Human Rights Day is observed each year on December 10 since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948, the first global document which outlined human rights.
On this day in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that lists down basic human rights guaranteed to the population of the world. This year marks the 72th anniversary of this resolution.
Human Rights Day is observed every year to reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity.
There are still many communities around the world that are deprived of their fundamental rights. Let’s take an in-depth review of the violation of human rights in Pakistan and around the world.
Human Rights Day – A brief history
After World War II, it was apparent that the League of Nations was a shambolic organisation that had little power. Therefore, it was disbanded and its powers were transferred to the newly formed United Nations.
Afterward, the powers that be felt the need to codify basic freedoms and civil liberties in the form of a charter. The task of devising a draft for the UN resolution was given to an 18 member committee.
On December 10, 1948, the resolution for Human rights was presented in the General Assembly of the United Nations. At that time, the United Nations had 58 members out of which 48 nations, including Pakistan, India, and China voted in favour of the resolution.
Human Rights Day 2020 theme
This year’s Human Rights Day theme is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights”. It is linked to the COVID-19 pandemic with the focus on the need to building a back better by ensuring human rights are the centre of the recovery efforts.
According to the UN statement, “We will reach our common global goals only if we are able to create equal opportunities for all, address the failures exposed and exploited by COVID-19, and apply human rights standards to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination”.
A glimpse of the human rights situation in Pakistan
Pakistan, as one of the first signatories of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, was expected to ensure that civil liberties were protected within its borders. However, the deteriorating human rights condition in the country has been a point of concern.
According to Amnesty International, freedom of expression in Pakistan is not granted by the state. Enforced disappearances of citizens continued despite the constant outcry from the civil society and sections of the press.
Minorities also continued to struggle for survival this year. Furthermore, our nation still hasn’t grown tired of its favourite past-time; persecuting the Ahmedi community. Similar to preceding years, forcible conversions and subsequent marriages of Hindu-Christian girls to Muslim men continued.
The blasphemy laws of the country continue to be used as a mechanism to victimise minorities and dissenting voices. The state, on the other hand, continued to impose curbs on the journalists that did not play along with the government’s narrative.
Women’s rights in Pakistan
It is a tremendous fact that women’s rights are human rights but unfortunately, gender inequality underpins many problems that disproportionately affect women and girls such as domestic and sexual violence.
However, we are surviving in such a society where women are neglected in all essential works. Despite building up the country’s economy, the government has not undertaken concrete steps to give women the most fundamental rights to do.
Right to life: Kashmir and Palestine
Palestine against Israel occupation and Kashmir against Indian occupation are examples of occupied territories that had been known for their long historical unfinished struggle with their occupations.
Both Kashmir and Palestine were and still subjected to terrorist laws and policies of their occupying. On each day, Kashmiris face the worst atrocities. On the other hand, Israel has evicted Palestinians from their own homes.
Since August 5 last year, Kashmir has had the worst incarceration, communication restrictions and blackouts. However, still no action has been taken against the atrocities.
