The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
By Joan Akello
This year’s theme is inclusion and the right to participate in public life for all people including women, youth, minorities to make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making. Human rights, are aimed at ensuring that every individual is entitled to a dignified and prosperous life.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s message: “International law is clear: No matter who you are, or where you live, your voice counts. On this Day, let us unite to defend your right to make it heard.”
A UN committee, headed by Eleanor Roosevelt headed a UN committee that produced a a document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR to grant all people basic rights. They are called the equal and inalienable rights of every human being. The Declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay supports people campaigning for their right to be included and to participate in the public lives of their communities.
On Human Rights Day 2012, the focus is on the continuing struggle by millions of people globally to have their fundamental rights respected, including their right to have a voice and for that voice to be heard and to be taken into account.
The 2011 human rights stated that Uganda was among the countries where progress was achieved in the adoption of national legislation or constitutions in compliance with international human rights standards. Following prepared participatory process. Others included Cambodia, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal and Timor-Lestel, Iraq, Liberia, Mauritania, Republic of Moldova, Paraguay, South Sudan, Sri Lanka.
China continues to be the world’s leading executioner, increasing suppression of journalists, human rights activists and Uganda has received the same international media coverage over the anti gay bill
Speaking at the opening of annual talks between the U.S. and China, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged China to protect human rights early this year.
She said the U.S. feels that “all governments have to answer our citizens’ aspirations for dignity and the rule of law and that no nation can or should deny those rights.”
Uganda joined the United Nations on 25 Oct. 1962.
