Marking Human Rights Day in Kirkuk: Human Rights Go Hand in Hand with Stability and Prosperity

Kirkuk, Iraq, 11 December 2018 – Human rights go hand in hand with stability and prosperity, the head of UNAMI’s Office in Kirkuk said at a celebration in Kirkuk to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event was hosted by the Kirkuk Office of the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights.

Civil society representatives, members of the Provincial Council, and legal academics from Kirkuk University were among the attendees. The Head of UNAMI’s Office in Kirkuk, Safir Syed, singled out public freedoms in the Declaration. He stated that freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly and the right to participate in public life are ultimately what drives development and prosperity and contributes to improved security and political stability.

Mr. Syed highlighted, “It is through sharing ideas, forming new ones, and joining together with others that we make informed decisions about our economic and social development. It is through these rights that we can take part in civic activity and build democratic societies”. In emphasising the human rights-based approach to democratic governance, he said, “Whether it is around our dinner table or in political committees or assemblies, decision-makers must involve everyone who is affected, without discrimination; give them space at the decision-making table; give attention to the most vulnerable people; and be held accountable for their decisions”.