Market day in Calavi, Benin
Photo Credit: peeterv/iStock/Getty Images

Human Rights Day

This year’s theme for Human Rights Day is Youth Standing up for Human Rights. The day aims to celebrate the potential of the youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights.

Youth participation is essential to achieve sustainable development for all
Participation in public life is a fundamental principle of human rights. Young people are seeking to participate in all decisions that have a direct and indirect impact on their well-being. They need to be heard to inform more effective decision-making and achieve sustainable development for all.

Youth can play a crucial role in positive change
Young people have always been major drivers of political, economic, and social transformation. They are at the forefront of grassroots mobilizations for positive change and bring fresh ideas and solutions for a better world.

Empowering youth to better know and claim their rights will generate benefits globally
Young people are often marginalised and encounter difficulties in accessing and enjoying their rights because of their age. Upholding their rights and empowering them to better know and claim them will generate benefits globally.

Human rights are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as in the absence of human dignity we cannot drive sustainable development. The human rights movement has made great strides in the past, but abuses still occur with saddening regularity.

In the past, and even in recent times, we have seen people being discriminated against based on gender, race, colour, religion, and other statuses. These and other violations go against what The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states as outlined in the 30 Articles it contains.

Integrity, even without being fully aware of what The Declaration states, should be a guide to doing what is good and right at all times, knowing also when we have wronged and take responsibility for it.