Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December

About Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials

Human Rights Day on 10 December reminds us of our collective responsibility to uphold the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948, inspiring us all to protect the inalienable rights everyone is entitled to, regardless of race, religion, or social status, including people with disability.

Human rights are at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to inspire us all to work together to leave no one behind and ensure everyone’s rights are respected and protected.

Related links

Key hashtags

  • #HumanRightsDay
  • #GlobalGoals

UNCRPD – Article 10

“Every human being has an inherent right to life.”

Everyone born in this world has human rights that the law must protect. Recognising the 30 fundamental human rights can help the public and advocates feel empathetic and compassionate towards vulnerable populations. 

https://www.ohchr.org/en/get-involved/campaign/everyday-essentials

Here is the thirty basic Human Rights List –

  1. All human beings are free and equal
  2. No discrimination
  3. Right to life
  4. No slavery
  5. No torture and inhuman treatment
  6. Same right to use law
  7. Equal before the law
  8. Right to be treated fair by court
  9. No unfair detainment
  10. Right to trial
  11. Innocent until proven guilty
  12. Right to prvacy
  13. Freedom to movement and residence
  14. Right to asylum
  15. Right to nationality
  16. Rights to marry and have family
  17. Right to own things
  18. Freedom of thought and religion
  19. Freedom of opinion and expression
  20. Right to assemble
  21. Right to democracy
  22. Right to social security
  23. Right to work
  24. Right to rest and holiday
  25. Right of social services
  26. Right to education
  27. Right of cultural and art
  28. Freedom around the world
  29. Subject to law
  30. Human rights can not be taken away

These are the 30 fundamental human rights listed by the United Nations General Assembly in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which serve as a foundation for laws that protect all individuals and promote societal support for vulnerable populations.

Fiji Women’s Rights Movement – Facebook Reel

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1246393090679510

On Wednesday, 3 December, I attended a Zoom meeting titled “From Hardship to Equity: Ensuring disabled people have a decent standard of living.” As someone working in Social Services, I felt a need to highlight that the panel and the New Zealand Disability Rights Commissioner did not address the struggles faced by homeless disabled, mentally ill, or other vulnerable people living on the streets across New Zealand. Their focus on reports to the Government and MSD misses the urgent reality of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable individuals living on the streets with disabilities and mental illness, which demands our broader concern and action. I suggested it is straightforward to find out what the main problems and issues are that have not been resolved for hundreds of thousands of disabled homeless people for the MSD, MPs, Organisations, Health sectors and many more.

Repeat: we are all human, no matter who we are, where we live, or our social class, whether in poverty, the lower middle class, or the upper middle class. We are all one human in the world. I understand the safety and security risks involved in questioning and collecting information for Government agencies such as MSD and other organisations, including DPA. People living in households, businesses, and agencies also face their own fears about safety and security, and acknowledging this can help us build trust and solidarity.

When I was a young deaf girl, I was without a father as a six-year-old, and living with my mother as a single mother with four children. We were fortunate to have a wider number of people through the Church, communities, the farming sector, and families. Many of the friends through our grandparents, such as Charlie F., late Rev. Moke Couch, late Rev. Tony Clark, taught me a great example of living a meaningful life from the ex-gangs in the workforce programme, the farming life, and the depression years they experienced in their own families. Yes, I do have several cousins who work in the Government and the Member of Parliament, and one particular cousin I never met was Norman Kirk, the Prime Minister of New Zealand. I met his wife down in Christchurch with my great-grandma at the Rest home. I do not recall Dame Lucy (Dame Lucy Ruth Kirk) much during my visits. My family are related to Norman’s mother’s family in Wairarapa and his father’s family in Waimate, Canterbury. They came from low-income families and had firsthand experience of life in the 1900s and 1970s.  

https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/remembering-norman-kirk/

Check out Norman Kirk’s comments – he most formidable debater of his time and once famously said that “there are four things that matter to people: they have to have somewhere to live, they have to have food to eat, they have to have clothing to wear, and they have to have something to hope for”,[7] often misquoted as “somewhere to live, someone to love, somewhere to work and something to hope for”.[8] 

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

In 2025, the theme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” highlighting the collective power to inspire pride and motivate action among the audience.

Make a Pledge

It is impossible to solve the world’s inequalities in a single day, so commit to meaningful actions like valuing Accessibility, supporting disabled staff, and joining local or national disability initiatives this World Disability Day. Consider setting measurable goals to track your progress and see how your efforts can lead to real change, empowering your organisation to make tangible impacts.  

5 Meaningful Pledges You Can Make-each one a step to create real change, helping the audience feel empowered and capable of supporting disability inclusion. 

  1. Donate to Disability Charities 
  2. Strengthen Your Discrimination Policies 
  3. Improve Accessibility, e.g., Wheelchair Ramps, providing Interpreters for D/deaf people, deafblind people, D/deaf with disabilities, and seniors, and braille. Seek out local or national resources, training, and expert advice to help you implement these changes effectively. Assess Your Employees’ Diversity 
  4. Make a Public Statement of Support 

https://diversity-inclusion-speakers.com/news/general-news/how-to-celebrate-international-day-of-disabled-persons/

Under the UNCRPD, Article 10: “Every Human being has an inherent right to life.”

In New Zealand, we are behind the rest of the world in the disability community; however, we Disabled people have worked hard in our sector, not together as a team/leadership/advocates (DPOs – Disabled People Organisations) for the communities, such as Government agencies, Health Sectors, Non-Government agencies, Education, and other agencies. Note that there are seven organisations linked to the DPOs: Association of Blind Citizens New Zealand (Blind Citizens NZ), Balance Aotearoa, Deaf Aotearoa, Disabled Persons Assembly NZ (DPA), Mana Pasefika, Muscular Dystrophy Association of New Zealand Inc., and People First New Zealand. How can community members and allies support these efforts and strengthen collective advocacy?

Ngā Tāngata Tuatahi. There is one more: Kāpo Māori Aotearoa, which is not currently a member of the DPO Coalition. DPOs are affiliated with international bodies such as the World Blind Union and the International Disability Alliance, thereby strengthening their global influence and advocacy efforts and inspiring the audience to feel part of a larger movement.

EGL (Enabling Good Lives) was created in 2012 and 2013, and I have been in the Waikato EGL Leadership from 2013 to the present. Let’s look at the eight principles: Self-Determination, Beginning Early, Person-Centred, Ordinary Life Outcomes, Mainstream First, Mana-Enhancing, Easy to Use, and Relationship Building. EGL gives people with disabilities and their families the choice to choose any equipment, home help, a personal carer, pay for an interpreter’s costs without using the Isign service, live in a flat, and control over their lives and the supports available to them. They can plan for the lives they want.

Thank you, Waikato Museum staff, for making a special day for everyone to enjoy tours around the museum – Explore Te Whare Taonga o Waikato in a welcoming and inclusive environment. A relaxed session in the open-air playground designed for our neurodiverse community, NZSL Interpreters tour, Drop-in Touch, and Braille and Audio-described tour, plus tea on December 3rd. There will be a guest speaker, Rodney Bell, an internationally renowned disabled dancer and co-director of Touch Compass. Rodney will share stories from his life as a dancer and community leader, what Accessibility means to him, and will lead an accessible movement workshop to follow in your seat.

https://tewharetaonga.nz/whats-on/events/open-house-at-te-whare-taonga-o-waikato

Take a look at the Nippon-Japan newsletter about friendly accessible technology for all people with disabilities, D/deaf people, and people with mobility difficulties as independents. The Japanese are becoming more friendly and accessible to everyone, not just the highly respected, demonstrating how inclusive design can benefit entire communities and encourage others to follow suit.

My sister sent me a photo showing an excellent idea for mobility scooter parking off the road, due to NZ Law. She took a picture at the Cirque Eatery in Leamington, Cambridge. There was another photo of a person-designed wheelchair in each car park lot on the road. The person mentioned a protest in England. Each wheelchair has a piece of paper on it saying “Sorry, will be back in a minutes, Just had to run an pick something up.”

Are you one of the people who park their car in the mobility car park without displaying a Mobility Car Park sticker inside the car and say you will be back in a minute?

The United Nations estimates that there are approximately 70 to 72 million deaf people worldwide. Sign Language Use: This population collectively uses over 300 different sign languages. Sign languages are recognised as fully-fledged natural languages, structurally distinct from spoken languages.

What about this one? The hearing person and a Deaf person in the noisy bar have a social evening. Everyone in the same room, talking and shouting at their friends while loud music played, leaving a Deaf person out, unable to lip-read and a lack of sign language understanding for our communication. Then another Deaf friend entered the room and communicated in sign language without hesitation, and they understood each other. The hearing people are struggling to hear what their friends are saying, even the staff at the bar/restaurant. Why not learn our sign language with us! Organisations can offer sign language classes or resources to foster inclusive social environments.

Another example: making more things more friendly and accessible for many Deafblind people by using sensory/tactile approaches. Check out Haben Girma, a Deafblind lawyer who graduated from Harvard Law School as the first Deafblind person/American Disability Rights advocate in the USA. Haben has visited Edinburgh Castle yet and is checking whether the information is easily accessible for everyone and herself. Check out YouTube for yourself.

What makes a good leadership skill to help thousands of disabled persons, D/deaf persons, and D/deaf with disabilities people to achieve their goals by working in team groups/keynote speakers?? Perhaps look at one of the popular keynote speakers, Chris Ruden and Dustin Giannelli.

A good leader has qualities like integrity, vision, accountability, and empathy, combined with strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Effective leaders also demonstrate resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to inspire and motivate their team through confidence, passion, and a willingness to delegate and collaborate. 

Foundational and personal qualities

  • Integrity: Acting with honesty and having strong moral principles.
  • Vision: Creating a clear picture of the future and a sense of purpose for the team.
  • Accountability: Taking ownership of one’s actions and decisions.
  • Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
  • Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and handling pressure effectively.
  • Self-awareness: Understanding one’s own strengths, weaknesses, and emotions.
  • Confidence: Believing in one’s own abilities to inspire trust in others.
  • Humility: Recognising one’s own limitations and valuing the contributions of others.
  • Passion: Having a strong enthusiasm for the work and the team’s goals.
  • Adaptability: Adjusting to new situations and challenges with flexibility. 

Interpersonal and communication skills

  • Communication: Clearly conveying ideas, both verbally and non-verbally.
  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what others are saying and responding thoughtfully.
  • Emotional Intelligence: The ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions, and those of others.
  • Delegation: Assigning tasks to the most suitable team members to empower them and focus on key areas.
  • Collaboration: Fostering teamwork and encouraging cooperation among team members.
  • Respect: Treating others with dignity and fostering a respectful environment.
  • Influence: The ability to guide and persuade others toward a common goal. 

Strategic and problem-solving abilities

  • Problem-solving: Identifying problems and developing practical solutions.
  • Decision-making: Making timely and sound judgments, even under pressure.
  • Courage: Having the bravery to make difficult decisions and take necessary risks. 

Sigh! Today, the Beehive released the update to the New Zealand Strategy with the Whaikaha. It is not an excellent strategy for everyone in New Zealand.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-disability-strategy-drives-change

https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/refreshed-new-zealand-disability-strategy-launched

If you wish to read the NZ Disability Strategy, here is the link, available in the format that best meets your needs.

https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/about-us/our-work/new-zealand-disability-strategy-2026-2030

https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/learn-about-enabling-good-lives

https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/about-us/taskforce/independent-review

https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/changes-to-disability-support-services/summary-findings-from-community-consultation-on-assessment-tools-processes-and-flexible-funding