International Human Rights Day

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

This week’s “Embracing Faith” article will focus on Embracing Faith through Advocacy.

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

-Isaiah 1:17

On Thursday, December 10th, the world will observe International Human Rights Day.

This day commemorated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. (1)

In 2020, the theme of International Human Rights Day is “Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights,” which relates to the global pandemic and its recovery efforts. The United Nations aims to “engage the general public, our partners and the UN family to bolster transformative action and showcase practical and inspirational examples that can contribute to recovering better and fostering more resilient and just societies.” (2)

Another goal of International Human Rights Day is to “reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity.” (2)

As International Human Rights Day approaches, we hope that this observance will raise awareness regarding the disrespect for fundamental human rights in areas around the world and the extremist movements that subject people to horrific violence, and the messages of intolerance and hatred that prey on people’s fears. (1)

You can help raise awareness and participate in International Human Rights Day by taking the StandUp4HumanRights pledge.

To participate, you will pledge:

-I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you.

-When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined so that I will STAND UP.

-I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

To learn more about the StandUp4HumanRights pledge, click here.