Dear John,
Today we celebrate and reflect on 75 years since the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. I cannot help but think how much the world has changed.
Over the last decade, we faced a rise in authoritarianism, violence, gender inequality, the climate crisis, attacks on freedom of expression, the press, and political participation, threats to the rights of migrants and LGBTQI+ people, and more. However, despite new threats and challenges, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights continues to be a relevant and powerful roadmap for our work. The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration, including but not limited to freedom, equality, and non-discrimination, are principles we use every day to advocate for human rights in the Americas.
Recently, I spoke a bit about what this day means to the human rights community, and specifically for Latin America. Please take a look when you have time. |
As WOLA celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are proud to stand in this tradition and are committed more than ever to our role of holding governments to account. As we prepare for 50+ more years of human rights advocacy work, we are reminded of the importance of upholding the principles laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
I must recognize that we have not done this alone. I thank you deeply for your commitment to this work – it is an honor to have an advocate like you in this struggle with us! In Solidarity, |
