30th Anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Action Plan
The World Human Rights Conference was organized in June 1993. The Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action (VDPA) was unanimously adopted at this conference.
- Taking inspiration from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, VDPA representatives affirmed the universal and inalienable nature and interdependence of human rights.
Vienna Declaration:
- The universal nature of all human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be questioned in any way.
- Everyone has the right to self-determination in the matter of freely determining their political status and freely pursuing their economic, social and cultural development.
- International action has a key role in promoting and protecting human rights.
- The consensus on the Vienna Declaration paved the way for historic agreements/steps in the following matters: Protection of the rights of women, children, indigenous peoples, minorities and other groups.
- The struggle against impunity despite serious crimes of human rights violations resulted in the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, some emerging challenges are blocking the full implementation of the UDHR and VDPA.
Challenges:
- Digitization and climate change, inequalities, gender discrimination, hate speech, propaganda and increase in polarization etc.
- The United Nations Human Rights Council is celebrating the year-long “Human Rights 75” initiative in 2023.
- Its purpose is to call on states and all other stakeholders to take concrete steps to fulfill the promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Source – The Hindu
