December 10th, Human Rights Day is marked to remember the day the United Nations General Assembly approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. (UDHR). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a landmark declaration that affirms the intrinsic rights that every person has as a human being, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth, or other position. It is the document that has been translated into most languages, with over 500 available.
On December 10, 2023, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will mark its 75th anniversary. Before this significant date, on 10 December 2022, they will begin a year-long campaign to highlight the UDHR by emphasising its heritage, relevance, and activism.
Since the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, more people around the world have come to recognise and protect these rights. Since then, it has served as the cornerstone of a growing system of protection for human rights that now pays particular attention to vulnerable populations like migrants, indigenous peoples, and people with disabilities.
However, “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice For All” will be the theme of Human Rights Day in 2022. The declaration and the constitution of the WHO affirms that everyone has a fundamental human right to health. The promise of the UDHR—of equality in rights and dignity—has consistently come under attack in recent years. The ideals and rights in the UDHR serve as benchmarks for our collective activities so that no one is left behind as the world faces new and continuous challenges such as pandemics, conflicts, rising disparities, a morally bankrupt global financial system, racism, and climate change.
The campaign’s goal is to increase awareness of UDHR’s universality and the activism that surrounds it throughout the course of a year.
