India Commemorates Human Rights Day with Renewed Commitment

Vijaya Bharathi Sayani of NHRC highlights India's pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On Human Rights Day, she emphasizes the theme 'Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now' and reinforces NHRC's dedication to global human rights efforts with a focus on dignity, justice, and equality.

Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, the acting chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, extended heartfelt greetings on Monday in anticipation of Human Rights Day, observed annually on December 10. This significant day, commemorated since 1950, marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations in 1948.

Sayani highlighted the unique significance for India, noting the pivotal contribution of Indian representatives in drafting this landmark document, which encapsulates a universal commitment to dignity, justice, and equality. She emphasized that Human Rights Day is a compelling reminder that every individual is born with unalienable rights.

The theme for this year, 'Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now,' reinforces the notion that human rights empower individuals and communities to forge a better future. Sayani stressed the importance of global action and mobilizing towards a future rooted in human dignity, urging the creation of a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable world.

She underscored the National Human Rights Commission's crucial role in advancing human rights discourse, drawing upon India's rich ethos of empathy, compassion, and respect for human dignity. The Commission remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting human rights domestically and globally, focusing particularly on collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions from the Global South.

Through capacity-building initiatives and grounded in the principles of the Protection of Human Rights Act, the NHRC has accumulated extensive experience in addressing human rights concerns over the past three decades. Sayani reaffirmed the Commission's unwavering dedication to encouraging and empowering the safeguarding of rights and dignity for everyone.

(With inputs from agencies.)