WBU Statement on Human Rights Day 2019

On Tuesday December 10th, the World Blind Union (WBU), representing 253 million blind and partially sighted persons worldwide, joins the international community in observing Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On this day, the World Blind Union encourages our members, human rights activists, supporters and policy makers around the world to join our efforts in advocating for equal rights for blind and partially sighted persons as enshrined  in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UTHR), the  UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (CRPD), the drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other human rights instruments such as the Marrakesh Treaty, a treaty to facilitate  access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled.

As we move in to the final year of our 2017 -2020 strategic plan in which human rights and representation is one of our core strategic priorities, we pledge to continue to promote full participation, equal opportunities, and to protect the human rights of blind and partially sighted persons in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life and to ensure that our voice is heard at the global, regional and national levels in all matters affecting our lives. Human rights are at the heart of Sustainable Development.

———————

For further information, please contact:

Terry Mutuku

Communications Officer, World Blind Union

Terry.Mutuku@wbu.ngo​​ ​