INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAYS: UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS @ 70

The United Nations was founded in the aftermath of WWII in 1945. Some of the principal objectives for founding the organization as outlined in the preamble of the UN Charter were; “to prevent the occurrence of future atrocities by affirming faith in fundamental human rights, in dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women, and of nations large and small and the commitment to promote better standard of life in larger freedom.” These fundamental human rights are all captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10^th December 1948. This day is observed every year as the International Human Rights Day. The UN will celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10^th December 2018.

Seventy years on, the principles enshrined in the UDHR are still as relevant as they were in 1948. The UDHR has been translated into 513 languages, making it the most translated document in history.

Learn more:

Video: History of the UDHR: https://bit.ly/2B9wnX2

Short articles on each of the 30 Articles of the UDHR: https://bit.ly/2BFvDpg

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INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: ORANGE THE WORLD: #HEARMETOO

“Not until the half of our population represented by women and girls can live free of fear, violence, and insecurity, the world cannot pride itself on being fair and equal.” These were the words of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, at an event to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day is observed every year on November 25 to raise awareness on gender-based violence. The theme for the 2018 celebration is Orange the World: #HearMeToo. The color orange is used to draw global attention to the pandemic issue of violence against women, while the hashtag is encouraged to amplify the message of survivors and activists and to put them at the centre of the conversation.

Below are some alarming figures from the UN, highlighting the prevalence of violence against women and girls:

• 1 in 3 women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner
• Only 52% of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health care
• Worldwide, almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18^th birthday; while 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM)
• 1 in 2 women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family in 2012; while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances
• 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these women and girls are sexually exploited
• Violence against women is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health than traffic accidents and malaria combined.

Are you aware of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign which begins every year on 25^th November and ends on 10^th December (International Human Rights Day)? According to the UN Women, 16 Days of Activism is a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world.  The theme of the 2018 campaign is “End Gender-Based Violence in the World of Work.”

What can you do from where you are to contribute to ending violence against women and girls?

Read more:

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: https://bit.ly/2gpPkLd

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: https://bit.ly/1jEADx3

 

WORLD PEACE DAY: “THE RIGHT TO PEACE: THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT 70”

International Day for Peace is marked on the 21^st   day of September every year around the world. This day, according to the United Nations General Assembly, is devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.  Peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict. A truly peaceful society can only be achieved where the human rights of individuals in a society, irrespective of ethnicity, sex or creed are upheld and respected, and their basic needs are met. The theme for the 2018 Peace Day is; “The Right to Peace: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70.” This theme was deliberately chosen to correspond with the event of the 70^th anniversary celebration of the adoption (10 December 1948) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “a milestone document in the history of human rights.”

The 2018 International Peace Day ceremony, marked by the traditional ringing of the Peace Bell, was led by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at the UN Peace Garden in New York.

 

Mr. Guterres rings the Peace Bell

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ 2018 Peace Day message:

“This year we mark the International Day of Peace as we prepare to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This foundational document is a reminder that peace takes root when people are free from hunger, poverty and oppression and can thrive and prosper.  With the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as our guide, we must ensure the achievement of the Sustainable     Development Goals. I encourage you to speak up. For gender equality.  For inclusive societies.  For climate action.  Do your part at school, at work, at home. Every step counts. Let us act together to promote and defend human rights for all, in the name of lasting peace for all.”

 Learn more: International Day of Peace: https://bit.ly/YpcjJT

Watch the UN Peace Day ceremony: https://bit.ly/2pqhlW1

SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS: TOOL FOR REDUCING EXTEREME POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

The World Banks defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day. The organization estimates that about 10.7% of the world’s population or 760 million people still live in extreme poverty. World leaders made a commitment in 2015 through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate extreme poverty by the year 2030. SDG 1 calls for an “End to Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere.” Access to Social Protection or social security has been identified as key to achieving SDG 1. Therefore, SDG 1:3 states that governments “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 to achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.” As described by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Protection or social security are set of policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and vulnerability across the life cycle. This includes nine main areas: child and family benefits, maternity protection, unemployment support, employment injury benefits, sickness benefits, health protection, old-age benefits, disability benefits and survivors’ benefits.

The Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, notes that “when access to essential benefits and services is guaranteed for mothers and children, for persons with disabilities or illness, for the elderly and unemployed, countries actually make their economies resilient while ensuring the human rights to social security.” Unfortunately, only 1 in 5 people around the world have access to universal social protection coverage as indicated in the 2017 – 2019 World Social Protection Report. Governments must therefore, recognize that providing social protection for the people is not only the right and just thing to do, it is actually a very economic smart thing to do. Countries that have made efforts in expanding their safety net programmes have seen a rapid decline in the rate of poverty and experienced economic growth.

Read more:

ILO World Social Protection Report 2017 – 2019: https://bit.ly/2CyyaTn

Infographic : https://bit.ly/2BbsTV2

2018 WORLD DAY AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: “RESPONDING TO THE TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE”

A United Nations General Assembly resolution 64/293 designated July 30^th as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in 2013. This was to “raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of the rights of victims of human trafficking.” Trafficking in persons is a global phenomenon to which no country is immune. Pope Francis has called it a crime against humanity. And the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, describes human trafficking as a ‘vile crime that feeds on inequality, instability and conflict.’ Mr. Guterres laments that “human traffickers too often operate with impunity, with their crimes receiving not nearly enough attention.” Human trafficking has been described as the fastest-growing criminal business enterprise earning criminals over $150 billion annually. Trafficking in persons often involve very powerful local or international criminal syndicates who in many instances evade prosecution because of weak or corrupt criminal justice system.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime 2016 (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons indicates that children are the second most commonly detected group of victims of trafficking after women. Between 25 – 30 percent of the total victims of human trafficking victims detected over the 2012-2014 period were children. This is especially true for the Sub-Saharan African region. It is estimated that over 10 million children worldwide are currently in the situation of slavery. This is the worst form of violence against children. One child in slavery is far too many.  For this reason, the UNODC has chosen, ‘responding to the trafficking of children and young people’ as the theme for the 2018 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

Read more:

UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons: https://bit.ly/2LD8HRC

June 2018, Issue Brief on Children in Trafficking by the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons: https://bit.ly/2AiEYbn

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: https://bit.ly/1pnkWx6

2016 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons: https://bit.ly/2jqIZ09

 

SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS: TOOL FOR REDUCING EXTEREME POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

The World Banks defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day. The organization estimates that about 10.7% of the world’s population or 760 million people still live in extreme poverty. World leaders made a commitment in 2015 through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate extreme poverty by the year 2030. SDG 1 calls for an “End to Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere.” Access to Social Protection or social security has been identified as key to achieving SDG 1. Therefore, SDG 1:3 states that governments “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 to achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.” As described by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Protection or social security are set of policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and vulnerability across the life cycle. This includes nine main areas: child and family benefits, maternity protection, unemployment support, employment injury benefits, sickness benefits, health protection, old-age benefits, disability benefits and survivors’ benefits.

The Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, notes that “when access to essential benefits and services is guaranteed for mothers and children, for persons with disabilities or illness, for the elderly and unemployed, countries actually make their economies resilient while ensuring the human rights to social security.” Unfortunately, only 1 in 5 people around the world have access to universal social protection coverage as indicated in the 2017 – 2019 World Social Protection Report. Governments must therefore, recognize that providing social protection for the people is not only the right and just thing to do, it is actually a very economic smart thing to do. Countries that have made efforts in expanding their safety net programmes have seen a rapid decline in the rate of poverty and experienced economic growth.

Read more:

ILO World Social Protection Report 2017 – 2019: https://bit.ly/2CyyaTn

Infographic : https://bit.ly/2BbsTV2

In case you missed this from our January newsletter:

 2018 marks the 70^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). DO YOU KNOW YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS? Learn the UDHR. Encourage others to do the same. Teach the UDHR to your students.  Click here to download illustrated copy of the UDHR.

ACTION: Join in the #standup4humanrights campaign and take the following pledge:

• I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you
• When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined, so I will STAND UP
• I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

 

Read more:

History of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; http://bit.ly/2nQeV4G

#Standup4humanrights campaign: http://bit.ly/2A5a81t

Illustrated booklet of the UDHR: http://bit.ly/2hTiaDI

Educational resources for teaching the UDHR to youths: https://bit.ly/2J7InJD