Secretary-General’s Message for Human Rights Day 2009
No country is free of discrimination. We see it everywhere, in many forms: old and new, covert and blatant, public and private. It may appear as institutionalized
racism, as ethnic strife, as episodes of intolerance and rejection, or as an official national version of history that denies the identity of others.
Discrimination targets individuals and groups that are vulnerable to attack: the disabled, women and girls, the poor, migrants, minorities, and all those who are perceived as different.
These vulnerable people are frequently excluded from participating in the economic, political, cultural and social lives of their communities. The bigotry that stigmatizes and excludes them can be exploited by extremists. In some countries, we are witnessing the rise of a new politics of xenophobia.
But these victims of discrimination are not alone. The United Nations is standing with them, committed to defending the rights of all, and particularly the most vulnerable. That is our identity and our mission.
The international human rights community continues to counter bias and hatred.
Public awareness has led to global treaties offering legal protection from discrimination and unequal treatment.
But abstract commitments are not enough. We must continue to confront inequality
and intolerance wherever they are found.
On Human Rights Day, I invite people everywhere, at all levels, to join the United Nations and human rights defenders around the world in the fight against discrimination.
2009人权日: 联合国呼吁采取行动消除歧视
引自”联合国网站新闻中心”
Secretary-General’s Message for Human Rights Day 2009
No country is free of discrimination. We see it everywhere, in many forms: old and new, covert and blatant, public and private. It may appear as institutionalized
racism, as ethnic strife, as episodes of intolerance and rejection, or as an official national version of history that denies the identity of others.
Discrimination targets individuals and groups that are vulnerable to attack: the disabled, women and girls, the poor, migrants, minorities, and all those who are perceived as different.
These vulnerable people are frequently excluded from participating in the economic, political, cultural and social lives of their communities. The bigotry that stigmatizes and excludes them can be exploited by extremists. In some countries, we are witnessing the rise of a new politics of xenophobia.
But these victims of discrimination are not alone. The United Nations is standing with them, committed to defending the rights of all, and particularly the most vulnerable. That is our identity and our mission.
The international human rights community continues to counter bias and hatred.
Public awareness has led to global treaties offering legal protection from discrimination and unequal treatment.
But abstract commitments are not enough. We must continue to confront inequality
and intolerance wherever they are found.
On Human Rights Day, I invite people everywhere, at all levels, to join the United Nations and human rights defenders around the world in the fight against discrimination.
Ban Ki-moon
2009年12月10日 潘基文秘书长和联合国人权事务高级专员皮莱在12月10日人权日分别发表致词，呼吁各方继续同不平等和不容忍的现象作斗争，采取切实行动努力消除歧视。
今年人权日的主题是“拥抱多元化，结束歧视”。潘基文秘书长在致词中指出，歧视无所不在，形式也多种多样：有新的和旧的，公开的和隐蔽的，遮遮掩掩的和公然露骨的。歧视可以表现为制度化的种族主义，可以表现为族裔对立，可以是一时发生的不容忍和排斥行为，也可以是在国家官方正史中否认另外一些人的身份。
潘基文指出，受到歧视的是那些易受攻击的人和群体：残疾人、女性、穷人、移徙者、少数群体，以及所有被认为与己不同的人。这些弱势群体往往不能参加所在社区的经济、政治、文化和社会生活。不过，他们并不孤单。联合国与他们站在一起，它决心捍卫所有人，特别是最脆弱群体的权利，这是联合国的特征和使命。
潘基文表示，由于国际人权人士的努力以及公众的觉悟，世界各国缔结了各项全球条约，在法律上提供保护，以避免歧视和不平等待遇。然而，仅有抽象的承诺是不够的。他鼓励全体民众与联合国以及世界各地的人权维护者一道，共同努力消除歧视。
人权高专皮莱也在致词中呼吁各国政府和世界民众采取具体和持久的行动，消除歧视。她表示，为了结束歧视，需要制订严格的法律来加以防范，贯彻落实通过的法律，确保所有形式的歧视都不存在市场，不仅应通过言语反对歧视，而且还要采取行动，不仅在国家一级，同时还要在个人层面上致力于此。
1950年，联大通过决议，将每年的12月10日定为人权日。选择这个日子是因为联大在1948年的这一天通过了《世界人权宣言》。
(黄达维 David C. Huang，December 2009 USA)
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