The 10th of December is marked annually as Human Rights Day. This is in commemoration of the United Nation’s (UN) adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948.
The celebration is unique this year because it marks the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Both treaties complement the UDHR and have been critical to shaping International Human Rights as we know it today.
The theme for the 2015 Human Rights Day captioned, “Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always.”, points to the universal and enduring nature of Human Rights. Human Rights belong to all human beings regardless of race, nationality, gender or other social classifications. Human rights are perpetual or never-ending, they continue from one generation to the next.
As the UN Human Rights Office launches a year-long campaign to shine a light on the rights of global citizens today, we at the IHRDA are renewing our belief in the inalienable and inherent rights of all Africans, and will continue with our commitment to promote the effectiveness of the African Human Rights System by defending victims of Human Rights violations, educating and informing actors and stakeholders to support their efforts in the promotion and protection of Human Rights and Freedoms on the continent.
