Human Rights Day (Dec. 10)

Unfortunately, i realized too late that today was Human Rights Day. Here's some info about the day and the events involved.

 

Human Rights Day

http://www.kurdmedia.com/article.aspx?id=16128

• KurdishMedia.com - By Nyaz Kirkuki
• 11/12/2009 00:00:00

December 10, 2009 is Human Rights Day, For millions of people globally, the struggle to extract themselves from situations of discrimination at almost every turn in their daily lives is an impossible ambition. Tragically, as we have seen in the past twenty years, policies of ethnic cleansing and genocide, policies based on discriminatory ideologies, have led to destruction, exile and death.

The realization of all human rights - social, economic and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights – is hampered by discrimination. All too often, when faced with prejudice and discrimination, political leaders, governments and ordinary citizens are silent or complacent.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.


All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights

• KurdishMedia.com - By Nyaz Kirkuki
• 11/12/2009 00:00:00

 

Other related articles:

Rallies, arrests mark World Human Rights Day


Shujaat Bukhari

[SIZE=-2]— Photo: Nissar Ahmad [/SIZE]

Supporters of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front take out a torchlight procession to mark the World Human Rights Day in Srinagar on Thursday.

SRINAGAR: The World Human Rights Day was observed in Kashmir on Thursday with demonstrations, rallies, torchlight procession and seminars even as authorities put a number of separatist leaders under house arrest as a preventive measure.

In a significant development, both separatists as well as mainstream political parties demanded an end to the human rights violations in the State.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik led hundreds of torch-bearing protesters from Chanpora to Lal Chowk in the city centre. He appealed to the world human rights bodies to take cognizance of “gross human rights violations in Kashmir.”

Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabbir Shah said he was put under house arrest since Wednesday night to prevent him from attending a seminar organised by the Kashmir Bar Association and holding peaceful demonstrations highlighting “severe human rights violations” in the State.

“On Wednesday evening a large number of security force personnel were deployed outside my residence and I was informed not to try to venture out,” Mr. Shah said.

A Hurriyat Conference (M) spokesman said senior leaders Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone, and Masroor Ansari were put under house arrest since Wednesday evening. The police also put several other separatist leaders, including Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Zafar Akbar Bhat, under house arrest. Some other rights activists were also arrested.

‘Root cause’

The Mirwaiz said “violations” continue unabated in the State. He termed the presence of troops as the “root cause.”

“Until there is a complete withdrawal of troops from the State, the human rights violations would go on,” he said. He also demanded an impartial probe into the ‘enforced disappearances’ and the ‘unmarked graves’ in the State.

The police prevented the JKLF (Rajbagh) from taking out a procession. JKLF men led by Javed Mir surfaced near Abiguzar here, and a police contingent prevented them from marching ahead and arrested over a dozen activists and leaders. The Kashmir High Court Bar Association held a seminar at the lower court complex here, to highlight the human rights situation.

Meanwhile, Abdur Rashid, a sitting legislator from Langate in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district filed 24 cases, involving 33 killings, before the State Human Rights Commission here.

He also demanded compensation for 168 days of ‘forced labour’ for himself and 6,000 families, spread across 39 villages in his constituency.

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/12/11/stories/2009121158750900.htm

 

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Statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay
on the occasion of Human Rights Day

http://www.payvand.com/news/09/dec/1109.html

The concept of non-discrimination lies at the heart of human rights.​

For this reason, it has been designated the official theme of this Human Rights Day, which occurs every year on the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. And for this and many other reasons it should be an unofficial theme every day, every year, for everyone. ​

Twenty-six of the Universal Declaration's 30 Articles begin with the words "Everyone..." or "No one..." Everyone should enjoy all human rights. No one should be excluded. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Non-discrimination must prevail. ​

Today, we have a whole range of rights-based international treaties imbued throughout with the concept of non-discrimination. These include, for example, Conventions on the rights of the child, rights of people with disabilities, rights of refugees and of migrant workers; Conventions dedicated to the elimination of racial discrimination and discrimination against women; as well as treaties dealing with labour, health and religion. These legally binding standards are complemented by important UN declarations detailing minority rights and the rights of indigenous peoples.​

These international laws and standards are supported by thousands of national and regional laws and institutions. Quite a few countries now have truly universal education, and a smaller number have universal public health systems. Taken together all of this marks an extraordinary celebration of humankind's ability and aspiration to create a world of equal opportunity and equal treatment under the law. And many millions of people have benefited as a result.​

People of all sorts have something to offer. When we embrace diversity, we bring extra richness and depth to our societies.​

Yet discrimination is still rampant. ​

Women work two-thirds of the world's working hours and produce half of the world's food, yet earn only 10 percent of the world's income and own less than one percent of the world's property. Despite significant improvements over the past century, women and girls are still discriminated against to some degree in all societies and to a great degree in many. Every day countless numbers of women are sexually or physically abused, and the vast majority of their abusers go unpunished and future abuse is undeterred.​

Minorities in all regions of the world continue to face serious threats, discrimination and racism, and are frequently excluded from fully taking part in the economic, political, social and cultural life available to the majorities in the countries or societies where they live.​

Similar problems face the estimated 370 million indigenous people who make up five percent of the world's population, but 15 percent of its poorest people. They are often marginalized, deprived of many fundamental rights - including land and property - and lack access to basic services.​

Racial and ethnic discrimination are also to be found all across the planet, and remain one of the most dangerous forms of discrimination. Left unchecked, or actively fanned, they can all too easily lead to hatred, violence, and - in the worst cases - push on up the scale to full-blown conflict, crimes against humanity and genocide. ​

Discrimination based on religion or belief can be equally destructive. In certain countries, members of certain groups are restricted in how they can exercise their religion or belief and deprived of their fundamental rights. In extreme cases such conditions may lead to sectarian violence, killing and conflict. Stereotyping can lead to stigmatization and isolationism.​

Refugees and migrants are widely discriminated against, including in rich countries where men, women and children who have committed no crime are often held in detention for prolonged periods. They are frequently discriminated against by landlords, employers and state-run authorities, and stereotyped and vilified by some political parties, media organizations and members of the public.​

Many other groups face discrimination to a greater or lesser degree. Some of them are easily definable such as persons with disabilities, stateless people, gays and lesbians, members of particular castes and the elderly. Others may span several different groups and find themselves discriminated against on several different levels as a result.​

Those who are not discriminated against often find it hard to comprehend the suffering and humiliation that discrimination imposes on their fellow individual human beings. Nor do they always understand the deeply corrosive effect it has on society at large. ​

Discrimination feeds mistrust, resentment, violence, crime and insecurity and makes no economic sense, since it reduces productivity. It has no beneficial aspects for society whatsoever. Yet we continue to practice it - virtually all of us - often as a casual reflex, without even realizing what we are doing. ​

I would therefore like to encourage people everywhere - politicians, officials, businesses leaders, civil society, national human rights institutions, the media, religious leaders, teachers, students, and each and every individual - to honour Human Rights Day 2009 by embracing diversity and resolving to take concrete and lasting actions to help put an end to discrimination.​

... Payvand News - 12/10/09 ... --