Human Rights Day 2021: Date, Theme, Significance, History - All You Need to Know about The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Each year on the 10th of December, Human Rights Day is observed globally to pay tribute to "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) empowers us all.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a landmark document in the history of human rights. The declaration was legally drafted by representatives from different cultural and legal backgrounds from all regions of the globe. In compliance with the United Nations (UN’s) website, UDHR is a document which “proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being", irrespective of their gender, language, caste, race, the colour of the skin, nationality or social origin, political or other opinions among different statuses.

Theme Of Human Rights Day 2021

The theme for this year's Human Rights Day is “Equality, Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.” The subject matter is related to "Equality" and to Article 1 of the UDHR which states that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” The principles of non-discrimination, dignity, and equality are at the heart of human rights. Watch Live: Celebration of Human Rights Day.

Significance Of Human Rights Day

Human rights have an important meaning when they become a reality in the daily life of every single person in the world. Each and every human being should be treated fairly with dignity and respect in each and every field from education and science to culture, and communication. The United Nations also has the authority to investigate and offer recommendations in cases of human rights breaches.

History Of Human Rights Day

In the year 1948, UNESCO was the first United Nations agency to adopt The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Human Rights Council comprises 47 elected United Nations Member States, which are empowered to ward off abuses and discrimination, poverty,  inequality, major societal evils.  protect the most vulnerable, and penalize the offender of human rights violations. The UDHR document has been translated into more than 500 languages and is the most translated document in the world.

In line with UNESCO, "We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2021 12:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).