One of the things that people of all backgrounds can agree on is the importance of human rights. These are the principles that are not granted to us by a government or state but are inherent to every human being. These rights include the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to be free from torture and slavery.

It is also the right to freedom of expression and opinion, the right to earn a living, and the right to be educated. These are the things that all human beings should agree on, but far too often, they come under attack.

That is why December is observed in the United States as National Human Rights Month. It is a month that highlights the importance of all human rights and encourages people to stand up and protect not only their human rights but also the rights of their fellow Americans.

The History of National Human Rights Month

We are unsure of when exactly this month was created, but we suspect that it was modeled after Universal Human Rights Month. This month was observed shortly after the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations Assembly on December 10th, 1948. At least, that is our theory on the subject.

Facts About Human Rights Through History

Let us take a peek into our history books and find out a little bit about the definition of human rights throughout history. The following facts are what we uncovered while researching this month, and we thought that everyone reading them would be entertained by them.

• King Cyrus the Great recognized a basic tenet of human rights by freeing slaves, establishing racial equality, and allowing freedom of religion.
• After WWII, the Allies prosecuted Nazi leaders for crimes against humanity.
• In 1948, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has been translated into 400 different languages.
• After the turn of the 21st century, there has been talk of basic Internet access being a human right.
• Locations that have included current human rights violations include China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Observing National Human Rights Month

Everyone everywhere can participate in National Human Rights Month. It can be done simply by spreading the word about the importance of protecting everyone’s human rights.

It can also be done by people contacting their representatives in Congress and pushing for them to codify their human rights in legislation to protect them for future generations. People can also spread the word about this month using the hashtag #NationalHumanRightsMonth.