These words are drawn from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December 1948.

The Declaration was a historic covenant shaped through humanity’s experience of war, mass suffering, and destruction. It affirmed that every person holds rights simply by virtue of being human-and it imposed clear, explicit, and binding obligations on states and the international community.

Seventy-seven years have now passed.
Yet today, far from advancing toward the Declaration’s promise of freedom, equality, and justice, the world has, in many areas, fallen behind even the standards of decades past.

• Wars, occupations, and mass attacks invalidate the commitments once made in the name of humanity.
• Economic crises widen the wealth gap; inequality has become a defining feature of the global system.
• Authoritarian tendencies and democratic backsliding severely restrict freedoms of thought, expression, and association.
• The climate crisis is generating a new human rights catastrophe affecting millions.
•  Anti-migrant and anti-refugee sentiment undermines the most basic principles of human dignity.
• Precarious work conditions render fair wages, safe workplaces, and trade union rights increasingly invisible.
• Deep inequalities in access to education deprive future generations of equal opportunity.

This picture is not merely a global failure; it is clear evidence that states have not fulfilled the commitments they undertook under the Declaration.

The Reality: It is capital’s rights, not human rights, that are being protected

In today’s world, many states have normalized:

• applying double standards in human rights,
• restricting freedom of association and collective bargaining,
• legitimizing policies that target vulnerable groups,
• prioritizing the interests of capital over social policy.

This is why, seventy-seven years later, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains an unfinished promise.

The ILC firmly believes that human rights cannot be upheld through commemorative statements alone, but only through concrete, accountable action.

Accordingly, we renew our call to all governments, employers, international organizations, and societal actors:

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights must not merely be remembered; it must be implemented fully, transparently, and without exception.
• Wars and occupations must end; the protection of civilians must be upheld as the foremost obligation of international law.
• Economic and social rights must be strengthened; secure work, fair wages, and social protection for workers must be guaranteed.
• All restrictions on freedom of association and collective bargaining must cease; trade union rights must be recognized as fundamental and non-negotiable.
• The human rights impacts of the climate crisis must be acknowledged, and just transition policies must be implemented urgently.
• A zero-tolerance approach to all forms of violence against human dignity must be adopted, supported by strong and accountable mechanisms.
• Protection and dignified treatment must be ensured for migrants, refugees, and displaced populations.
• Privacy, data protection, and safeguards against algorithmic discrimination must be recognized as essential human rights in the digital age.
• A decisive global fight must be waged against modern slavery, forced labour, and child labour.
• Comprehensive national strategies must be developed to combat racism, xenophobia, and all forms of hate-based discrimination.
• Democracy, the rule of law, and judicial independence must be strengthened; human rights defenders must be recognized and protected.
• Human rights must be applied universally, not selectively or according to identity.

To mark 10 December is not merely to recall a document signed in the past.
It is to ask:

Why are we still fighting for the same rights?
Why have these promises not been kept?      
Why does humanity continue to experience the same suffering?

Today -and every day- we must defend human dignity, the future of humanity, and the values that bind us together.

Today is a day to uphold human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The ILC is a steadfast party to this struggle; we will continue our efforts tirelessly until a just, equitable, and human-centred world order is established-one that places human dignity at its core.