On the Occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the Celebration of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week
9:00 a.m.
04 December 2008
CHR Quadrangle
Commission on Human Rights, Quezon City
delivered by
LEILA M. DE LIMA
Chairperson
Good morning! A very pleasant morning to all of you.
It has taken weeks upon weeks of preparation, but the Celebration of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week is finally upon us. In seven days, we will be celebrating, along with every other nation in the world, the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
First of all, I would like to acknowledge all the hard work and effort that went into the preparation for this week’s events, not the least of which is the effort exerted by our very own Commissioner Cecilia Rachel V. Quisumbing and her “Super Staff.”
On 10 December 1948, The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted UDHR. Forty-eight (48) voted in its favor, zero (0) against, and eight (8) abstained. It serves as a great testament to the importance that Filipinos place on human rights issues that, not only was the Philippines one of the original signatories to the UDHR, our Legislature also saw fit to enact a law mandating the celebration of an annual National Human Rights Consciousness Week.
Our mandate under Republic Act 9201 is clear – on the week beginning December 4 of every year, “All government agencies … shall celebrate the week through simple and appropriate ceremonies and activities to make the people aware of their basic human rights in relation to the functions and services offered by these government instrumentalities.”
As the premier human rights institution in the country, we, in the Commission on Human Rights, have endeavored to spearhead the celebration of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week by putting together an array of human rights-centered activities – such as a stakeholders’ forum we call the “Kapihan,” mobile exhibits, photojournalism contests and so forth – that are meant to give flesh and blood to the pronouncements of the UDHR, that instrument known as the “International Magna Carta for all mankind.”
Several weeks ago, I stood before you and asked you: “What can we do to make the commemoration of its 60th anniversary even more meaningful and evocative? What can we do to demonstrate and showcase the power, strength, brilliance and beauty of ‘the single most important document created in the twentieth century, and … the accepted world standard for human rights,’ especially given the tumultuous landscape of the world today and, in particular, of our own country?” Today, I eagerly anticipate your response to these as questions, as the fruits of our collective labor finally become reality.
I once put forth a challenge to each and every one of you – that the 60th anniversary of the UDHR gives each of us an opportunity to leave our legacy, our contribution to the ever-developing understanding, protection, promotion and fulfillment of human rights. I am honored and gratified to know that you have all made an effort to rise to the occasion by helping make this year’s celebration meaningful and successful.
However, we must all be reminded that our obligation as human rights defenders require us to make continuous and never-ending efforts. It takes only one person to create chaos and bring out violence, but it takes each and every one of us to ensure that the declarations in the UDHR are realized. This is especially true in our country, which is still seen in the international community as a country where respect for human rights remains problematic, whether in relation to extrajudicial killings, disappearances, torture, harsh prison conditions, slow judicial process, corruption, violence against women, abuse of children, slave labor and prostitution.
We must, therefore, take the activities of this momentous week as an opportunity to widen our experience and build our capability in addressing these pressing human rights issues in the coming years. In this aspect, the UDHR, once referred to by Pope John Paul II as "one of the highest expressions of the human conscience of our time," remains our most reliable guide. Take to heart its words and the spirit behind its adoption. Let it bring “dignity and justice for all of us.”
