10th December is International Human Rights Day
Let's stand up for equality, justice and human dignity

Ranjan K Baruah *

We talk about human rights as every individual has rights. For simple understanding according to OHCHR ,human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status.

We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Human rights are everywhere but there are some changes from nation to nation. Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law, general principles and other sources of international law.

International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Human Rights Day kicks off a year-long campaign to mark the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being — regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

In his Human Rights Day statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein issued a call to all to defend human rights and uphold justice. "We must organize, mobilise in defence of human decency, in defence of a better common future. We must take a robust and determined stand."

In India, National Human Rights Commission also observes the day on 10th December. During the last 24 years, since its inception on the 12th October, 1993, the Commission has endeavoured to promote a culture of human rights.

The NHRC, like most of the human rights institutions in the world, is a recommendatory body as per the Protection of Human Rights Act passed by Parliament. It has made a number of interventions on key issues of human rights, which include, among others, issues of bonded and child labour, prison reforms, right to health, right to food, mental healthcare, rights of persons with disability, silicosis, illegal clinical drug trials, pesticides in food items, pricing of drugs, corporate-social responsibility, manual scavenging and sanitation, human rights of women.

It is up to us how we fight for the rights. Being in poverty means deprival of human rights. We have many challenges in our society and it is all upto us how we fight back for justice.

We are aware that next year – on 10 December 2018 – we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and this year's Human Rights Day on Sunday marks the beginning of a year-long 70th anniversary commemoration. We can plan activities and events to strengthening the movement for ensuring human rights for all.

The UDHR empowers us all and we must use it for our rights.

Let's stand up for equality, justice and human dignity.