Supporting people in enjoying and standing up for their human rights is as important as ever this Human Rights Day, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh says.

“Today, more than ever, human rights are indispensable to building a bright future for all in Kosovo,” she says.

SRSG Ziadeh welcomes the launch of a year-long celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which will mark its 75th anniversary next year, as a unique milestone to acknowledge the significant contribution the Universal Declaration has made to advancing human rights and international peace and security

“I want to take this opportunity to encourage Kosovo institutions and other stakeholders to persevere in their efforts to embrace the Universal Declaration and strengthen Kosovo’s social contract, by anchoring it further in human rights,” SRSG Ziadeh says.

She reiterates that UNMIK remains committed to supporting all actors in Kosovo to harness the power of human rights to ensure a peaceful, open, and just society that is more resilient in times of crisis.

“We will continue to work hand-in-hand with all relevant actors in the spirit of the Universal Declaration, to safeguard human rights of all people, and leave no one behind.”

Background

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) declares that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. It was the first global document to enshrine 30 fundamental human rights and freedoms – such as the rights to freedom of expression, freedom from discrimination, and freedom of religion – and has inspired the world since it was signed in 1948. The UDHR remains a touchstone for action by governments, individuals, and civil society around the world.

This year’s Human Rights Day, celebrated on 10 December as the date on which the founding members of the United Nations originally signed the UDHR in 1948, is dedicated to three themes: increasing global knowledge and awareness of UDHR and its enduring relevance; countering the increasing scepticism of, and rollbacks against, human rights by establishing that human rights are never relative and must always be upheld as fundamental to what unites all of humanity; and offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people better fight for their rights.

Useful Links

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) is available in Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, Bosnian, Romani, and Croatian.

Read further information from the United Nations and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Human Rights Day 2022, including key messages and other resources, here and here, respectively.

Watch the UN Secretary-General’s video message on the occasion of Human Rights Day here.