The
NCHR celebrates Human Rights Day - 2007
Human Rights Day 2007 marks the
start of the United Nations’ year-long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR.
Human Rights Day,
10 December 2007.
|
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon |
On December 10, 1948, the United
Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which
has become the universal standard for defending and promoting human rights.
Every year on December 10, Human Rights Day is celebrated all over the world in
commemoration of the adoption of the Universal Declaration. On Human Rights Day
we celebrate around the globe that "All human beings are born with equal
and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms". Article 16, section 3
reads: "The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society
and is entitled to protection by society and the State." Everyone is
guaranteed protection by the law for the right not to be subjected to arbitrary
interference with one's privacy, family, home or correspondence, or to attacks
upon one's honour and reputation, Article 12 UDHR. These rights are confirmed in
the European Convention on Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, (Article 8)
and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, (Article 16).
"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.
"Furthermore, no distinction shall be made
on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the
country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty,"
Article 2 UDHR.
2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In Sweden, December 10 is not celebrated as Human Rights Day, but as The Nobel Prize Day.
Our countries, the governments of Sweden,
Denmark, Finland and Norway are always quick to condemn Human Rights violations
in other countries. While we deem it important and necessary to criticise
others, we are appalled that they ignore the serious Human Rights violations
that are taking place on a daily basis in our own countries. Our parliaments
and governments have passed laws that undermine The Family, the corner-stone of
society in favour of the institutions put in place by the welfare states - in
the best interest of the children. By using the term "the best interest of
the children" they seem to comply with the pre-requisites of Article 3 of
UNCROC. The history of our welfare states show that several tens of thousands
of children have been taken into care and placed in foster homes and institutions, on arbitrary grounds.
Christmas is fast approaching and
Christmas time is Family time. Families whose children have been taken into
compulsary care and placed in foster homes, are very often subjected to rigid
restrictions on their visiting rights. Often the parents and relatives of the
children in "care" are not allowed to see the children at Christmas
or to even deliver their presents in person on Christmas Eve. The social
services' staff require the parents and relatives of the children in compulsary
care to deliver the Christmas presents to them for them to be handed over to
the children - when it suits the foster homes.
Every year the NCHR/NKMR sends
Christmas Appeals to the rulers of our respective Nordic countries requesting
them to release the children so that they can spend Christmas with their near
ones and their dear ones. So far, our appeals have fallen on deaf ears, but
once again we encourage parents and grandparents and relatives to demand
visiting rights with their children in compulsary care.
Ruby Harrold-Claesson
Lawyer
Pres. of the NCHR/NKMR
Human
Rights Day, 2007