Human Rights Day 2024: Date, theme, history, significance and all you need know

Human Rights Day is observed annually on December 10 to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On this historic day, the globe is reminded of the fundamental freedoms and rights to which all people are entitled, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or any other distinction. On this day, all stakeholders in the national and international communities are reminded and given the opportunity to reflect on their previous and future acts and obligations, as well as to work for the promotion and protection of human rights. On this Human Rights Day, let us focus on the basic importance of human rights for each individual and utilize them as a daily guide to achieving justice, equality, peace, and freedom for everyone.

When is Human Rights Day in 2024

December 10 2024

Human Rights Day 2024 theme

The topic of Human Rights Day 2024 is “Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All”. Human rights have gained global recognition and protection in the decades after the UDHR was ratified. The declaration has served as the foundation for an expanding human rights protection system that now includes more vulnerable populations such as migrants, indigenous peoples, and people with disabilities.

History of Human Rights Day

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passed by the United Nations General Assembly on this day in 1948, which is known as Human Rights Day. Human Rights Day was formally created in 1950 by the Assembly’s adoption of resolution 423(V), which requested that all States and relevant organizations commemorate Human Rights Day on December 10 of that year. The United Nations Postal Administration’s commemorative Human Rights Day stamp, published in 1952, received pre-orders from around 200,000 people, showing the day’s popularity.

Although not legally enforceable, the Declaration of Human Rights, with its comprehensive enumeration of political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights, sparked the development of over 60 human rights instruments, which collectively set the global standard for human rights. Today’s universal agreement among all United Nations Member States on the Declaration’s fundamental human rights reinforces it and emphasizes the importance of human rights in our daily lives.

Human Rights Day significance

The Day serves as a powerful reminder of every individual’s fundamental rights and freedoms, regardless of background, and emphasizes the communal responsibility to defend and protect these rights. It is a call to action, calling nations, organizations, and individuals to promote equality, justice, and dignity for all, as well as to work for a society in which human rights are universally acknowledged, defended, and enjoyed.