Joint statement of the UN in Mongolia on International Human Rights Day
SocietyUlaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Human Rights Day is celebrated
every year on 10th December as a tribute to when the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the universal declaration of human rights in 1948. ‘Faith in
fundamental human rights, in the dignity and value of the human person, in the
equal rights of men and women’ has been minted by leaders from every continent
as words of hope for humanity.
Human rights are at the heart of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as in the absence of human dignity we
cannot hope to drive sustainable development. Human Rights are driven by
progress on all 17 SDGs, and the SDGs are driven by advancements on human
rights.
This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to
the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring
Human Rights are central to recovery efforts. Today, women and men, girls and
boys around the world are facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19
pandemic– for example, increased gender-based violence, decreased access to
quality education, loss of jobs and income and loss of livelihoods. We will
reach our common goals only if we are able to create equal opportunities for all,
address the failures exposed and exploited by COVID-19, and apply human rights
standards to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities,
exclusion and discrimination.
10 December is an opportunity to reaffirm the
importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for
global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity.
We commend Mongolia for its significant
progress in advancing human rights. In particular, the abolition of the death
penalty, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender
identity becoming a criminal offense. Legal guarantees have been established
for the establishment of a national mechanism for the prevention of torture.
The legislation focuses on gender equality, child rights, protection, youth
development, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the elderly in
compliance with UN conventions such as Convention on the Rights of the Child,
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Progress has also been
made in ensuring the participation of citizens, adopting a number of practical
norms, and drafting a law to protect human rights defenders.
Under UN Human Rights’ call to action “Stand Up
for Human rights”, we aim to engage the general public, our partners and the UN
family to bolster transformative action and showcase practical and
inspirational examples that can contribute to recovering better and fostering
more resilient and just societies.
It’s our sincere hope that Mongolia will set an
example in the region by adopting the Law on Human Rights Defenders. In
addition, there are still more to address the realization of human rights and
fundamental freedoms including right to life, freedom of expression and civic
space in reality.
The COVID-19 pandemic is testing our unity,
thus in order to “Recover Better”, we should all be proactive and “stand up” by
accepting and mainstreaming human rights in our everyday actions.
Discrimination, stigma, exclusion, and marginalization only make individuals as
well as societies more fragile and vulnerable. We must not tolerate any form of
discrimination, especially any stigma towards the COVID-19 patients. This is
the time for us to stand in solidarity, and show kindness, care and support to
one another, to our friends and neighbors. Let’s ensure that we create a
new normal that to provide universal health coverage and social protection for
all.
We also call upon the Government to place the
fundamental human rights at the heart of its recovery endeavors from this
devastating pandemic that left so many vulnerable. This is the time to
appreciate the frontline fighters such as health, law enforcement, social
protection, registration, custom and inspection personnel. Standing together in
solidarity is our first step to recovering back better.
Let’s stand up together for human rights.
Source: UN Mongolia