By Public Policy Chair

Marilyn Treiman

halamari1@juno.com
Text Box: Public Policy Text Box: Volume 29, Number 5 January, 2009 Page # Text Box: December 10, 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of one of the great international efforts to eradicate human injustices for good, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UDHR is the foundation for all international human rights law and is committed to protecting “inherent human dignity, non-discrimination, equality, fairness and universality.” The Document was introduced in 1948 by President and Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt, and continues to be an inspiration for all nations. Amazingly progressive for its time period, the UDHR conveys the importance of upholding the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people in its 30 articles. The Declaration is continuously relevant, as people fight injustices on the national and international level everyday. While all countries have not Text Box: accepted all treaties, all countries have accepted (and implemented to varying degrees), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.   Of course, the US still has not signed CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women). But I read recently that President-elect Obama’s pledge to restore the United States’ international standing includes a promise to push for ratification of the women’s equal rights treaty — the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Although 185 countries have ratified the 1979 treaty, the United States remains one of only eight that have not, alongside Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau, and Tonga. The battle for women’s rights has paralleled that of human rights in many ways. It speaks to the basic human rights — justice, fairness, and equality. Text Box: Human rights transcend all boundaries and borders. December 10 was the anniversary of UDHR, the foundation of international human rights law. The day passed by without most people even knowing about it. Most of us consider ourselves to be free and equal in this great nation of ours. We often just brush off acts of discrimination, indignities, and rights violations in other countries as “a part of their culture” to justify its existence and our own helplessness and inaction. Around the world, women’s rights are violated every second of every day. So we should celebrate this day not only by being thankful for the opportunity to exercise our rights to justice, freedom, and equality but also by acknowledging that, around the world, many women and girls are still seeking the basic human rights that we take for granted.