After a year of commemorating other days, which remind us of the universality of human rights and their applicability to all persons, indivisibly, it’s as if the day reminds us to pause and reflect on the holistic protection and promotion of human rights in that regard. Historically though the day falls on the 10th December as a celebration of the day on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the declaration which underpins many of our constitutional Bills of Rights in various countries across the world – was first adopted by the international community.
The UDHR is a peculiar instrument. Although not necessarily (I use this word very loosely in this context) binding on the states which adhere to it, the human rights as declared in it are the basis of many protections and protective mechanisms, which have since been developed since its adoption many years ago. It recognition and celebration are therefore central to almost any conversation on human rights. The day also falls at the end of the 16days of activism. 16 days, as explored in earlier pieces on this column, is a period to concertedly challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign recognises the vulnerabilities of marginalised communities, and specifically women and children, and makes efforts to advocate for the ending of such said violence. The International Human Rights Day marks the end of the specific focus on this campaign.
