In order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations organised a year-long campaign entitled “Dignity and Justice for All of Us.” This theme reinforces the vision of the Declaration as a guarantee of inalienable basic rights and freedom resulting from an inherent dignity of all human beings.

        Poland’s contribution to international protection of human rights includes, among others, the initiative to adopt the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity of 1968 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989. This year, we also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, initiated by Rafał Lemkin, a Polish lawyer. Furthermore, Poland has actively participated (for example by drafting a number of resolutions) in the work of the UN Commission on Human Rights and its successor, the Human Rights Council.

        The Declaration, which was banned from being officially published in our country for many years after its adoption, was often referred to by Polish defenders of human freedom and dignity. After the transformation of 1989, it became obvious that the promotion of human rights and the sharing of the experience gained during the process of democratic changes must be among the top priorities of our country’s foreign policy. This approach is well-reflected in Poland’s support for the countries on their way to democracy and in our assistance provided for the activists protecting human rights in authoritarian countries.

        10th December also marks the International Human Rights Day.

Piotr Paszkowski
Press Spokesman