World Human Rights Day 2022: Themes, history and significance, all you need to know

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, 1948, and that day is recognised as International Human Rights Day. The term "human rights" refers to fundamental freedoms or rights, such as the right to life, to health, to education, to freedom of speech and thinking, and to equality. 

The purpose of this day is to believe in equality, fairness, freedom, and the preservation of human dignity. Regardless of ethnicity, colour, religion, sex, language, or socioeconomic standing, every person has certain rights. Human rights have become an "international priority" as a result of the Second World War's massacres.

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A year-long effort to highlight the UDHR by emphasizing its heritage, relevance, and activity will be launched on this year's Human Rights Day, December 10, 2022. The campaign's goal is to increase awareness of the UDHR's universality and the activity that surrounds it during the course of a year. 

Human rights have increased in recognition and protection all across the world in the decades since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. Since then, it has provided the framework for a growing system of protecting human rights, which now places a strong emphasis on vulnerable populations including migrants, indigenous peoples, and people with disabilities.

But in recent years, there has been a consistent attack on the UDHR's promise of respect and equality for all people. The principles and rights enshrined in the UDHR serve as a road map for our collective actions so that no one is left behind as the world faces both new and persistent challenges, including pandemics, conflicts, exploding inequalities, a morally bankrupt global financial system, racism, and climate change.