Universal Human Rights Month
December brings Universal Human Rights Month and December 10 is Human Rights Day. This month celebrates the anniversary of one of the greatest pledges in world history: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations). This declaration “enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” (United Nations). These rights include the right to life, education, work, an adequate standard of living, religious freedom, and social security (United Nations). The declaration was proclaimed on December 10, 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris and is available in 577 languages, making it the most translated document in the world (United Nations). Unfortunately, as we know, even with creation of this pledge, human rights still continue today. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a legally binding declaration, but more of a vision for a better world.
There are many ways you can help with Universal Human Rights Month. This year’s theme is “Our Everyday Essentials” that reminds us that human rights are essential and we often take them for granted in our daily lives. You can educate yourself by reading the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is relatively short, informative, and easy to read. You can also explore websites such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Amnesty International also offers an Introduction to Human Rights, a 1 ½ hour certificate course that covers the basics of human rights through videos, games, and reflections. Additionally, you can watch some free informative documentaries that discuss various human rights issues. The Dark Side of Chocolate (2010) exposes child slave labor in the chocolate industry. The True Cost (2015) chronicles human slavery, poor working conditions, and environmental issues in creating fast fashion. The Price of Free (2018) follows 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi and his colleagues who have freed over 80,000 children from child slavery. A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (2015) is about a 19-year-old girl named Saba who survived an attempted “honor killing” by her father and uncle because she married someone they didn’t approve of.
Works Cited:
Amnesty International, 28 Nov. 2025, www.amnesty.org/en/
“Human Rights Education.” Human Rights Watch, 17 Feb. 2023, www.hrw.org/students-and-educators
“Human Rights Day.” OHCHR, www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/human-rights-day.
Life Is My Movie Entertainment. “The True Cost.” YouTube, 2 May 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwp0Bx0awoE
MsKandyrose. “Documentary. The Dark Side of Chocolate.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2012 www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vfbv6hNeng
“Our Everyday Essentials.” OHCHR, 2025, https://www.ohchr.org/en/get-involved/campaign/everyday-essentials. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
“Research Guides: Universal Human Rights Month: About Human Rights Month.” About Human Rights Month - Universal Human Rights Month - Research Guides at Rio Hondo College, libguides.riohondo.edu/humanrights. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
SoulPancake. “The Price of Free.” YouTube, 27 Nov. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsqKz1hd_CY.
The Premium Channel. “A Girl in the River - the Price of Forgiveness (2015).” YouTube, 1 Jan. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7a-nOOXdtA.
United Nations. “Human Rights Day | United Nations.” Un.org, United Nations, 2019, www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day.
United Nations. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
