Celebrating 75 Years of the UDHR on International Human Rights Day

"The Universal Declaration shows the way to common values and approaches that can help resolve tensions and create the security and stability our world craves."

General António Guterres

UN Secretary

Introduction

International Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10th December every year around the world. This year it is the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR was officially announced in United Nations General Assembly in Paris, in 1948 for the first time. This is a milestone document in the history of Human Rights which proclaims that every human being has inalienable rights that have to be protected regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, place, etc. It is the most translated document in the world as it has been translated into more than 500 languages.

What are Human Rights?

Every human being has inalienable rights regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, color, sex, language, religion, etc. Humans have a right to life and liberty, freedom of speech, freedom from torture or slavery, freedom to work, right to education, and many more without any discrimination to these rights.

International Law and Human Rights

International Law sets rules and regulations for the states to act in a certain way and refrain from certain acts to protect human rights. The United Nations has documented Human Rights Laws and standards binding between the states. It lays down a set of obligations and rules for the states and their governments to promote fundamental human rights and freedom of individuals. The International Human Rights Law also assists states in protecting human rights and it establishes certain norms and values for states to carry out their responsibilities.

The Charter of the United Nations

The Charter of the United Nations is a foremost document that was signed on 26th June 1945 in San Francisco. The Charter is an instrument of international law that gives power to the UN to take action against violation of any human rights around the world. It proposes certain guiding principles for the United Nations and its member states are bound to abide by the principles. United Nations can act on various international issues like war crimes, discrimination of human rights, diplomacy, climate preservation, etc.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human (UDHR) is a milestone document that was proclaimed in the UN General Assembly on 10th December 1948 in Paris. It is the most translated document in history as the document is translated into more than 500 documents. It sets out that fundamental human rights should be protected regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, language, etc. It stipulates that freedom, equality, and justice should prevail and peace should be maintained among the states. The member states also ensure the achievement of human rights and promote friendly relations between the states.

According to the UN General Assembly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a standard document common to all. Every member state must observe and respect the fundamental rights and freedoms and strive to achieve universal standards set by the declaration. It also states that all human beings are born free and entitled to rights and freedoms. Moreover, no differentiation will be made based on the political, jurisdictional, or international status of the nation. Everyone has a right to life and no one can be subjected to slavery, torture, or inhuman acts of degradation or punishment.

Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council was established on 15 March 2006 by the UN General Assembly. The council directly reports to the General Assembly. It replaced the 60-year-old UN Commission on Human Rights as the key UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights. The Council consists of 47 State representatives and aims to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights all over the world by responding to human rights violations and making recommendations on them.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has the main responsibility for addressing the UN human rights activities. The High Commissioner is delegated to respond to serious violations of human rights and to undertake preventive action.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the focal point for United Nations human rights activities. It serves as the secretariat for the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies (expert committees that monitor treaty compliance), and other UN human rights organs. It also undertakes human rights field activities.

Human Rights and Pakistan

The Constitution of Pakistan provides freedom and rights to people without any distinction of race, color, language, or religion. The constitution also provides freedom to the people where they can move freely, it gives people freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to the institutions of Pakistan. Pakistan has strict laws against violation of Human Rights and any crime against humanity.

Pakistan has faced very serious human rights violations in history. It includes terrorism, torture, child abuse, violation of transgender rights, targeting minorities, etc. These segments of society have experienced discrimination and persecution due to the government's failure to take action for their protection and to hold accountable perpetrators. The law enforcement authorities do not play an adequate role in implementing the laws.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is the nation's autonomous human rights organization. It was founded in 1986 as an independent human rights body and registered in 1987. HRCP is a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all citizens and visitors to the nation have access to the full range of their civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. The HRCP makes use of the framework given by the fundamental liberties protected by the Pakistani Constitution in addition to international human rights instruments, to which Pakistan is a state party in some cases.

This objective, according to HRCP, must be achieved without any distinction or discrimination based on socioeconomic status, gender, race, religion, sect or belief, ethnicity, place of origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. In order to achieve this, HRCP collaborates closely with disadvantaged, marginalized, and excluded groups, including workers, peasants, women, children, members of racial and religious minorities, and survivors of violations of human rights.

The Ministry of Human Rights in Pakistan

The Federal Government of Pakistan oversees the Ministry of Human Rights in Pakistan. According to Pakistan's constitution, it was founded to fortify the institutional framework for the nation's promotion of human rights. Its main areas of focus are women's rights, labor and employment, peacebuilding, environmental justice, gender-based violence, generalist legal services, governance, accountability, and transparency. The Ministry of Human Rights is tasked with examining the state of labor rights protection and human rights in the nation, including the application of laws, policies, and other measures. It coordinates the human rights-related efforts of Ministries, Divisions, and Provincial Governments. Additionally, it takes the initiative to monitor the application of international human rights treaties and align laws, regulations, and practices with them.

It gathers data, records, and reports from Ministries, Divisions, Provincial Governments, and other agencies regarding complaints and claims of human rights violations; it then refers and suggests inquiries and investigations to law enforcement. It represents Pakistan in global human rights bodies, organizations, and conferences at both the bilateral and international levels, covering all gender-related matters. In order to raise public awareness of human rights, particularly the rights of labor, women, and children, as well as the laws and remedies that are available to them, it creates and implements informational programs. It also keeps an eye on how NGOs that support human rights are doing.

Human Right Violations in Palestine and Kashmir

There are human rights violations in regions occupied by India and Israel. In Palestine human rights are violated for several decades, People of Gaza and Western Bank are facing restriction on freedom of expression, mass killing of civilians, destruction of houses to build new settlement for Jews by Israel. Israeli defence forces launched attacks and settler violence, contribute to severe mistreatment and displacement in West Bank of Gaza. Recently in 2023 Israel has killed thousands of innocent civilians including children and women in Gaza strip, halting the supply of necessities like food, water and fuel cause humanitarian crisis in the region. Recent reports also highlight grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza, prompting UN experts to call on the international community to prevent genocide.

Since last seven decades Indian Army is involved in massive human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Indian Army is doing crimes by killing innocent Kashmiris, torture in custody, use of lethal weapons, violence against Women and Children, forced disappearances of youth, false flag operations, use of pellet guns, fake encounter of civilians by Police, detention and torture of Kashmiri leaders.

Human Right Violations in Palestine and Kashmir

Beside human rights violations in Kashmir India is also violation human right against minorities in India. According to US report on human rights India is doing crimes against religious minorities, dissidents and journalists. After the victory of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the human rights violations are increased against minorities by doing illegal detention, fake encounters, torture of detainees and open assault against individuals, destruction of their house and places of worships and forced conversions. Thousands of Muslims have been arrested for fake terrorism charges. In all cases, the state of India is repressing and failed to protect the rights of minorities. There is no halal government regulator in India for halal certifications. However, several halal certified agencies provides halal certification for products which are in accordance to the Dietary laws of Islam. One of the leading halal certification providers is the Jamiat Halal Trust, which is approved by Indian government to provide certificates to different food industries across the country. Another Halal certifying agency is Halal India limited, that ensure the requirements of products according to halal standards.

Conclusion

It has been seven decades of UDHR this year. This document represents the international community regardless of race, color, ethnicity, gender or religion. The world's perspectives on human rights have changed over the past 75 years, as have the threats to these rights. In his reflection on the anniversary, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated, "Human rights is a force to reckon with, not because it serves the interests of the powerful, but because it has captured the imagination of the powerless." "This is the time to revive the dream of universal human rights for all people."

The complex and interconnected issues we face call for international cooperation. And safeguarding and advancing equality and liberty, particularly for the most vulnerable among us, is one of the best strategies to get over these obstacles. Human Rights are very important and UDHR policies are in accordance to the international community. UN institutions and International organizations need to work harder to implement these laws. In Pakistan, there are strict laws that ministries and enforcement agencies undertake, the courts guarantee human rights, and they give serious punishments against violations of laws. The international community should ensure the mass-level violations of Human Rights in Kashmir, Palestine or anywhere around the world and they should raise their voices to take serious action against these violations.