Today Is Human Rights Day, But Do We Really Remember What It Stands For?

The world celebrates 10th December as Human Rights Day and it’s time we go back to basics. Human Rights are the rights that entitle every individual to live with dignity, freedom, equality, justice, and peace. At least that’s what the theory says but the question that follows is do we really have these rights? Or have we completely forgotten about these ideologies? 

Bullit Marquez

One week ago, UN Human Rights Council condemned systematic violations against Rohingya communities in Myanmar. It called on the government to ensure justice for victims and access to Rakhine state for investigators and aid workers. With thousands of people displaced, beaten up, tortured and killed, it is ironic that we are observing a day that condemns it, while it’s aftershocks are still being very much felt.

In another part of the world, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) senior human rights officer Petronella Mukaindo said cases of violating the right to life, owning property, arbitrary arrests and extra-judicial killings are on the rise. Even with all of the laws and rules and judiciary, we’re somehow failing at it miserably.

Even in our own country, human rights violations aren’t absolutely non-existent. 

Unsplash

While these rights do exist on paper, their implementation is still in question. No matter how many years we celebrate Human Rights Day, till the time we really understand the true meaning of this concept and move towards protecting rights of each and every individual, we’ll be forever stuck.  

While this may just be jibber-jabber for a lot of people, there are some who at least care enough to talk about it. People took to Twitter to express their concerns and here are a few tweets. 

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Our laws need to be strong, but our conviction needs to be stronger. Actions bring change, words merely set things in motion. Our dignity, freedom, equality, justice and peace are under threat and it’s time we raise our voices against it. Protect what’s yours, protect Human Rights.