Human Rights Day: Read it, learn it, promote it, claim it

Today is the anniversary of the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Sixty years on, we pay tribute to the extraordinary vision of the Declaration’s original drafters and to the many human rights defenders around the world who have struggled to make their vision a reality.
The Declaration belongs to each and every one of us – read it, learn it, promote it and claim it as your own.

During its “16 Days” series, MADRE, an amazing international women’s rights organization, has been posting some great examples on their blog of women around the world who are taking this to heart.

• In Kenya, women established a village called Umoja (“unity”) where violence against women is prohibited.
• In Colombia, in communities threatened by violence from military and paramilitary groups, a group called LIMPAL works to support displaced women and their families.
• In Sudan, women have created a farmer’s union to allow them to demand government support for their agricultural projects.

It’s important to remember that Human Rights Day isn’t about calling on other countries to honor basic human rights. It’s about working for those rights in our own communities.