The 10th of December is a significant date annually observed as International Human Rights Day. This day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1948. The 2019 theme is “Youth Standing up for Human Rights”, and an accompanying campaign #StandUp4HumanRights has been launched by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The focus of this year is to inspire and celebrate the youth around the world who are taking a stand for human rights.
Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights
Human rights play a central role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Without ensuring human dignity, sustainable development is impossible to achieve. Progress on all SDGs drives human rights, and in turn, advancements in human rights propel the SDGs forward.
India and the Protection of Human Rights
India has put into place the Protection of Human Rights Act,1993 to safeguard human rights. Recently, the Protection of Human Right (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed making significant amendments to the original act. These changes pertain to eligibility criteria for the chairperson, increased commission members, including additional National Commission Chairpersons, and modifying the tenure terms of the Commission and State Commissions’ chairpersons and members.
| Amendments | Details |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | In addition to a person who has been Chief Justice of India, a person who has been a judge of the Supreme Court can be appointed as Chairperson of the Commission. |
| Strength | The number of Commission members has been increased from two to three, with one member being a woman. |
| Members of National Commission | The bill includes the Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes, Child Rights Protection and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities as members of the Commission. |
| Tenure | The amendment reduces the term of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission from five to three years, but they are eligible for re-appointment. |
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was officially declared under UNGA resolution 217 A in Paris. It outlined, for the first time, the fundamental human rights that deserve universal protection. These rights affirm that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Notably, the Universal Declaration does not serve as a treaty and does not directly impose legal obligations on countries. However, it expresses the core values that are universally shared by all members of the international community.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the principal UN body on human rights. This office, part of the United Nations Secretariat, was established in 1993 and is based in Geneva. The UN Human Rights plays a vital role in upholding the integrity of the UN’s three interconnected pillars – peace and security, human rights and development. In addition to this, it provides technical expertise and capacity development assistance to support the application of international human rights standards on the ground.