Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is Wednesday, 12/10. It is observed every year on the 10th since 1950 when it was started by the United Nations (UN). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, first published in 1948, lays out the “inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being” (UN 2025). You can read the Declaration in full on the UN’s website. While not all countries recognized this landmark global pledge, it laid the foundation for an international understanding of human rights. 

In 2025, the UN’s theme for Human Rights Day is “Our Everyday Essentials.” It encourages people everywhere to consider what commonplace protections are essential to our daily lives and what we can do to improve them. We rely on human rights every day, even if they might seem abstract or easy to take for granted. However, building a culture of respect and fairness is attainable; even small choices and actions can help.  

See the sources or book list below for more information and history about human rights! 

Sources: 

• https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day 

• https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights 

• https://www.unesco.org/en/days/human-rights 

• https://guides.loc.gov/human-rights-day/online-resources 

List created by FCLSCENTRALGENERALCOLLECTIONS

Wednesday, 12/10 is the 77th observance of Human Rights Day. See the list below for a selection of titles about human rights history and struggles.

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 - Laura Stellrecht, Librarian