Living With Dignity

December 10th marks a special day. It is both Human Rights (HR) Day and the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. While the HR Day encompasses the rights of all people, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence focuses on violence and discrimination meted out against women and girls. At the core of these events lie the human aspirations to live with happiness and dignity. As women hold up half the sky, protecting women's rights is crucial to achieving peace, development and stability in society. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence began on November 25, observing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

The countries marked the 77th International Human Rights Day on Wednesday with the theme of 'Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials'.  It celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Declaration in Paris on December 10, 1948. The UDHR has become a guiding document in framing international and national laws and policies, as well as the basis for the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Nepal's constitution has embraced the principles and spirit of the UDHR by stipulating 31 fundamental rights of the citizens. They include freedom to live with dignity, freedom of speech and expression, the right to equality, justice, education, health, food, shelter, employment, and social security. Oodles of rights included in the national charter make it a human rights-friendly document. However, challenges persist in implementing them. It mentions that the State will formulate necessary laws within three years of the promulgation of the constitution but initiatives to materialise these rights are far from satisfactory. People's improved access to economic opportunities, quality health and education is critical to translate 31 fundamental rights. 

In his message, President Ramchandra Paudel has urged all stakeholders, including the three-tier governments, to take steps to ensure that vulnerable and at-risk groups can fully realise their rights, freedoms and access to justice. Similarly, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, addressing a programme organised to mark the occasion, said that corruption has posed the greatest challenge to human rights. Prime Minister Karki noted that corruption was not just financial irregularity but also a serious human rights violation that deprived the poor, the disabled, and the disadvantaged of their fundamental rights. With widespread corruption cases, development works are delayed and public utilities are not well set up. This will give rise to unbalanced conditions in which a handful of people prosper while the majority languish in poverty and scarcity. 

The concepts of human rights have changed over the decades. Now the meaning of human rights is not merely confined to the freedom of speech. They also include the citizens' rights to question irrational decisions of the governments, live in a clean environment and have fair access to digital space.  Our constitution is a sublime document, enshrining all sorts of human rights but the need of the hour is the credible and sincere leadership capable of realising them. The recent Gen-Z movement has demanded a clean and accountable government that can end corruption and create opportunities for them.  The HR Day should inspire leaders of all sorts to reflect on the inherent message of the moment and act accordingly.