Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All
Every year on December 10, the world celebrates Human Rights Day, the very day when in 1948, the United Nations (UN) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This ground-breaking document marks the commitment of countries around the world to recognize, protect and promote a broad range of fundamental human rights and freedoms to which all of us, everywhere around the world, are entitled to. These include the right to form and join trade unions, the right to be free of discrimination based on sex, race and other protected grounds, as well as the right to health, education and equality, among other fundamental rights.
Thanks to the Declaration, significant progress has been made towards the universal respect for civil and political rights, social and economic rights in Canada and around the world. That said, many obstacles still impede the full realization of human rights for all, and new threats to human rights have emerged in the 21st century. Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, women, gender-diverse people, and people with disabilities continue to experience human rights violations.
In 2020, the UN Secretary General launched a Call to Action to position human rights at the center of solutions to the challenges we face. As stated by Antonio Guterres, “Human rights are the foundation for human dignity, and the cornerstone of peaceful, inclusive, fair, equal and prosperous societies.”
On December 10, take the time to act. Here are some ways:
- Learn more about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its history. Find out more about events being held around the world.
- Participate in a virtual or in-person conference or training on human rights.
- Recognize someone in your workplace or community who has contributed to improving human rights.
- Join local actions against racism, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, gender-based violence, ableism and other forms of discrimination and violence.
The JLP actively supports and promotes human rights through its various learning activities which puts an emphasis on respect, inclusion, non-discrimination and safety for all employees in the federal public service.