Human Rights Day: A Look Towards the Future

Today (Dec 10, 2020) marks 72 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, celebrated every year as Human Rights Day. Human Rights Day commemorates the milestones achived thus far in  international human rights; as we continue to work towards a world where human rights are upheld for all regardless of age, sex, religion, language, country or ethnic origin, and socio-economic status. We are proud to commemorate this day and the vast developments in the human rights arena since 1948.

There is still much work to be done, and a whole range of global partnerships are needed in order to eliminate the systemic injustices in our world today including discrimination and inequality. This Human Rights Day will also celebrate 5 years of work on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were established in 2015 to guide the international community’s work towards a more just and sustainable future. The 17 goals dive into numerous world issues, and offer a strong blueprint for a better, more sustainable future. The SDGs set large goals such as eliminating poverty, solving world hunger, and building sustainable communities where basic services like water, energy and housing are guaranteed with an intent to achieve them all by the year 2030. Unlike past development goals, the SDGs center the advancement of human rights. 

This year’s theme for Human Rights Day is “Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights” focused on ensuring that human rights is at the forefront of all COVID-19 recovery efforts. COVID-19 has changed the world we live in, and it is evident that this virus has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable individuals in our world today. If we want to continue to strive and reach the Sustainable Development Goals, we have to create equal opportunity for all despite the circumstances that have reshaped our world. 

As stated by the United Nations, “10 December is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity”.  We hope that everyone takes this time to reflect on the world we are striving for, and also commemorates the work being done today.