It’s time to recommit to respect for human rights

On this 70th anniversary, we must clean up our acts and #StandUp4HumanRights

This Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, we call on local governments, school boards and community members to take some concrete steps right here right now to strengthen our commitment to human rights. It’s time to #StandUp4HumanRights!

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). On this date in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly in Paris adopted General Assembly resolution 217 A, setting out for the first time a statement of fundamental human rights possessed by all persons everywhere. Around the world, global citizens, governments and civil society organizations are making the commitment to #StandUp4HumanRights — standup4humanrights.org.

Mayor Tim Keller, citing One Albuquerque’s commitment to build a diverse and caring community of good neighbors, has proclaimed today “Human Rights Day” in the city of Albuquerque. Upholding human rights, however, requires more than a day.

The Albuquerque City Charter, Article VIII, requires the city to “preserve, protect and promote human rights and human dignity.” The Albuquerque Human Rights Ordinance establishes the Human Rights Board and directs the board to: (E) Use its best efforts to: (1) Promote mutual trust, understanding and respect among the citizens of the Albuquerque community and between the citizens and their governmental agencies.

The current Albuquerque Human Rights Board has begun exploring the full range of its authority and responsibility under Albuquerque law to “endeavor that all citizens may enjoy their rights and pursue their opportunities on an equal basis without discrimination” and “advise citizens of their existing rights and opportunities and the means by which they may lawfully be attained.” (Albuquerque Code of Ordinances, Article 3, Human Rights.).

Public proclamations, charter provisions and ordinances do not, however, guarantee a human-rights-friendly public sphere in this or any other community. Respect for human rights means stepping out of our various comfort zones and learning how our neighbors who are not “just like us” experience life in our community. Respect for human rights also means creating space for every person to assert their full humanity and dignity without fear or shame.

In recent days and months, we have seen individual acts of disrespect for the human rights of community members and a disturbing pattern globally, nationally and locally of the rise of ethnic nationalism, racism, stereotyped caricatures of racial, ethnic and religious minorities and immigrants and a rise in raw acts of hatred.

The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a wake-up call to clean up our act as a people and a community. Regardless of divisive rhetoric, even at the highest levels of our national government, the people of Albuquerque have the right, the power and the obligation to listen to the people from all of our communities, to examine all of our institutions and arrangements – governmental, educational, public and private – and to ‘#StandUp4HumanRights.

The Albuquerque Human Rights Board is responsible under the Human Rights Ordinance to “conduct programs of research and investigation into the existence, cause, prevention, and remedy of inter-group tensions and hostility, and prejudice and discrimination within the community.” The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education has a responsibility under its foundations and basic commitments to “work together and in partnership with families and the community” and to uphold “the rights of students, parents and employees, as set forth in federal and state statutes, for nondiscriminatory treatment” according to APS policies.

The Human Rights Board and APS must assure the communities they serve that these commitments will be honored. The people of Albuquerque have a right and a responsibility to #StandUp4HumanRights and to hold their public institutions accountable. On this 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let’s all get to work.