Catholic Commission for Social Justice
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
Thursday, December 10 is Human Rights Day. The theme, Recover Better— Stand Up for Human Rights relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring human rights are central to recovery efforts.
The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) and the Greater Caribbean for Life (GCL), call on all citizens to promote human rights.
Saturday, December 9 is International Anti-Corruption Day, and on Sunday, December 10, the world will observe Human Rights Day. This year marks the 69th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The foundation of all Catholic social justice principles is the inherent dignity of the human person—made in God’s image and likeness and the right to life from conception to natural death—the prerequisite of all other rights.
This inherent dignity is referred to in the first sentence of the preamble of the UDHR which states: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…” Our own T&T Constitution lists our fundamental rights and freedoms.
Today the world observes International Migrants Day, a day when we should commit to stand in solidarity with migrants and refugees to promote their human rights and ensure that there is a place at the table of life for all.
The Gospel of Christ calls us to promote human life and human dignity, and to work towards integral human development – not for some, but for all.
On December 10 (next Saturday), the world will observe Human Rights Day (see Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The theme this year is: Stand up for someone’s rights today! As the UN states, this “is based on the Declaration’s fundamental proposition that each one of us – everywhere and at all times – is entitled to the full range of human rights, and that it’s everyone’s responsibility to uphold them. Take a stand. Defend someone’s rights. Human rights belong equally to each of us. They bind us together as a global community. Each one of us can make a difference.