Human Rights Day, celebrated every December 10, commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. This day serves as a global reminder of our shared duty to combat injustice and uphold fundamental rights for all. However, recent events suggest that some powerful nations may be leveraging the human rights agenda to advance their own regional and international interests.
Amid various global challenges, the crisis in Gaza stands out as an urgent and heart-wrenching situation that demands international attention, especially today. The ongoing conflict and immense suffering in Gaza highlight the international community's struggle to prevent and address humanitarian disasters effectively.
As we observe Human Rights Day, the gap between the noble ideals of human rights and the harsh realities faced by individuals in conflict zones like Gaza is deeply troubling. Despite annual commitments to human rights, the situation for many on the ground remains bleak and worsening.
The disparity between the rhetoric of human rights champions and their actions was starkly illustrated in recent UN Security Council events. The failure to pass a ceasefire resolution for Gaza, with the United States using its veto power and the United Kingdom abstaining, underscores a troubling inconsistency between declared principles and actual conduct.
These actions weaken the foundational principles of protecting innocent lives and delivering essential humanitarian aid to those in desperate need. Global leaders, human rights organizations, and UN representatives have strongly criticized the United States for vetoing the resolution that called for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. This veto is seen as a significant failure to intervene in a conflict that has already resulted in the loss of over 17,400 Palestinian lives and approximately 1,100 lives in Israel since October 7.
Permanent Representative of China to the UN, Zhang Jun, voiced strong condemnation at the council: \"Condoning the continuation of fighting while claiming to care about the lives and safety of people in Gaza is self-contradictory. Condoning the continuation of fighting while advocating for preventing the spillover effects of the conflict is self-deceiving. Condoning the continuation of fighting while making references to the protection of women and children and human rights is hypocritical. All these once again show us what double standards are.\"
