Despite Human Rights Day, ‘Many Challenges Remain’

The United Nations charter mandates that it is duty of every state to respect and observe the human rights and to give more value to human rights the General Assembly had passed a resolution on 10th of December, 1948 at Geneva declaring the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Document. Our Freedoms! Always!”, is particularly significant because it dually commemorates the 50th anniversary of the United Nations’ two International Covenants on Human Rights: “the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Always campaign revolves around the timeless themes of rights and freedom and the relevance of the work that continues in securing and ensuring them.

Thailand has had a long commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights.

In 2015, the focus is on “freedoms” – recalling the four freedoms that underpin the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two major human rights covenants, and first articulated in 1941 by President Franklin D Roosevelt in his “four freedoms speech” to the US Congress. The four freedoms are: freedom from fear, freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom from want.

Ms Phuong says in Samoa, the government has upgraded the office of the ombudsman into a national human rights institution, which is doing some promising work.

Yet again in the last twelve months, often through the auspices of the PHRG, I have been privileged to find out more about the commitment, resilience and courage of human rights victims and defenders throughout the world – in the face of incredible – and frankly at times unbelievable – risks, odds and hardships.

This year’s theme is “Our Future”.

“The EU has a strong record of support for human rights defenders around the world; and the EU itself is a compelling example of the benefits which flow from a vibrant civil society”, said a declaration by the High Representative Federica Mogherini on behalf of the EU on Human Rights Day that observed on Thursday.

Luc Stevens is United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand.

The freedoms at the heart of the two key global human rights Covenants are woven through the 2030 sustainable development agenda, because sustainable development and human rights are mutually-dependent and mutually-reinforcing.

According to United Nation report, the United Nations works actively to define, monitor and assist Member States with the implementation of worldwide human rights standards.

Meanwhile, Gerry McAlinden QC, chairman of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland, said that cases taken to the European Court of Human Rights during the Troubles illustrated “the impact of human rights in Northern Ireland”.