KATHMANDU: The 77th International Human Rights Day is being observed worldwide today, reaffirming global commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights. Various programs are being held across Nepal to mark the occasion.
President Ram Chandra Poudel, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, and several political parties have extended their greetings on the occasion. The day is observed annually to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
The declaration guarantees equal rights and freedoms to all individuals, without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, language, opinion, social origin, or birth. In Nepal, the day continues to play an important role in raising public awareness, protecting rights, and strengthening efforts toward building a just and equitable society.
Just on Tuesday, the International Day of Human Rights Defenders was observed. The UDHR 1948, the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders 1998, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, of which Nepal is a party, ensure every individual’s right to advocate for their own rights and the rights of others.
Nepal’s Constitution guarantees the freedoms of thought and expression, peaceful assembly, and the formation of organizations. The Government of Nepal has also enacted the Order on the Protection and Security of Human Rights Defenders, 2077. It is in this context that International Human Rights Day is being celebrated today.
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