States continue defiling people’s core values, rights with impunity

Few Kenyans noticed that December 10 was the International Human Rights Day to mark the day when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. There were no noticeable events to commemorate the day in Nairobi. There were no key events to reflect on how far we have come. The situation is the same in most countries; there were no events to mark this crucial day. Human rights is often a thorn in the flesh for governments globally, and they deride any activity to remind them.

The UN had devoted 2015 commemoration to two key covenants; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Under the motto “Our rights. Our freedoms. Always”, the UN aims to promote and create awareness of these covenants, with a focus on freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear, all of which underpin the Bill of Rights.