Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December. On that date in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris after the devastation of the Second World War and the Holocaust.
A common standard, not a finished project
Representatives from different legal and cultural traditions helped draft the Declaration. Its thirty articles address dignity, equality, freedom, safety, work, education and participation. The UN’s history of the Declaration explains the process and adoption.
Rights begin in ordinary places
Human rights are not abstract awards granted to deserving people. They belong to everyone. Their practical meaning appears in schools, workplaces, courts, hospitals, homes and borders—and in whether people can seek a remedy when institutions fail them.
Read one article closely
On 10 December, read the Declaration in a language comfortable to you. Choose one article, learn how it appears in local law, and find a reputable organization working on the issue. Protect people’s privacy and safety before sharing personal stories.
Save Human Rights Day in Daytely as a custom date. A yearly reminder can return you to the text and to the unfinished work around it.
