Today is the International Human Rights Day, a National Holiday in Cambodia – so we do not have any regular Mirror texts and headlines to publish – instead we share a document for the day, and the link to the original relevant UN document for the occasion.
STATEMENT BY HIGH COMMISSIONER LOUISE ARBOUR
ON THE OCCASION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
10 December 2007
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, issued the following
statement to mark Human Rights Day which is commemorated on 10 December 2007.
As we jointly celebrate today not only Human Rights Day but also launch the
year-long campaign leading to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, we have cause to celebrate the accomplishments made, since 1948, on
the road to ensuring fundamental freedoms for each one of us.
The Universal Declaration and its core values- inherent human dignity, justice,
non-discrimination, equality, fairness and universality- apply to everyone, everywhere,
always.
In all parts of the world, individuals, groups, organizations, and Governments
have striven to transform into reality the promises contained in the Universal
Declaration. Many have died in the pursuit of these ideals.
Today is also the day to reflect upon our individual and collective failures to
stand up against violence, racism, xenophobia, torture, repression of unpopular views
and injustices of all sorts.
In today’s growing divisions between the rich and the poor, the powerful and
the vulnerable, the technologically advanced and the illiterate, the aggressors and the
victims, the relevance of the Declaration and the universality of the enshrined rights
need to be loudly reaffirmed.
In the course of this year, unprecedented efforts must be made to ensure that
every person in the world can rely on just laws for his or her protection. In advancing
all human rights for all, we will move towards the greatest fulfillment of human
potential, a promise which is at the heart of the Universal Declaration.
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