International Human Rights Day is one of the most significant dates in the international calendar. On 10 December 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. South Africa is honoured to host the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navanethem Pillay in celebrating this day. It is for the first time this celebration takes place outside the Office of the High Commissioner in Geneva, Switzerland. It is for the first time it takes place on the African continent.
This celebration happens as a follow-up to the First and Second World Conferences to combat Racism. The first and the second World Conferences were held in Geneva in 1978 and 1983 respectively. These were followed by the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Racial Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa in 2001 and the Durban Review Conference held in Geneva in 2009. Whilst the first two mentioned conferences focused on the fight against racism and racial discrimination, the last two mentioned focused on contemporary forms of racism such as racial and religious intolerance and violence that includes Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christanophobia and anti-Arabism.
Today’s event marks the 61st anniversary of the Declaration on International Human Rights, and is celebrated under the theme, “Embrace Diversity, End Racism”, in order to advance globally efforts to combat all forms of discrimination and promote tolerance amongst people of different backgrounds.
Human Rights occupy important space in the history of our country. Apartheid South Africa’s record on human rights is a shameful one. We now have transcended that bitter past that was characterised by commission of heinous acts of brutality and other atrocities by apartheid regime on the majority of the people of this country. We now have entered an era of constitutional democracy where human rights in this country are in fact constitutional rights.
Notwithstanding challenges that still lie ahead, as a country we have made progress towards promoting and protecting human rights. We have national institutions in place whose mandate it is in terms of the constitution to attend to all cases of human rights violations. In addition we have progressive legislation aimed at promoting equal treatment of all in the country, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act of 2000.
Furthermore, virtually all magistrates’ courts are now equality courts. The extension of their jurisdiction means that ordinary people now do not have to travel far and access justice on equality matters at the High Courts where costs could be high.
As a country, democratic South Africa is proud to count amongst those progressive states of the world whose government continues to contribute towards international efforts aimed at ensuring that there is peace and stability in those conflict zones on this continent. We remain steadfast in our resolve to work towards achieving stable, peaceful and prosperous African continent. It is under those circumstances that human rights can best be found to be significant and meaningful.
Consistent with our international obligations, we have recently ratified the International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, the first new human rights treaty of the 21st century. As a result, South Africa has been selected by the UN to pilot the implementation of this Convention.
We believe that working together as nations of the world we can do more towards ensuring that human rights indeed become universal across the globe.
For more information contact:
Tlali Tlali
Cell: 082 3333 880
Issued by: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
10 December 2009
