- ©UN
Thanks
to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and States’ commitments
to its principles, the dignity of millions has been uplifted, untold
human suffering prevented and the foundations for a most just world have
been laid.
While its promise is yet to be fulfilled, the very
fact that it has stood the test of time is testament to the enduring
universality of its perennial values of equality, justice and human
dignity.
To highlight what the Universal Declaration means
for people in their everyday lives, UN Human Rights is launching a
year-long campaign on 10 December, Human Rights Day 2017 that will
culminate in the actual occasion of the Declaration’s 70th anniversary
celebration on the same day next year.
The campaign has three core objectives: to promote, engage and reflect.
Our aim is to engage a broad base of audiences the world over; to help
promote understanding of how the Universal Declaration empowers us all;
and encourage further reflection on the ways that each of us can stand
up for rights, every day.
The anniversary is a chance for the world to
celebrate the gift of the Universal Declaration and to help reaffirm the
enduring human rights principles and standards it has helped establish.
- Stand Up 4 Human Rights Campaign - official website
Key Messages
- The UDHR empowers us all: It establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person. It confirms that the State has a core duty to promote standards of life that enable us to exercise our dignity and equality, in larger freedom.
- Human rights are relevant for all of us, every day. Human rights include our rights to freedom from fear and from want, freedom to speak up, rights to health and education; and to enjoy the benefits of measures to advance economic and social justice.
- Ours is a shared humanity rooted in these universal values. We are inter-connected. These human rights that we have in common, solidarity with each other and fulfilment of human rights responsibilities are what bind us together on our shared planet.
- Equality, justice and freedom prevent violence and sustain peace. Respect for human rights, and sound, impartial rule of law to resolve disputes are at the core of development and peace.
- Whenever and wherever humanity's values are abandoned, we all are at greater risk. We are at a crossroads. Attacks on human rights by people who want to profit from hatred and exploitation erode freedom and equality locally and globally. This can be, must be, resisted.
- We need to stand up for our rights and those of others. Each of us can stand up. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings.
The anniversary’s hashtag is #standup4humanrights. It builds on the UN Human Rights Stand Up campaign, which calls on people to take action for greater freedoms, stronger respect and more compassion for the rights of others.
