Statement on Human Rights Day and UDHR75 Conference

Siyanivusela nonkhe, bekunene!

I am delighted to join all of you and make these remarks on behalf of the United Nations Family in the Kingdom of Eswatini at today’s commemoration of Human Rights Day which also marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We are here to remind ourselves of the day on December 10, seventy-five years ago, when members of the United Nations came together with a shared commitment to prevent the recurrence of the atrocities they had just witnessed during the atrocious WWII.

We are here to remind ourselves that human rights are “the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” 

That the UDHR emerged as a solemn commitment to build a world founded on principles of the inherent dignity and rights of every individual, irrespective of their nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, or social status.

We are here to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of human freedom across the world that we owe to the UDHR.  While most of today’s member states were not at the table during the drafting and adoption of the UHDR, many owe their membership of their United Nations to the Declaration which spurred many of the struggles against colonial domination and join the rest of the world as independent nations.

We remind ourselves that, if the world continues to witness atrocities and violence, it is because we have often departed from our commitment to human rights or observed them selectively.

We meet to celebrate the UDHR as the world’s collective beacon of hope, a common standard of achievements for all people and all nations that has resonated with so many that it is the world’s most translated document available in over 500 languages.

We celebrate that this landmark document has served as an inspiration in many countries’ constitutions and paved the way for the adoption of other human rights treaties at the global and regional levels.

Indeed, when we look at Chapter III of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini we see evidence of the inspiration from the Declaration through the use of the common language.

Furthermore, it has acted as the foundation for the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development which seeks to promote shared prosperity so that all may live in dignity, justice and peace while safeguarding the planet, our common home.

Throughout its 30 articles, the Universal Declaration speaks about indivisible and inalienable rights including the right to education, food, clean water, health, peaceful assembly, and the prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, among others.

The document reminds us that all the rights articulated in it are indivisible and equally important and cannot be positioned in a hierarchy. No one human right can be fully realised without realising all other rights.

Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This time last year, we launched a global year-long campaign to promote and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Declaration under the slogan "Dignity, freedom and justice for all".

In Eswatini, the United Nations partnered with the Government through the Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration, under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, as well as civil society, to educate, promote and empower communities and individuals on the Declaration. We believe that, as a result of the campaign, many EmaSwati have increased their knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and all times.

Today, on behalf of the UN System in Eswatini, I express our sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training and indeed the Commission of Human Rights & Public Administration / Integrity for the, strong cooperation and collaboration with the UN in Eswatini both during the year-long commemoration, but throughout the years. The mutual trust and respect and has contributed to remarkable progress witnessed in Eswatini.

We commend His Majesty’s Government and applaud the progress made to improve the human rights of all EmaSwati. In the previous cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, Eswatini accepted more than 70 percent of the recommendations issued by the UN Human Rights Council, a total of 156 out of 222 recommendations.

Furthermore, Eswatini has ratified the Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, along with six human rights and two regional treaties.

I commend Eswatini’s progress in improving the human rights of all EmaSwati, including through the Eswatini Constitution which provides the foundation for the promotion and protection of fundamental rights.

We applaud the emphasis on the right to education and the commendable investments in primary education that are ensuring a solid foundation for all EmaSwati children.

We commend the domestication of Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) through legislation such as the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 2018 and the Elections of Women Members to the House of Assembly Act of 2018.

We applaud the Industrial Relations Act that guarantees labour rights, as well as many other laws and policies that form the architecture of the rights and freedoms of EmaSwati as enshrined in the Eswatini Constitution.

As we celebrate Human Rights Day, we remind ourselves that the aspirations of the UDHR remain a work in progress and that, every day, we can and must do more to ensure the freedoms, justice and dignity for all. Every violation or disregard of any of the rights jeopardises all of us.

We can increase efforts for the full implementation domestication of all the international and regional treaties that the Kingdom of Eswatini has ratified in order to fulfill its human rights obligations.

We can respond to the citizen’s voices at the Sibaya by enacting the Human Rights Bill to protect and promote the right of all EmaSwati and to address corruption and mismanagement which would hasten prosperity and poverty eradication.

We can pursue the the Legal Aid Bill and the amendment of the Legal Practitioners Act to address GBV and protect marginalized groups including women and children; and the enactment of the Marriage and Matrimonial Bills to promote gender equality. Strengthening the justice institutions is critical including the Commission of Human Rights & Public Administration / Integrity.

Finally, Your Royal Highness, allow me to conclude by returning to a familiar theme that Your Royal Highness and others have already spoken strongly about.

Human Rights Day also marks the culmination of the 16 Days of Activism against the scourge of violence against women and girls.

The link between Human Rights Day and the 16 Days Campaign is not accidental. It is a deliberate reminder that women’s rights are human rights. Killing and battering of our women and girls is simply a a heinous violation of their rights. The violence demeans a significant half of our population and injure our children physically and psychologically, often irreparably, and it simply must stop.

Despite the despair that we often feel, I am confident that we have a moment and the leadership to end the scourge. His Majesty has spoken. The Prime Minister has spoken. The Deputy Prime Minister has spoken. And Your Royal Highness has spoken. Civil society, the private sector, the media, religious leaders: Everyone has spoken.

It is now time for action! We in the UN Family look forward to working closely with you and all partners on the elimination of the scourge.

On behalf of the UN Family, I would like to assure YRH and all our partners, that the UN remains committed to supporting efforts that seek to respect, raise awareness of, promote and protect the rights of all EmaSwati, to build a more prosperous Kingdom in line with the 2030 Agenda of SDGs

Siyabonga Kakhulu!