Human Rights Day: UN celebrates ‘tremendous activism’ of world’s youth

Human Rights Day is celebrated on November 10 worldwide to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. On this occasion, the UN leaders have lauded the "tremendous activism" of the world’s youth for “bringing human rights to life”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the day hailed the youth saying that the young people are fighting for peace, justice, and equal opportunities.

“Globally, young people are marching, organizing, and speaking out: For the right to a healthy environment, for the equal rights of women and girls, to participate in decision-making, and to express their opinions freely. They are marching for their right to a future of peace, justice, and equal opportunities, ”  Guterres said in his video address.

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' message

Human Rights Day is the annual reminder that everyone is entitled to all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, social origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status. UN's celebration of youth activism comes as countries are meeting in Madrid for the UN COP25 conference on climate change, said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. The climate emergency is the most profound threat to human rights globally since the Second World War, said Bachelet. It puts numerous rights at risk, including the right to life, health, food, water, shelter, development, and self-determination, she added. The Commissioner said that the youth is pointing out what's at stake in the future and that they will have to bear the full consequences of the actions, or lack of action, by the older generations who currently run governments and businesses. 

“We owe a debt of gratitude to all those millions of children, teenagers and young adults who have been standing up and speaking out more and more loudly about the crisis facing our planet”, Bachelet said in her statement for Human Rights Day.

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Education for human rights

Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the President of the UN General Assembly in his video address on the occasion said that the youth must be heard. He said that the active engagement of youth is central to achieving societies that are inclusive and stable. Muhammad-Bande also said that the youth should be an important part of decision making. Providing youth with access to inclusive quality education is one way to guarantee that they know their rights and are thus become empowered.

“We have to utilize the idealism of youth and empower them to stand up for equal rights and fair treatment of everyone everywhere. We need to ensure that youth have the right to participate in decision-making and have their voices heard," Muhammad-Bande said.   

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