Supporting people in enjoying and protecting their human rights is more important than ever on this Human Rights Day, says Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh.

"Today, more than ever, human rights are essential to build a bright future for everyone in Kosovo," she says.

SRSG Ziadeh welcomes the beginning of the one-year celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which will mark its 75th anniversary next year, as a unique achievement to recognize the important contribution that the Universal Declaration has made in the advancement of human rights and international peace and security.

"I want to use this opportunity to encourage the institutions of Kosovo and other interested parties to persist in their efforts to embody the Universal Declaration and to strengthen the social contract of Kosovo, further including it in human rights", says PSSP Ziadeh.

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 sustainable in times of crisis.

"We will continue to work side by side with all relevant actors in the spirit of the Universal Declaration, to protect the human rights of all people and to leave no one behind."

Background

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

This year's Human Rights Day, celebrated on December 10 as the date when the founding members of the United Nations first signed the UDHR in 1948, is dedicated to three themes: advancing global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and the importance its sustainable development, opposing the growing skepticism of human rights and the turning back to human rights, noting that human rights are never relative and must always be protected as fundamental rights for what unites all humanity , and providing knowledge and concrete tools to help people fight harder for their rights.

Useful links

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights  (1948) is available in  Albanian ,  Serbian ,  Turkish ,  Bosnian ,  Roma  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 video message of the UN Secretary General on the occasion of Human Rights Day  here .