GENEVA—On Monday, the UN’s human rights boss asked countries to work together to fight threats like war and pollution. He did this at an event to celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75th anniversary, which could be overshadowed by the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Ministers, diplomats, and activists all came to the Geneva event where Volker Turk spoke about how the statement was made in response to “barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind” by the newly formed United Nations in December 1948.
“Today’s event gives me hope and makes me want to act,” said Turk, who is from Austria. He said that the statement had led to successes like ending racial segregation in the US and apartheid in South Africa.
“At a time of so little solidarity, and so much divisive and short-sighted vision, I view it as a call to overcome polarisation.”
He also talked about failures in the fight, like war, which he said caused “unbearable suffering” for “millions of people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in Gaza, and Israel,” as well as famine, discrimination, repression, and pollution.
The United Nations says that since the end of World War II, there have never been so many battles in the world. There are currently 55, including a war in Sudan between different military groups and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The word “celebrate” has not been used by Turk’s office to describe the two-day event. Instead, the word “mark” has been used instead.
It was worse for other UN leaders than it was for Turk.
As of more than two months after Hamas’ deadly cross-border attacks on Israel on October 7 and Israel’s response with a bombing campaign, Lynn Hastings, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said that human rights were being violated.
“In 2023, I should not have to issue such a statement,” she stated. “It is as if we have learned nothing in the past 75 years.”
