This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to mark the occasion the 10th December has been designated as Human Rights Day, a date to celebrate this momentous occasion and also a date to spread awareness of human rights.
The traumatic events of the Second World War brought home that human rights are not always universally respected. The extermination of almost 17 million people during the Holocaust, including 6 million Jews, horrified the entire world. After the war, governments worldwide made a concerted effort to foster international peace and prevent conflict. This resulted in the establishment of the United Nations in June 1945. In 1948, representatives from the 50 member states of the United Nations came together under the guidance of Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady of the United States 1933-1945) to devise a list of all the human rights that everybody across the world should enjoy.
In the decades since their creation, these human rights now form the foundation for most societies and include the right to asylum, the right to freedom from torture, the right to free speech and the right to education. It includes civil and political rights, like the right to life, liberty, free speech and privacy. It also includes economic, social and cultural rights, like the right to social security, health and education.
Unfortunately in certain places in the world and in certain cultures, these human rights are not adopted and there is still inequality between races, genders and people with disabilities to name a few. As the world faces challenges, new and ongoing, such as pandemics, conflicts, racism and climate change the core values of the UDHR provide guideposts for our collective actions that aim treat everyone with equality and not leave anyone behind.
This year’s Human Rights Day slogan is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All”. Their hope is to increase knowledge of the UDHR as a foundational blueprint for taking concrete actions to stand up for human rights and tackle pressing global issues today.
There are many ways to get involved and, on an individual level, spread awareness of the ongoing struggle to obtain equal rights for all. Amnesty International are once again launching their “write for rights” campaign throughout November and December which encourages individuals to messages of support to people around the world who have suffered injustice. The United Nations also have provided informative powerpoints highlighting these issues which are available to download from their website. Of course all of the organsations that help campaign for human rights also ask for donations to aid their vision.
Whilst for some it may be unfathomable to think of a life without equality and basic human rights, for others this is a daily struggle and one that must be highlighted in order to eradicate the injustice faced by certain groups in society.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by human rights breaches, we at Ramsdens can help you claim for the suffering and bring those who caused this to justice. Please contact our Personal Injury and Abuse team by sending us an email on info@ramsdens.co.uk or calling us on 01484 821 500