On the 10 December the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) turns 70. All over the world, the occasion will be used to promote, engage and reflect on the UDHR.
70 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Declaration as a common standard of achievement for all people and nations, setting out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be protected universally. For the past seven decades, it has been the cornerstone of the international human rights system, helping to protect the rights of children, women, victims of torture, people with disabilities and many more. It has inspired dozens of treaties, hundreds of organisations and countless grassroots activists.
But across the world, human rights abuses persist. Attacks on human rights defenders are increasing and hard-won gains in protections are being rolled back in every continent. The very concept of human rights is being questioned, including by some of its staunchest defenders. The UN’s human rights chief Michelle Bachelet recently said that we urgently need a "pushback on the pushback" against human rights.
There are many things you can do to champion human rights this month. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Learn and teach about human rights: We've designed a teaching pack to help teachers and students explore human rights together
- Get involved in our Yemen Can't Wait campaign: Take action on issues such as the crisis in Yemen by following our campaign actions
- Find out more about Human Rights Day: We've compiled a list of further resources to help you raise awareness on and around the 10 December
- What does UNA-UK do on human rights?: Find out more about UNA-UK's recent work on human rights
- Find out how the UN works on human rights: Read the chapter on human rights norms and machinery in the recently published Oxford Handbook on the United Nations, written by our Executive Director
- Hold an event or activity: Remind people in your community that human rights matter to them too by holding an event or activity. Remember to promote your event on our website and tell us how it went
