Human Rights Day is observed annually around the world on December 10th. It commemorates the anniversary of one of the world’s most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
- The Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 and sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
- As a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations,” the UDHR is a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies, and a bedrock of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
- It is available in 577 languages, from Abkhaz to Zulu, making the UDHR the most translated document in the world.
2024 Theme: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.
Human rights can empower individuals and communities to forge a better tomorrow. By embracing and trusting the full power of human rights as the path to the world we want, we can become more peaceful, equal and sustainable.
This Human Rights Day we focus on how human rights are a pathway to solutions, playing a critical role as a preventative, protective, and transformative force for good. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “Human rights are the foundation for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.”
This year’s theme is a call to acknowledge the importance and relevance of human rights in our everyday lives. We have an opportunity to change perceptions by speaking up against hate speech, correcting misinformation and countering disinformation. This is the time to mobilize action to reinvigorate a global movement for human rights.
How can you celebrate Human Rights Day at work?
Human Rights Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the freedoms that the UDHR granted us and raises awareness of how people’s human rights can be violated.
Here is the ideal way to celebrate Human Rights Day in your workplace any day throughout the year:
Educate Employees: Share what human rights, equity, and inclusion mean at your organization. Highlight someone who champions human rights to educate your employees about their experiences and beliefs. Be available for a Q&A at the end, so attendees can ask questions and converse with each other for teambuilding.
There’s Only 41 Days Until Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 20, 2025.
There’s Only 53 Days Until Black History Month February 1-28, 2025
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. encompasses influential decisions, monumental actions and steadfast progressions of human rights that reach far beyond the civil rights movement.
A leader of all people, Dr. King never chose fear, but always chose courage and determination when fighting for civil rights in the face of oppression, ignorance and violence. He refused to allow prison, violence or the threat of death sway his end mission. Instead, he stood beside his goal of achieving rights for all through nonviolent protests.
Watch the video and schedule Inclusive Leaders Group’s award-winning virtual educational session, What Dr. King Would Teach Today’s Employees About Allyship” for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, or any day of the year!
Final Thoughts
Dr. King well understood the important link between civil rights, human rights, and combatting racial injustice. Today’s generation of activists and leaders would do well to follow his approach. The civil rights and international human rights communities in the US should strengthen their work together to address justice and racial disparities. Fifty years on, a concerted approach to solving our problems is needed more than ever.
