International Human Rights Day 2023: Date, Theme And History

Every year, the 10th December is celebrated as ‘International Human Rights Day’. This day is celebrated to commemorate the day in 1948 when the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” was approved by the United Nations General Assembly.

• This year, 10 December 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world's most important global declarations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Theme of International Human Rights Day 2023:

• The theme of Human Rights Day this year is: ‘Freedom, Equality and Justice for All’

History of International Human Rights Day:

• The United Nations agreed on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948.
• Human Rights Day was formally established in 1950 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 423. It called upon all countries and interested organisations to celebrate 10 December that year as Human Rights Day.
• The United Nations created the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to promote and protect human rights at the global level.

About The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC):

• The United Nations Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for the protection of human rights around the world.
• The UNHRC was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006.
• The ‘United Nations Human Rights Council’ (UNHRC) replaced the previous ‘United Nations Human Rights Commission’.
• The UNHRC comprises 47 United Nations member states elected by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) serves as the secretariat of the Human Rights Council.
• The UN Human Rights Council's main office is in Geneva, Switzerland.
• President of the UNHRC: Václav Balek

Human Rights Law in India:

• Human rights have been included in the Indian Constitution. Provisions for this have been made in the fundamental rights themselves.
• In Part 3 of the Indian Constitution, from Articles 12 to 35, six fundamental rights have been given to citizens without any discrimination. These can be found in the table below:

• Whereas human rights have also been ensured in the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part 4 of the Constitution.

About National Human Rights Commission: 

• The National Human Rights Commission was constituted by the Government of India on 12 October 1993.
• The law related to this was implemented from 28 September 1993.
• Under the Human Rights Commission, along with civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights are also included.
• National Human Rights Commission Chairman: Arun Kumar Mishra