Human Rights Day is marked every year on December 10th, to commemorate the day of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
UDHR is a landmark declaration that affirms the inalienable rights that every person has as a human being, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth, or other position.
The UDHR stated in its preamble that “recognition of the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of world freedom, justice, and peace”. Accordingly, this year’s celebration slogan is, “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All” and the call to action is #StandUp4HumanRights.
Do you know why we need to #StandUp4HumanRights? It is because human rights are a fundamental entitlement that all of us have simply by virtue of our humanity. They illustrate important societal values such as integrity, dignity, equality, and compassion.
Why are human rights important?
- Preventing conflict and building resilience through equality, inclusion, and human rights: When all human rights are respected and protected, it becomes the most effective conflict prevention. We need to remove disparities and exclusion and enable people to take part in decisions that have an impact on their lives. Thus, human rights have the power to address the underlying causes of conflict and crises.
- A human rights-based economy can break the cycles of poverty: The greatest global concerns include rampant poverty, prolonged inequality, and structural discrimination, all of which constitute the exploitation of human rights. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a human rights-based economy while also more fairly allocating power, resources, and opportunities to everyone.
- People ought to be treated fairly, respectably, and with dignity: All people are created equal and ought to be treated as such. Every person deserves the right to live their life as they choose, free from oppression, repression, or ownership by another person.
At Funding Societies | Modalku, we incorporate the rights of all human beings. Aligned with our mission of serving the underserved segments of SMEs, we believe that we need an economy that invests in human rights and works for everyone. Therefore, we adhere to the United Nations Global Compact’s 10 Principles, one of which covers Human Rights. We are working to align our strategy and operations with their ten responsible business principles in the areas of labour, human rights, the environment, and anti-corruption.