We must not be indifferent and ignore any human rights violations, which can escalate into any form of violence. Every one of us is obliged to give clear support to human rights defenders and activists, President Stevo Pendarovski said Thursday in a message on Human Rights Day, annually observed on Dec. 10.
“Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, of expression and assembly, social, economic and cultural rights are among the fundamental, inalienable and interdependent human rights and freedoms that stand against attempts to undermine the integrity of the individual,” Pendarovski said.
Celebrating Human Rights Day, he added, we are reminded that these universal values were created from the greatest crises of mankind.
“Created after the World War II, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the first global document to create a moral obligation to respect the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings. The right to life, liberty, personal security, equality before the law emerge from this inherent human dignity,” Pendarovski said in the message.
Still, millions of people, including our citizens, Pendarovski added, do not enjoy universal rights because of structural inequalities and systemic injustices and due to hate speech, discrimination, violence and intolerance of diversity.
This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to the COVID-19 pandemic, which even more stressed the importance of respect for the rights of all people, regardless of gender, race, disability, religion, political belief, sexual orientation, national or social origin or other status, he added.
“We should show even greater commitment to strive for the protection of human dignity, with special focus to the society’s most vulnerable groups. Human rights must be respected everywhere and always, without exception,” Pendarovski said in the message.
