Human Rights Day 2022

• The Honorable Minister of Justice, Mr. Mulambo Haimbe, MP
• The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice
• Director, Human Rights Commission, Ms. Sindiso Sichone
• Senior Government officials
• Members of the diplomatic corps, cooperating partners and donors
• Representatives of regional organizations  
• Civil society, the media, ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of the United Nations in Zambia, I am honored to deliver remarks as we commemorate Human Rights Day. I would like to start by quoting the joint message by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy and the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights shared ahead of Human Rights Day.

I quote:

“It is difficult to truly grasp the everyday significance of dignity, freedom, and justice, until we find ourselves in their absence.  

For those of us whose dignity is honoured, whose freedom is protected, and whose access to justice is ensured, life otherwise is unimaginable.

And yet, none of these societal linchpins are guaranteed. All over the world, people are fighting for dignity, freedom, and justice, because their fundamental rights have not been protected.  

This year, we mark Human Rights Day under the theme of ‘Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All.’  The theme draws its inspiration from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which states that ‘[a]ll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’.  

End of quote

Honourable Minister, ladies and gentlemen

10 December, which is observed every year as Human Rights Day, is the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR as many of us here know, is a milestone document which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

This document was a landmark achievement that forms the bedrock of International Human Rights Law.  It gave rise to a global human rights system that is now considered to be a ‘common heritage of mankind.’  Moreover, many of its provisions have entered into customary international law.  Indeed, some argue that the whole document is a part of customary international law.  This is no ordinary feat and it is an asset for those who continue to strive for equal rights for all. 

Honourable Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

As we commemorate this day, we are pleased as the UN to join the Government, people and partners of the Republic of Zambia in launching a year-long “UDHR 75 campaign,” a campaign that will commemorate the 75th anniversary, in 2023, of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

This campaign offers an opportunity to renew the consensus on the universality and indivisibility of human rights and strengthen the constituency for human rights, especially among young people.  Essentially, we must look to the future, even projecting to UDHR 100, and envision a world that we want inspired by the UDHR.  In addition, we must strengthen our actions and the human rights architecture - globally, regionally and nationally - to protect and advance human rights for all.

Zambia is well poised to do so.  It is State Party to eight (8) of the nine (9) core human rights treaties.  We have seen positive developments to give effect to their provisions.  The 8NDP sets a target to strengthen the Constitution, human rights and the rule of law through inter alia, constitutional reform and human rights protection.  This is already being implemented through the commitment to end the statutory death penalty and the actions to review, amend and enact ordinary laws, including the Penal Code and Public Order Act.  It is crucial that these and future developments uphold the commitments that Zambia has undertaken through ratification of the treaties.    

The engagement with the human rights mechanisms continues to be strengthened.  We followed closely, Honorable Minister, under your leadership, Zambia’s engagement with the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in May 2022 and the subsequent enactment of the Children's Code.  Cabinet’s approval, on

22 August 2022, of the establishment, TORs and membership of the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-up puts Zambia in good stead to follow-up to the CRC’s and other treaty bodies Concluding Observations as well as the recommendations that will emanate from the country’s Fourth Cycle UPR in January/February of 2023.  A fully operational National Mechanism will enable Zambia to further engage with the mechanisms, including the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.

These early achievements are encouraging and merit expansion. We must strengthen and further capacitate the institutions that give effect to human rights protection and advancement, including Zambia’s own Human Rights Commission who we are pleased to regularly partner with.  The Human Rights Commission is an asset to Zambia and merits support to expand its reach throughout the country so that it is accessible far afield and to those most left behind.

Honourable Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

The concept of “Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All” extends to All persons within a country’s jurisdiction, including asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants who may be fleeing conflicts, persecution, torture and other violations of human rights in their own countries and seek the protection and assistance of our shared humanity. 

We must not let them down but seek to understand their plight and extend a hand of compassion, protection and solidarity and apply the body of agreements and law, including the principle of non-refoulement, that were developed to shelter them from further abuse and threats.  It bears recalling that the State and its agents are primarily responsible for respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of these persons.  Detention is a measure of last resort and has been shown to have detrimental effects on populations at risk, including children and the most vulnerable.  

It is saddening that this year’s commemoration takes place as we mourn the deaths of a reported 27 males whose bodies were found in Lusaka’s Ngwerere area yesterday.  Although details of this case are still being established, it would seem to demonstrate the grim plight and prospects of people on the move and the need for all authorities across Africa to enhance the protection and assistance to them—and very importantly for Africa to address the root causes of migration.

Honourable Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

In the spirit of accompanying Zambia to realise its 8th National Development Plan, and in the implementation of our own UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, we look forward to engaging with the Government. This includes engagement in the context of the Constitutional Reform process, to ensure that treaties automatically become part of domestic law and the Bill of Rights is expanded to include economic, social and cultural rights, environmental rights, additional specific rights for the marginalized and vulnerable as well as explicit prohibition of the death penalty.

As I close, let me underscore the unwavering commitment of the UN family in Zambia to the protection and promotion of human rights.  We know that only by standing up for universal human rights can we advance sustainable development, prevent violence, and sustain peace.

I thank you.