Elders call on a Billion Citizens to Sign and Uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by Nelson Mandela, Mary Robinson, Muhammad Yunus.. 9:51am 12th Dec, 2007   Cape Town. South Africa. 12.10.07    To begin the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), The Elders and partners today launched the Every Human Has Rights campaign to empower global citizens to protect the first-ever comprehensive agreement on human rights among nations.    The Every Human Has Rights campaign calls on citizens to uphold the goals of the Universal Declaration in their daily lives and to hold governments accountable for the same. Through this effort, one billion people around the world will sign the Universal Declaration, taking responsibility and pledging to speak out to protect the freedom and rights of others in their communities.    "Today, we remind people around the world that there are universal values we all share and universal rights to which every individual is entitled," Archbishop Tutu, Chair of The Elders said.    "We launch this campaign to create an atmosphere in which no person, government, or entity can deny freedom and liberty for any human. By calling on individuals to sign the Universal Declaration, we are asking the citizens of the global village to empower themselves and their communities by standing behind its values and goals. But we are also asking that one united human family join together to protect and defend the rights of each other."    Persistent Abuses Galvanize Human Rights Icons    The Every Human Has Rights campaign launches at a time of human rights uncertainty around the globe, and will aim to raise awareness, particularly in areas of the world where governments ignore "equal justice, equal opportunity, [and] equal dignity without discrimination," as voiced by Eleanor Roosevelt, champion of the Universal Declaration 60 years ago.    The Elders, a group of global leaders convened by Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel to address some of the major problems facing the world, became the first signatories to the online pledge, as an empty chair draped in orange drew attention to the continued imprisonment of Burmese human rights defender and Elder, Aung San Suu Kyi.    The Elders chair Archbishop Desmond Tutu, members Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, and Graca Machel, President, Foundation for Community Development, Mozambique, shared the stage with leaders of human rights organizations to demand respect for the basic human rights agreed to in the UDHR.    An Unprecedented, Diverse Coalition    A diverse group of global NGOs, civil society organizations and businesses are partnering in the Every Human Has Rights campaign to highlight UDHR principles, including the right to health, women"s rights, and freedom of expression.    Launch partners include ActionAid, Amnesty International, Center for Women"s Global Leadership, International PEN, Witness, Realizing Rights, Save the Children and UNICEF and throughout the year we will expand to include partners from civil society organizations in the developing world through networks like Civicus.    Through an innovative collaboration with Google and Witness, individuals and communities from around the world can tell stories of human rights abuses and human rights triumphs, which will then be brought to life on Google Earth.    "The UDHR"s 60th anniversary offers a chance for a global conversation about the values that unite us as one human family," said Mary Robinson. "But it can be more. It can also be a moment for new visions and actions rooted in the best traditions of our past. 2008 can be a year in which people from every walk of life learn about and reflect on our shared rights. Now a new generation takes on a task to ensure that every human truly does have the rights they deserve -- and that every government lives up to an agreement made 60 years ago to deliver those rights."    Background on UDHR    Signed on December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration marked the first time in history that nations came together to agree on basic principles of justice, equality, and rights for all of humanity. Signatories took this action as the world began to confront the devastation in the wake of World War II, the Holocaust, and the use of the atomic bomb.    The UDHR has exerted a moral, political and legal influence throughout the world, far beyond the aspirations of its drafters. It has been a primary source of inspiration for all post-war international legislation in the field of human rights. All of the United Nations human rights treaties and resolutions as well as the regional human rights conventions ---the European and American conventions and the African Charter on Human and Peoples rights -- have been directly inspired by UDHR.    Campaigning at a Critical Time    Today, nearly 60 years after its signing, the world is confronted with the need to reaffirm UDHR in the face of abuses across the globe.    "Human rights are not a privilege, they are everyone"s entitlement and it is an indictment of all of us that the rights of women and children are continually trampled on and ignored. So, as we approach the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we now have the opportunity to enforce the Declaration"s principles ensuring that every single woman and every single child enjoys the rights of all human beings," said Graca Machel.    Additional Information    To find out more about the Every Human Rights Campaign, our partners, and the web tools giving voice to people from every corner of the globe, visit http://www.theElders.org/humanrights    Background    Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are: Graca Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.    "This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken," Mandela commented. "Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair."    The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.    In addition to working independently, The Elders will work to complement, not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to assist in bringing the group"s efforts to another level.    For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
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