No doubt that it is a human being that violates human rights. Maltreatment of human rights has been among the concerns on the table of politicians, human rights activists, non-governmental organizations and religious institutions for times of no limit.
Respecting human rights helps a nation to cultivate and guard moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behavior that would regularly be protected as natural and legal rights in municipal and international law. Human rights are commonly understood as inalienable, fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being and which are “inherent in all human beings”, regardless of their nation, location, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status. They are applicable everywhere and at every time in the sense of being universal, and they are equalitarian in the sense of being the same for everyone.
Cognizant to these values, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 70 years ago. It is the first internationally agreed human rights instrument, which underpins all subsequent international human rights laws and inspires all human rights actors to continue to work to ensure that all people can enjoy freedom, equality and dignity.
On 10 December 2018, various people were gathered in United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Conference Hall, Addis Ababa, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The event was organized jointly by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in order to celebrate the day under the theme of “The Ethiopian we want; under the lens of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.
The occasion was celebrated by speeches, panel discussion and visit of art exhibition. Among the speakers was honorable Tagese Chafo, speaker of House of Peoples Representatives of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. He said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document that shaped world and herald people’s dignity, equality, freedom and liberty.
“Ethiopia is a leading member country in the adoption of UDHR” he said adding, “the nation is currently undertaking wide ranging reforms on human rights protection and promotion by amending laws and regulations that affect human rights, such as declaration of Charities, Antiterrorism and the like.”
He also underlined that the reform of the law is not an end by itself and the government will continue the effort.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) East African Regional Office (EARO), Regional Representative Newanne Vewede Obahor, on her part, mentioning the past human rights crisis, said the world had been witnessing human suffering. She, therefore, said that UDHR has come to prevent similar disasters in the future.
She also noted that the current effort to ensure human right protection and promotion, beyond governments and organizations efforts, demands everybody to contribute her or his part.
Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN System in Ethiopia, Aeneas Chuma also said, “This day is, the day we honor, peoples that sacrifices fighting or human rights, fighting discrimination based on color, gender, race and others.”
EHRC Chief Commissioner Dr. Addisu Gebreigzabher, said that more and more national, continental and global institutions, and networks as well as human right activists have come to the forefront to promote and protect human rights.
As to him, the world has been witnessing progress in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. He also mentioned the shortcomings in the real application of human rights saying, “We have to double our efforts and device way-outs, and for any violations of human rights, we need to talk including having a high level dialogue like this one.”
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, according to Dr. Addisu, has been increasingly working on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms by further diversifying its activities and extending its outreaches.
Panel members those attended the event have also expressed their views regarding human rights focusing on Ethiopia’s status. The panelists underscored in their remarks that Ethiopia included the declaration in its revised constitution in 1955 so that we have laws for everything but we lack the practice. The challenges in the implementation as to them are limited financial and human resource as well as less commitment of executives.
Written laws regarding human rights, according to the panelists, must be applied in all parts of the country particularly in the rural areas where 80 percent of the voiceless reside. Violation of human rights should be addressed not only structurally but individually.
Currently, the Ethiopian government is demonstrating significant effort in improving the human rights situation through introducing a series of reforms as well as amending laws and regulations that affect human rights.
December 18/2018
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
