Human Rights Day 2017

                        Two weeks ago, precisely on Sunday 10th of December all the world celebrated the day of human rights. This post is a summary of four articles. The first was published with the title above at http://www.unesco.org/new/human-rights-day. The second was published at  https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/human-rights-day/. The third was published at  http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/sgmessage.shtml. The fourth was published at              https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/what-are-human-rights-

                In the wake of the Second World War, humanity, together, resolved to uphold human dignity everywhere and always. In this spirit, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations. The Universal Declaration embodies common human aspirations, rooted in different cultures, put clearly in its first words: "the inherent dignity and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." Today, the Universal Declaration emters its 70th year of existence at a time of rising challenge. Hundreds of millions of women and men are destitute, deprived of basic livehoods and opportunities. Human rights must be the bedrock for all progress moving forward. This must start as early as possible, on the benches of schools. UNESCO is leading human rights education today and is launching its Global Education Monitoring Report on Youth and a campaign encouraging youth to hold governments accountable for ensuring everyone's right to education.

               Every often a thing comes to pass that is of such astounding importance that we must stand up and recognize it. We must place this thing on the pedestal it deserves, and ensure that policies put in place by it are adhered to, appreciated, and spread as far as the human voice will carry. Such is the sort of message sent by Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was a shout across the world, stating loud and clear that no matter where we live, what we believe, or how we love, we are each individually deserving of the basic fundamentals of human needs. Every year Human Rights Day marks conferences around the world dedicated to ensuring that these ideals are pursued. The first and foremost way to celebrate Human Rights Day is to take some time to appreciate the effect that this resolution has had on your life. The next step is to get out and make a difference, whether it is simply making a donation or you own help those organizations or people fighting the good fight.

               This year's commemoration of Human Rights Day marks the beginning of a year-long celebration of seven decades since the adoption of one of the world's most far-reaching international agreements. The UDHR establishes the dignity of every human being and stipulates that every government has a core duty to enable all people to enjoy all their inalienable rights and freedoms. We all have a right to live free from all forms of discrimination. We have a right to education, health care, and economic opportunities. We have rights to privacy and justice. These rights are relevant to all of us, every day. Since the proclamation of the UDHR in 1948, human rights have been one of the three pillars of the UN, along with peace and development. While human rights abuses did not end when the UDHR was adopted, the UDHR has helped countless people to gain greater freedom and security. Despite these advances, the UDHR is being tested in all regions. We see rising hostility towards human rights and those who defend them by people who want to profit from exploitation and division. On this Human Rights Day, I, the UN Secretary-General want to acknowledge the brave human rights defenders, who work every day, sometimes in grave peril, to uphold human rights around the world. I urge people and leaders everywhere to stand up for all human rights, civil, political,  and social rights and for the values that underpin our hopes for a fairer, safer and better world for all.

               Human rights are like armour: they protect you; they are like rules, because they tell you how you can behave; and they are like judges, because you can appeal to them. They belong to everyone and they exist no matter what happens. They are like nature because they can be violated; and like the spirit because they can not be destroyed. They offer us respect, and they charge us to treat others with respect. Like goodness, truth and justice, we may sometimes disagree about their definition, but we recognise them when we see them. An acceptance of human rights means accepting that everyone is entitled to make certain claims: I have these rights, no matter what you say or do, because I am a human being, just like you.Human rights are inherent to all human beings as a birthright. Two of the key values that lie at the core of the idea of human rights are human dignity and equality. Human rights can be understood as defining those basic standards which are necessary for a life of dignity. Human rights receive support from every culture in the world, every civilised government and every major religion. It is recognised almost universally that state power can not be unlimited or arbitrary. We shall look at the legal mechanisms that exist for protecting the different areas of people's interests. In Europe, but also and the Americas, there is a court to deal with complaints about violations. One important role in exerting pressure on states is played by associations, NGOs, and other civic initiative groups. Realising rights means facing a range of obstacles. Firstly, some governments, political parties or candidates, social and economic players use the language of human rights without a commitment to human rights objectives. Secondly, governments, political parties or candidates may criticise human rights violations by others but fail to uphold human rights standards themselves. Thirdly, there are cases when human rights are restricted in the name of protecting the rights of others. Exerting your rights should not impinge on other's enjoyment of their rights. An active civil society and an independent judiciary is important in monitoring such cases.