Kuwait marks 75th Human Rights Day

By Dalal Sharrar KUWAIT, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait joins other UN member states in celebrating the 75th Human Rights Day under the motto of "dignity, freedom and justice for all" in commemoration of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Declaration, a milestone in the history of human rights, was endorsed by the UN General Assembly Resolution 217 on December 10, 1948. The first article of the UDHR reads, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Kuwait's constitution of 1962 and the subsequent legislations enshrined respect for the rights and freedoms of all citizens in keeping with the provisions of the Declaration, Chairman of the National Diwan for Human Rights (NDHR) Jasem Al-Mubaraki told KUNA on Saturday.
The Human Rights Day is an annual occasion to shed light on the importance of protecting all members of the society from any abuses and on the challenges facing human rights activists worldwide, he pointed out.
Ambassador Al-Mubaraki highlighted the significance of global effort to implement the provisions of the UDHR, the UN Charter and other relevant laws, saying that the international community needs nothing but political will to protect human rights.
Commenting on the serious human rights violations being committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians in Gaza Strip, he said, "Regrettably, some countries, including permanent members of the UN Security Council, apply double standards and selective approaches when it comes to implementation of such legally binding documents." "What's going on in Gaza is not a war; it's rather a genocide and a crime against humanity," he stressed, affirming that the Palestinian people have a legitimate right to liberation, self-determination and statehood.
Ambassador Al-Mubaraki noted that the State of Kuwait asserted itself as a peace-loving country that defends human rights and lobbies for humanitarian action in disaster-hit countries around the globe.
In commemoration of Kuwait's trailblazing relief efforts, the United Nations declared Kuwait on September 9, 2014, as "center of humanitarian action" and the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and "leader of humanitarian action," Ambassador Al-Mubaraki added. (end) dsh.tab.gb