Human Rights Day

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. 

- Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on this day in 1948. The UDHR is a vision of a world where respect for human rights is a way of life. 

This year's Human Rights Day theme is "Stand up for someone's rights today."
The website says: "We want to encourage, support and amplify what you do in your everyday life to defend human rights. Together, let's take action for greater freedoms, stronger respect and more compassion."

Today kicks off a year-long campaign that is a call to people across the world to stand up for human rights everywhere – in the workplace, on the sports field, at school, and in the street. The UN hopes to encourage each of us to stand up for those who are subjected to harassment, are bullied, or are discriminated against.

Agenda Today:

1. Take the pledge:

Your commitment to human rights

I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you.

When anyone's human rights are denied, everyone's rights are undermined, so I will STAND UP.

I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

TAKE THE PLEDGE

2. Investigate:

I want to learn more about current human rights abuses in the U.S. and around the world. Today I will go to the web page for Human Rights Watch and do a little research.

3. Speak out:

Tell at least one other person what I have learned and what I am doing to mark Human Rights Day.

4. Plan a lesson on bullying:

Sometime early in the new year I plan to teach a class that includes information about bullying and how to respond to it. I'll post my ideas then.