Human Rights Day 2022

The United Nations' (UN) Human Rights Day movement is honoured annually on December 10th. It commemorates the day in 1948 that the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, the theme is Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All.

This is a heavy subject, so let's start with a fun fact: Believe it or not, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most translated document, check it out! How astonishing is that? According to the their website, as of 2009, it had been translated into 370 languages and dialects from Arabic to Zulu. Actually, you can find online that that number currently stands at over 500!

But how does this feat translate in lived experiences, how does it impact our people and how does it manifest for our communities?

People of African descent 🤎🖤❤️

Unfortunately, as reported by the UN, 'people of African descent, the descendants of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade or more recent migrants frequently face racial discrimination and prejudice'. In fact, systemic racism, discriminatory structures and institutions as well as the legacies of the injustices of enslavement and colonialism result in people of African descent being among the poorest and most marginalised groups in society who additionally face alarmingly high rates of police violations with violence and racial profiling. It continues to inflict deep harm and the piecemeal progress that is being made is not sufficient. Furthermore, these victims can also suffer from multiple, aggravated, compounded or intersecting forms of discrimination based on other related grounds such as age, sex, language, religion, social origin or birth etc.

Transformative Change is needed

A recent UN report calls for genuine, transformative and impactful change in order to work at dismantling the deep rooted systems that currently still perpetuate racial discrimination as many black people already know and experience too well the world over. The focus therefore on Dignity, Freedom and Justice is wholly required because we all lose in a society characterised by discrimination, division, distrust, intolerance and hate. The fight against racism is everyone's fight. We all have a role to play and the call to action should galvanise us all. ✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏻✊🏼✊

A Year of Campaigning

This movement for meaningful change will be launched on Human Rights Day this week, Saturday December 10th and will see a year of active work. There are a great deal many ways to engage, support and help push the agenda in your community.

'Take Action' and Become an Advocate!

You can do this by engaging on social media with #FightRacism which is part of the Stand up to Human Rights campaign and focuses on 'fostering a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination. Every day, each and every one of us can stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes. The facets are Engage! Be encouraged to take a strongest possible stand against racism, discrimination and intolerance. Promote! Be encouraged that by working together, we can make a global change; and Reflect! Be encouraged to widen your knowledge.

This is a very brief overview and small segment of a wide reaching programme. Please do check out the links to read further and wider, as well as follow the @unitednations on Instagram.

At All Shades, we are playing our small role in promotion and advocacy as well as working to address systemic racism by being a #blackownedbusiness working to diversify supply chains that are not currently conducive with #blackbusinesses succeeding. Buying and sending All Shades #blackgreetingscards plays it's role therefore in the wider picture, so please support us and other black businesses, by making sure to #buyblack and do your part. Literally buy the card and T-Shirt!!!

This awesome one in particular caught our eye 😍 - it says everything you need to know to start your activism journey so what's not to love! Find it at SnatchOffs or find @snatchoffs on Instagram.

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