International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – 25 November

On 25 November 1960, the Mirabal sisters were brutally assassinated because of their identity as women and activists. Their only crime was having fought for their rights against the Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961). In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 48/104 for the Elimination of Violence Against Women which defines this type of violence as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.” Consequently, to solidify this […]

International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December

United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities Given the multiple crises we are facing today, the world is not on track to reach numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets by 2030. Preliminary findings from the forthcoming UN Disability and Development Report 2023 indicate that the world is even more off-track in meeting several SDGs for persons with disabilities. Our efforts to rescue the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities, need to be intensified and accelerated, given that persons with disabilities have historically been marginalized and have often been among those left […]

Human Rights Day – 10 December

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings. In December 1948, UNESCO was the first United […]

International Migrants Day – 18 December

2023 Theme: Act Today On International Migrants Day (18 December 2023), we reflect on and celebrate the contributions of millions of migrants worldwide. People on the move are powerful drivers for development in both their origin and destination countries, as workers, students, entrepreneurs, family members, artists, and much more. Migrants often maintain strong connections to their home countries while embracing their new communities, where they bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and skill. If managed well, mobility can be a cornerstone of sustainable development, prosperity and progress. Unlocking migration’s potential is key to accelerating efforts to meet the significant challenges […]