On Human Rights Day 2019, volunteers in some 60 countries raised the bar on human rights through education, activism, and raising awareness of the world’s premier human rights instrument, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

United for Human Rights, an international human rights nonprofit supported by the Church of Scientology, celebrated Human Rights Day 2019 by generating a whirlwind of activity, with more than 300 events in over 60 countries, all to raise awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

 

Although adopted by the United Nations 71 years ago on December 10, 1948, violations of human rights abound: Human trafficking earns traffickers profits of roughly $150 billion annually. An estimated 3 billion people around the world survive on $2.50 or less a day. And nearly 80 percent of the world's population live in areas where the right to religious freedom is highly restricted.

United for Human Rights holds that education is the foundation and catalyst for changing the state of human rights in the world. But this requires effective and engaging materials that are freely available and simple to use. By creating and providing these materials free of charge to educators, human rights organizations, religious and civic groups, law enforcement and other community partners, United for Human Rights and its program for young people, Youth for Human Rights International, is creating change at a grassroots level—changing the paradigm and bridging cultural differences by generating an understanding of the 30 rights to which everyone is entitled simply by being human.

2019 has been a stellar year for United for Human Rights. Just a few of the highlights include:

At the program’s annual International Human Rights Summit at the United Nations in New York this year, Nobel Peace Laureate Mr. José Ramos-Horta acknowledged Youth for Human Rights for addressing the challenges of extreme poverty, illiteracy and public health in East Timor by educating more than 25,000 children on the UDHR. 

The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates awarded United for Human Rights President Dr. Mary Shuttleworth with their 2019 Medal for Social Activism for her vision and leadership in bringing human rights to life for the younger generation.

 

United for Human Rights participated in a Human Rights Day conference December 9 and 10 at Palais des Nations, the United Nations Office at Geneva, and focused on the urgency of raising awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to bring about true reform.

Central to Scientology beliefs and tenets is a conviction that all people are endowed with the inalienable rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In accord with those convictions, United for Human Rights has grown to the largest nongovernmental human rights awareness campaign on Earth, providing materials to individuals, groups and government agencies in 190 nations. What Are Human Rights? booklets educate youth and adults on the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in terms anyone can understand.

In 2006 a series of 30 public service announcements were produced with the support of the  Church to illustrate each of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Coupled with a study guide, activities manual and educator’s classroom kit, teachers, human rights groups and governments are furnished effective tools to educate youth and adults on their human rights. An accompanying documentary, The Story of Human Rights, complements the PSAs, booklets and educator materials as a further tool to bring about a universal awareness and respect for human rights.

For more information, visit the United for Human Rights website, or watch documentaries on the work of human rights activists on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.