Human Rights Day - December 10

➡️ HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, Dec 10 - Our Everyday Essentials

Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. This international document details the universal rights and freedoms of all human beings.

This annual celebration provides an opportunity to celebrate this Declaration, raise awareness of the human rights situation around the world, and promote the dignity and equality of all human beings.

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The Declaration was established after the barbarity of the Second World War and formally recognised human rights as the foundation for freedom, justice, and peace. It comprises 30 articles that cover various aspects of human rights and freedoms. These include the right to life, liberty and safety, freedom of expression and thought, the right to education and employment, the right to be judged fairly before the law, the fundamental rights of food, housing, and medical care, and the right to be free from torture and slavery.

These principles are intended to protect the fundamental rights to which all people are entitled, regardless of their origin, religion, nationality, gender, language, age, sexual orientation, or any other factor.

"To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity," - Nelson Mandela

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Despite these protections, the current global human rights situation is dire. According to Amnesty International's 2025 State of the World's Human Rights report, the world is witnessing a near breakdown of international law, particularly regarding the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Amnesty officially concluded that the War on Gaza amounts to genocide against the Palestinian people.

It was an alarming year for human rights suppression and atrocities. The report revealed rising authoritarianism, attacks on assembly and freedoms of speech, a disregard for international law by powerful governments such as the U.S., Russia, and China, the normalisation of discrimination against marginalised groups, and increased use of surveillance and repression.

All of these factors are worsened by increasing rates of armed conflict and the consequences of climate change. Conflict regions such as Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Venezuela show little improvement. In Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Palestine, the situation has actually deteriorated.

The 2024 Global Rights Project gave 62% of the world's 195 countries an "F" grade (scores from 0 to 59) for their human rights record. Only 18% earned between an "A" and a "B".

The world often looks the other way when human rights violations occur. Turkey, Libya, Syria, the West Bank, and Hungary are prime examples of unabated abuses of human rights. Western nations shirk their responsibility to ensure that rights are upheld. In many cases, they even exacerbate the issue, for example, the funnelling of billions of dollars worth of weapons into Israel and Ukraine.

War and conflict are increasing, becoming more prolonged and more deadly. The United Nations lacks effective means and funds to resolve conflicts and prevent large-scale human rights violations. Self-serving governments are pouring more and more money into militarisation and rearmament instead of investing in society, education, healthcare, or the fight against climate change. World military expenditure in 2024 reached $2718 billion, an increase of 9.4% on the previous year and the highest amount ever.

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Human Rights Day for a Better World

Human rights organisations host events all around the world on December 10th, including conferences, seminars, ceremonies, workshops, vigils, cultural events, protests, marches, and fundraising events. These activities raise awareness of important issues, promote dialogue, and support concrete actions to promote and defend human rights.

The theme for 2025 is 'Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials', which aims to reaffirm the value of human rights and raise awareness about how they affect our daily lives, in ways we may not even notice. Human rights are the essentials we rely on every day for our safety, freedom, livelihoods, education, and even access to food, water, and a clean environment. It stresses that "human rights are positive, essential and attainable."

Human Rights Day is our yearly reminder that the protection and respect of human rights is the responsibility of all members of the international community.

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German speakers can visit our partner site, Bessere Welt Info, for further information on Tag der Menschenrechte.

Authors: Maximilian Stark 05.12.23, translated and edited by Rachael Mellor 12.12.24 (Updated 05.12.25), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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