December is Universal Human Rights Month
December is Universal Human Rights Month and December 10 is Human Rights Day—celebrating the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, the United Nations kicks off a year-long campaign commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Declaration. This is a time to reflect on how we treat each other and bring attention to human rights issues around the world.
● The war in Yemen is in its 8th year. The World Food Programme reports that up to 19 million Yemenis are food insecure, with the rate of child malnutrition one of the highest in the world.
● In early November a peace deal between Ethiopia’s government and Tigrayan forces brought a tentative end to two years of fighting and cleared the way for humanitarian aid to flow into the Tigray region. According to Human Rights Watch, the violence has led to “untold civilian casualties,” destruction of property, and “large-scale displacement.”
● In Gaza, a UN Special Committee reported that Israel’s sea, air and land blockade and closures have left more than two million Palestinians “deprived of access to adequate health care, employment, basic services such as water and electricity, and freedom of movement.”
It’s clear from these few examples, it is more important than ever that we work hard to ensure that everyone’s human rights are protected. Watch this video to learn more about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving, by the Center for Racial Justice in Education, provides a library of resources for educators and families to learn about and teach the true story of Thanksgiving, including a link to the articles 10 Thanksgiving books for kids written from the Native perspective, by Native people and 50 Children's Books Celebrating Native American and Indigenous Mighty Girls. You might also appreciate Mother Magazine’s article How to Talk to your Kids About Thanksgiving, which advises that parents educate themselves first and includes tips on how to keep conversations with children age appropriate while still being accurate. Another good resource for parents is the identically-titled NPR piece How To Talk To Kids About Thanksgiving.
December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Since 1992, the United Nations has promoted observance of an International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, aiming to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. This year’s theme is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.” To increase your awareness of disability justice issues, from the perspective of a legendary activist, check out Alice Wong’s new memoir, Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life. And for the children in your life, Teaching for Change’s Social Justice Books project has a great list of books centering disability justice issues.
