Message by Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the United Nations General Assembly, on the occasion of Human Rights Day
10 December 2019
For more than seventy years the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language or other status.
Human Rights are the foundation of peace, development, and justice and are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The theme of the 2019 Human Rights Day is: Youth Standing Up for Human Rights.
The active engagement of youth in all facets of life is central to achieving inclusive and stable societies.
We have to utilize the idealism of youth and empower them to stand up for equal rights and fair treatment of everyone everywhere.
Human rights are for everyone.
We need to ensure that youth have the right to participate in decision-making and have their voices heard.
As President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, I have chosen quality education and inclusion among my priorities.
Access to inclusive quality education empowers youth to better know and claim their rights.
As Malala Yousafzai says: “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution.”
As we end the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence today, I commend the contributions of women human rights defenders worldwide for their dedication to upholding our human rights.
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