Letter to the Editor

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, first proclaimed on Dec. 10, 1948.

Under that declaration, we accept that all people, regardless of their origins, cultures, identities or abilities, are afforded the same universal rights.

It’s clear that in the last seven-and-a-half decades, we have made considerable progress as a society in recognizing and defending human rights. In B.C., our goal is to always strive to give all people, regardless of their diverse backgrounds and experiences, the same rights and respect.

We share a collective obligation to not just champion, but also to defend the rights of all people to be treated with dignity and respect.

That’s why in B.C., we have launched supports to advance human rights in the province. This includes actions, such as re-establishing the independent BC Human Rights Commission, providing funding to launch a racist-incident helpline and continuing our work to develop anti-racism legislation to create more equitable access to government programs and services.

But we know that the job is never done. Along with ongoing global conflicts, history has shown us that the fight for human rights involves constant reflection and alertness to protect those who are most at risk of being oppressed.

So, today, on International Human Rights Day, we hope that everyone in British Columbia will join us in renewing our commitment to protecting human rights, and reflecting on this year’s theme of ‘Dignity, freedom, and justice for all.’

Niki Sharma, Attorney General,

and Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives

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