Observed annually on 10 December, Human Rights Day.

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

The iconic opening sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as important today as it was when it was adopted 75 years ago. The Universal Declaration is a roadmap, helping to end wars, heal divisions and promote lives of peace and dignity for all.

Since 1950, the UN and various member states have observed 10 December as “Human Rights Day” in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN General Assembly passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was the first “worldwide” declaration of rights of its kind, and it was among the chief achievements of the United Nations in its early years.