UN Declaration of Human Rights – Celebrating 70 Years
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted by representatives from all regions of the world with different legal and cultural backgrounds. It is a milestone document in the history of human rights and was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in Paris on 10 December 1948, as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. This document, translated into over 500 languages, sets out the fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
This milestone declaration details the fundamental rights and freedom entitled to all human beings but 70 years on from its signing, not all individuals enjoy these rights equally. For example, people seeking asylum in Australia spend on an average 826 days in detention, 14.6% is the current full-time gender pay gap in Australia and distressingly, a woman dies once a week from domestic violence in Australia. After 70 years, once would have hoped we’d not be repeating statistics such as these, yet we still do.
The good news is great progress has been made and to discuss this and more, the UN Association of Australia (WA Division) is hosting an exhibition on Monday 10th December 2018 from 6:00-8:30pm at the State Library. The evening will include a keynote address on the history and importance of human rights followed by a panel discussion that explores human rights concerns facing Australia today, moderated by Dr Steve Lennon, UNAAWA President.
Panel speakers include Dr Hannah McGlade, senior Indigenous Research Fellow from Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University, and Hon Simone Frances McGurk MLA, minister of Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services.
For more information on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, please visit the official website. To register for the above event, please click here.