Every year, on December 10, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day, when in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This year, the celebration of the 74th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is under the theme “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for all”. The objective of the commemoration of the International Human Rights Day is to raise awareness of the Rwandan people on human rights as laid out by the UDHR and encourage duty-bearers on their duty to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights. It provides an occasion not only to take stock of human rights achievements since 1948 but also to set an agenda and vision for the future. Human Rights Day is celebrated across the globe by formally organizing exhibitions, political conferences, meetings, cultural events, and many other programs to advocate for human rights awareness. The Commemoration of the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights coincided with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based violence campaign which began on November 25, 2022 and closed on December 10, 2022. This offered a unique opportunity to join human rights promotion and protection efforts to those of the UN Secretary General’s UNITE by 2030 program which calls for action to end Violence against Women. While celebrating the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Rwanda is proud of what it has achieved in terms of human rights. Rwanda‘s achievements in terms of human rights. After the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, Rwanda has been signing and ratifying various human rights instruments. So far, Rwanda has fully ratified eight out of nine conventions. The Government of Rwanda has established various laws, strategies, policies, and various institutions aimed at promoting and protecting human rights in general, human dignity, freedom and justice for all. In terms of legislation, several laws have been enacted, including the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015, which includes a large section on human rights, the Law on the Crime of Genocide and Related Crimes, the Child Protection Law, the Prevention and Punishment of Sexual Violence Law and the Law on Succession,... Regarding the established policies, we can mention the National Policy of Unity and Reconciliation, the Policy of Education for All where basic education is set at 12 years old, the Policy related to equality and harmony, the Policy of the elderly, Disability Policy, Disability Promotion Policy,... Institutions responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights have also been established, and they are given the ability to help them fulfill their responsibilities. Among those institutions are the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, the National Commission for Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the National Council of Persons with Disabilities, the National Council of Women and others. National Commission for Human Rights has achieved a lot The National Commission for Human Rights is proud of what has been achieved in fulfilling its mandate. In terms of promotion of human rights, the Commission has trained various groups of Rwandans on human rights, including high school students, higher learning institutions and university students, women's organizations, police officers, prison guards, volunteers responsible for monitoring the observance of children's rights,... The commission gave its views on the draft laws that were prepared and submitted to the Parliament, ensuring whether the draft laws complied with the principles of human rights. The commission has been doing research to see how the observance of human rights of different categories is observed, and it also gives advice so that human rights are respected Regarding the protection of human rights, the Commission has been receiving complaints about the violation of human rights, investigating some cases and resolving them, while others are advocating to the relevant authorities to resolve them. The Commission also monitored the respect of human rights in rehabilitation centers, detention premises, Transit Centers, elderly centers, caring homes for persons with mental illness, caring homes for people with disabilities, etc. During the monitoring, the Commission has been making recommendations aimed at improving the better respect of human rights. Commemoration activities The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), in collaboration with its partners, including Rwanda ONE UN, the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in Rwanda (OHCHR), Public institutions, and Civil Society Organizations operating in the field of human rights organized the celebration of the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2022 which was preceded by a human rights week which was marked by different human rights awareness activities engaging the community in general and youth in particular in promoting human rights. Human rights week was launched on November 26, during community work for tree planting in the Gicumbi district and different messages related to the protection of the environment as everyone’s responsibility were delivered. On December 4, 2022, the NCHR joined the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in sports in promoting activism against gender-based violence. A talk show “DUSANGIRE IJAMBO” on a national Human Rights Day theme was hosted on Radio and Rwanda Television. Under this year’s theme “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for all”, the key message was that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the UDRH without any discrimination. It was an occasion for the NCHR and its partners to pass their message on activities that promote people’s rights. On December 6, December 7 and December 8, the NCHR and its partners among them NEVER AGAIN Rwanda, and different Universities sensitized students from six higher learning institutions about the rights that are encompassed by the UDHR focusing on their role in fighting against GBV. Moreover, in collaboration with its partners, the NCHR joined the district community for a public hearing on December 6 in the Districts of Nyagatare, Kayonza, Musanze, Rubavu, Huye, and Gasabo. This event was marked by sensitizing local people on Human rights focusing on fighting GBV and other forms of abuses that lead to human rights violations and receiving their human rights-related complaints. The NCHR also trained its volunteers in charge of monitoring the respect of child rights and the rights of people with disabilities at Cells, Sectors and Districts levels on child rights and on the rights of people with disabilities and briefed them on their duties and responsibilities and on how to fulfil them. Celebrating the International Human Rights Day The International Human Rights Day was celebrated on December 10, 2022, in Gisagara District, Southern Province, and was marked by various activities to raise people's awareness of human rights and more specifically on sports and human rights. The event was marked by a cycling competition on the road Huye-Gisagara-Nyaruguru, and a Volleyball Match to raise people’s awareness and youth on sport and human rights in particular. The cycling competition and volleyball match were organized in collaboration with MINISPORTS, Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY), Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB), Huye District, Gisagara District, and other different partners of the Commission and awarding winners of the competition was part of the event. This cycling race competition engaged 14 professional teams from Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) and was organized with the special message of promoting the respect of human rights in general and child rights, women’s rights, people living with HIV/AIDS and persons with disability, the race promotional material promoted messages from the NCHR partners as well. It was an occasion to raise awareness on the importance of sport to achieving the highest attainable standard of health of all persons, including both physical and mental health and every individual should be facilitated to practice sport without any discrimination. The celebration was attended by Senior Government Officials, the One UN Resident Coordinator and different UN agencies country Representatives in Rwanda, the Senior Human Rights Advisor, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Representatives of Civil Society Organizations working in the human rights field, local authorities, representatives of security organs, representatives of sports federations, journalists and the local population. ----- Message of the United Nations Secretary-General on Human Rights Day on 10 December 2022 António Guterres The world is facing unprecedented and interlocking challenges to human rights. Hunger and poverty are increasing – an affront to the economic and social rights of hundreds of millions of people. Civic space is shrinking. Media freedom and the safety of journalists are in dangerous decline in almost every region of the world. Trust in institutions is evaporating, especially among young people. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased levels of violence against women and girls. Racism, intolerance and discrimination are running rampant. New human rights challenges are emerging from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. And we are only beginning to grasp the threat posed to human rights by some new technologies. These trying times call for a reignition of our commitment to all human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social. The Call to Action I launched in 2020 positions human rights at the centre of solutions to the challenges we face. This vision is reflected in my report on Our Common Agenda, which calls for a renewed social contract, anchored in human rights. The 75th anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration on Human Rights next year must be an opportunity for action. I urge Member States, civil society, the private sector and others to put human rights at the heart of efforts to reverse today’s damaging trends. Human rights are the foundation for human dignity, and the cornerstone of peaceful, inclusive, fair, equal and prosperous societies. They are a unifying force and a rallying cry. They reflect the most fundamental thing we share – our common humanity. On this Human Rights Day, we reaffirm the universality and indivisibility of all rights, as we stand up for human rights for all. -- Message of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Human Rights Day 2022 Volker Türk The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a miraculous text. At a time when the world emerged from cataclysmic events, the Declaration sets out universal rights and recognized the equal worth of every person. The Declaration – which was drafted by representatives from all over the world – embodies a common language of our shared humanity, a unifying force at the heart of which lies human dignity and the duty of care we owe each other as human beings. In the past 74 years, the importance of universal, indivisible, and inalienable rights has only become clearer. Yet there is a growing disconnect between the standards and the realities on the ground. Even as the 30 articles of the Declaration have sparked transformation in all areas of our lives, the embers of racism, misogyny, inequality, and hatred continue to threaten our world. We face a triple planetary crisis and skyrocketing inequalities – exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. And we are grappling with a rise in populist politics and authoritarianism, a deluge of misinformation both online and offline, and an alarming spread of conflict and violence. All of these factors are impeding our progress towards a freer and more equal world. In 2023 we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is also the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which paved the way for the creation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This coming anniversary year will be our opportunity to recall the consensus envisaged by the Declaration, to reset, and to strengthen the remarkable human rights architecture we have built. With an eye to the past as well as to the future, I hope that the UDHR 75 initiative, which will be led by my Office together with our partners, will allow us to rekindle the spirit, the impulse and the vitality that led to the Declaration 75 years ago. The language and spirit of the Declaration have the potential to overcome division and polarization. It can make peace with nature, our planet, and point the way to sustainable development for future generations. Its light can shine in the daily lives of individuals, in communities, in their neighbourhoods, in schools, offices, and on the streets. But this requires our generation, including young people, to give the Declaration new life, to take ownership and to repurpose it to meet the needs of our time and the challenges of our future. In 2023, I invite everyone to take up the torch for human rights and use these rights to forge a common future of dignity, freedom and justice for all.
