December is Human Rights Month

The month of December is National Human Rights Month! The annual designation encourages people across the globe to come together and stand up for equality, justice, and the dignity of all humans. The month is in-part dedicated to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document stating the basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to equality, and the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

This year’s month theme is related to COVID-19. It focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring that Human Rights are central to recovery efforts. The idea is that we will reach our global goals if we work together and create equal opportunities for everyone. The theme is a way to address the failures COVID-19 has exposed and apply human rights standards to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.

There are some very important days that go along with this month. Check them out:

December 3rd – International Day of Persons with Disabilities

In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3 established the annual observance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, to be recognized every year on December 3. This day is devoted to promoting the rights of people with disabilities all around the world. It aims to not only draw attention to the lives of people with disabilities, but also call out existing inequalities that continue to impact people with disabilities.

December 10th – Human Rights Day

More than 70 years ago on December 10, 1948, Human Rights Day was created to coincide with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly. The declaration lays out the various rights that are inalienable to all, covering everything from freedom of speech, to discrimination, to due process.

December 13th – Anniversary of the Adoption of The CRPD

On December 13, 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the United Nations. This international human rights treaty details all of the rights of people with disabilities and creates universal guidance for protecting and promoting those rights. Through dozens of articles, it shares both descriptions of numerous rights and specific action steps that countries should take to advance the rights of people with disabilities.

Learn More About Rights

All of the key days and associated tenets of Human Rights Month align with CQL’s vision of “a world of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people,” as well as the values embedded in our partners. To provide people receiving services and support providers additional information, we’ve compiled various resources that help people learn about their rights and exercise those rights. You can use these articles, guides, and tools to advance self-advocacy and improve supports in this area.