Human Rights Day: 5 key things to know

December 10, 2024

The theme for Human Rights Day 2024, “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now”, highlights the continued relevance of human rights in addressing global challenges.

This year, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) aims to inform and change perceptions on human rights while mobilising action.

Here are five essential facts about human rights everyone should know:

1. Human Rights are universal and inalienable

Human rights are not granted by states – they belong to everyone, everywhere, simply by virtue of being human. They transcend race, gender, nationality, or beliefs, ensuring inherent equality and dignity for all.

These rights include fundamental ones, like the right to life set out by Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and those that enable a fulfilling existence, such as access to education and health.

The UDHR is the most translated document in world history, available in more than 500 languages.

Human rights are also inalienable, meaning they cannot be taken away except in specific legal circumstances, such as imprisonment following due process.

2. Human Rights are equal, indivisible, and interdependent

Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, which means that the fulfilment of one right often relies on others.

For example, the right to education is crucial for exercising political rights, such as voting in elections. Similarly, the right to health and access to clean water are vital for the right to life and dignity.

Understanding this interconnection is essential in addressing complex global issues.

Tackling one area can lead to progress in others – such as gender equality or poverty reduction – while ignoring even one right can create a ripple effect, harming individuals and communities in multiple ways.

3. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a global turning point

Human rights are not just abstract ideas, through different declarations, covenants and bills, they have become actionable standards.

Born from the atrocities of World War Two and adopted in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was the world’s first comprehensive statement of universal human rights.

As the foundation of international human rights law, the 30 articles of the UDHR outline key freedoms, from equality and liberty to protection from torture; and has inspired more than 80 international treaties.

Together with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, it forms the International Bill of Human Rights.

4. States have obligations and individuals have support

All States have ratified at least one of the nine core human rights treaties, as well as one of the nine optional protocols. This means that states have obligations and duties under international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights.

At the same time, human rights treaties offer a framework for individuals and communities to demand the fulfilment of their rights and advocate for change.

Grassroots movements, such as the youth-led Fridays for the Future, showcase how human rights can fortify the call for climate justice.

5. Human Rights Day: a platform for action

Observed annually, Human Rights Day commemorates the adoption of the UDHR and serves as a platform to reflect on both achievements and ongoing struggles in the realm of human rights.

“Human rights are about people. They are about you and your life: your needs and wants and fears; your hopes for the present and the future, “said Mr. Türk, in his video message for the day.

This year, the 76th anniversary of the UDHR emphasises the power of human rights as a preventative, protective, and transformative force, especially in times of crisis.