2020 Human Rights Day
By: Abayomi Fawehinmi
Tags: Nigeria, Respect, Human Rights, Human Resources, Human Rights Day

2020 Human Rights Day

It's human rights day.

Today 10 December, is the Human Rights Day- a day set apart to recognise and celebrate Human Rights. Every year, Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

So, what are Human Rights? According to the United Nations, "Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status."

One of the most significant steps taken by Mankind towards respect for Human Rights is the agreement to a set of fundamental and inalienable rights of all human beings. These rights in the document called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The theme for the 2020 Human Rights Day is: Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights. This theme makes a call that we need to ensure that Human Rights considerations are central to our efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has had implications on the Human Rights of many people. Its effect on health, livelihoods, employment, and even movements all have Human Rights implications. It, therefore, becomes imperative to ensure that Human Rights considerations guide our rebuilding efforts.

I want to suggest a few ideas of how we can Stand Up for Human Rights.

One, Understand and show respect for Human Rights. Each of us should study what those rights are and be prepared to respect them. It is such understanding of the alienability of Human Rights that the late Fela Kuti sang about that :

"Human rights na my property.

So, therefore, you can't dash me my property."

Two, become an advocate and Speak up for Human Rights. Bob Marley sang that we should stand up for our rights. However, we need to do more. We need to stand up for the rights of others. We need to be the voice for those who have no voice. For people of faith, the Bible in Proverbs 31: 8-9 states in the Message version:

"Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!"

Three, We should create institutions that ensure respect for Human Rights in our homes and organizations. Children need to get an education about human rights. Eleanor Roosevelt emphasized the importance of promoting Human Rights in homes when she wrote, "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. [...] Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."

Our organizations can also develop Human Rights Statements that show our understanding and support for Human Rights.

Four, Show respect to everyone, don't discriminate against anyone and be fair, considerate, and loving. Let us avoid any action that makes us people anyone down or deny them of their dignity

For Human Resources professionals, we need to ensure that our workplaces respect both employers' and employees' Human Rights. Workplaces should be safe and conducive for work. The sanitary conditions should be of the right standards too. Employees should be respected, allowed to join associations including Unions, and not suffer any form of discrimination due to their ethnic group, place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion, or political opinion.

Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria lists the following fundamental human rights:

Right to life

Right to dignity of the human person

Right to personal liberty

Right to fair hearing

Right to private and family life

Right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion

Right to freedom of expression and the press

Right to peaceful assembly and association

Right to freedom of movement

Right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of ethnic group, place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion, or political opinion.

Right to compensation for property compulsorily acquired

These rights are Fundamental and justiciable rights, i.e., you can approach the courts for its enforcement.

Let us never forget that human rights protect all of us. Therefore, Human Rights violations harm us all.

Nigerians have had their rights denied both by the state and those in authority, including leaders, employers, and property owners. These violations have to stop. Our action and voice will help to prevent these Human Rights abuses. On this Human Rights Day, be that voice. Speak against evil. Speak for what's right. Yes, you can.

Fun Facts about Human Rights

Eleanor Roosevelt was the Chairperson of the drafting committee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was the First lady of the United States of America from 1933 to 1945. In 1946, she was appointed as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and served as the first Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. In 1968, she was posthumously awarded the United Nations Human Rights Prize.

The UDHR is the most translated document in the world.

You likely never heard the phrase 'Human Rights' till you got to the University.

Can you ask your child as he/she returns from school today if anyone talked to them about Human Rights? Let me know their response.