President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday called upon citizens to recognise that guarding human rights are “not the sole responsibility” of Governments, the NHRC or other such institutions, rather protecting the rights and dignity of fellow citizens is a “shared duty”.
In her address at an NHRC-hosted event here to mark Human Rights Day, Murmu also said this is an “occasion to remind us that the universal human rights are inalienable and they form the bedrock of a just, equitable, and compassionate society”. Nations Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice V Ramasubramanian (retd) and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra, were also present on the dais.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan called on elected representatives to ensure human rights remain “living, breathing realities” for every citizen, particularly the marginalised sections of society, as he marked the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Each year, since 1950, the world comes together on December 10 to celebrate this day, which marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations in 1948.
“Today, I call upon every citizen to recognize that human rights are not the sole responsibility of Governments, the NHRC, civil society organisations and such other institutions. Protecting the rights and dignity of our fellow citizens is a shared duty. This duty rests with all of us as members of a compassionate and responsible society,” President Murmu said in her address.
President Murmu said human rights promote social democracy, and they “encompass the right to live without fear, to learn without barriers, to work without exploitation and to age with dignity”.
Speaking on Human Rights Day, Radhakrishnan said the historic 1948 document “continues to stand as the bedrock of human dignity, freedom, equality and justice for every individual across the world.” Highlighting this year’s global theme, ‘Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials’, the chairman said it underscores three simple yet profound truths: Human rights are positive, essential, and attainable.
“As elected representatives of the people, it is our bounden duty to ensure that human rights remain living, breathing realities for every citizen,” he said, calling on members to “pledge anew to work tirelessly towards a nation and a world where human rights are truly our everyday essentials.”
