10 December 2012 – The Ombudsperson Institution in cooperation, and supported by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and OSCE Mission in Kosovo marked the 10th December, the International Human Rights Day by organizing a roundtable with the topic “ Participation and inclusion are not a privilege, but the right”.
Representatives of the most vulnerable groups presented today challenges and difficulties they face, under the motto: My voice, my right – My word counts! The representatives of the categories of people which are most exposed to discrimination and injustice, loudly reaffirmed that participation in a public life and decision making processes is the right, not a privilege, as well as the fact that Human Rights of a person don`t belong to a single day, but they must be respected, protected and promoted every day.
The topic marking the 10th December of this year referred to the articles of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the right to freedom of assembly and association, the right to election and participation in public life and decision-making process, as well as the right to express own opinion.
Fulfilling the right to participate in the public life is essential for functioning of a democratic society and functioning of an effective system for Protection of Human Rights. Inclusion of all in the decision-making processes is a perquisite for achievement of both aims.
*The United Nations, respectively the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights every year on 10th of December marks the day of Universal Declaration on Human Rights adopted in 1948 on the same date. This day is marked in the many countries around the world, including Kosovo.