10 December: International Human Rights Day

Every year 10th December is celebrated as International Human Rights Day across the world. The theme for 2019 Human Rights Day is: ‘Youth Standing up for Human Rights.’ The 2019 edition of day will celebrate the ‘youth’ as agents of change and will encourage them to amplify their voices against hate speech, discrimination, racism, bullying, and fight for climate justice, among other issues, as well as to engage a broad range of global audiences in promotion and protection of rights.

International Human Rights Day

Why 10 December? It was on this date in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), was adopted and proclaimed by United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) as the shared standard yardstick to protect human rights across the globe. UDHR was the first global enunciation of human rights as it recognized that inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of mankind are the foundation of justice, freedom and peace globally.

Formal establishment: However, the Human Rights Day was formally established when UNGA at its 317th Plenary Meeting on 4 December 1950, declared resolution 423(V), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate and adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day. Later in December 1993, UNGA announced to celebrate Human Rights Day annually.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2019