Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Human Rights Day commemoration- Statement by the UN Resident Coordinator.

Your Excellencies, Ambassadors & Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps;

Ladies and gentlemen;

First, allow me to congratulate the Government of Sierra Leone and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone for organizing various activities to commemorate the Human Rights Day. I take note that this year, the HRCSL focuses attention on human rights and elections and is using this year’s commemoration to highlight the importance of peaceful elections, and various rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The commemoration of the Human Rights Day this year has a particular significance for all of us as it also launches the activities related to the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), that will be celebrated on 10 December 2023.

Ahead of this milestone celebration, starting on this year's Human Rights Day on 10 December 2022, the UN across the globe will launch a year-long campaign to highlight the UDHR by focusing on its legacy, relevance, and activism. The slogan for this campaign is “Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All” with the call to action #StandUp4HumanRights. 

With this, the UN wants to highlight what the Universal Declaration for Human Rights (UDHR) means for people in their everyday lives. Our hope is to increase knowledge of the UDHR as a foundational blueprint for taking concrete actions to stand up for human rights. Our rights and those of others. We all must ensure that no one is left behind in this journey.

This afternoon, from 16:00 at New Brookfields Hotel, the UN family in Sierra Leone will organize a series of activities to commemorate this important day.

Since 1948 when the UDHR was signed, human rights have advanced and become more recognised and more guaranteed including in constitutions and laws of countries, making it more relevant than ever. However, its promise of dignity and equality in rights, has been under a sustained assault in recent years for various reasons including poverty, insecurity, pandemics, environmental degradation, etc.

The celebration of the Human Rights Day also marks the culmination of the 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world. During these 16 days, the UN calls for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions to gender-based violence. The UN has taken many initiatives in this context including distribution of 150 dignity kits donated by UNFPA to women detained at the Freetown Female Correctional Center and discussions and sessions related to the protection of human rights in detention facilities.

This is the time to highlight the important role women played to shape the content and language of the UDHR. As with the role of Elennor Roosevelt (former first lady of USA) in the crafting and securing adoption of the Declaration, non-Western women also significantly contributed to the drafting of the UDHR. Minerva Bernardino from the Dominican Republic, Hansa Mehta from India, and Begum Shaista Ikramullah from Pakistan were instrumental. Hansa Mehta is widely credited with making a significant change in the language of Article 1 of the UDHR, by replacing the phrase “All men are born free and equal” to “All human beings are born free and equal.” A huge milestone then, in 1948!

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the rights of all human beings, which are universal, indivisible, and inalienable. It recognises equal dignity and worth of every person. There rights are inherent to each of us and not granted by the State. UDHR lays foundations for a more equal and inclusive word.

It is important that we all stand up for our rights and those of others. This is one of the calls of the UDHR. We all have a role to play to realise freedom and equality for all at our own level and in our communities and beyond. To do so, we need to act in our daily lives to uphold our rights and the rights of the others to work together for a more sustainable, just, and prosperous word. We also need an economy that invests in human rights and works for everyone.

It is equally important to ensure that governments and people embrace a shared and comprehensive vision of human rights for a just and sustainable development.

Stand up for someone’s right today!

Thank you!