Human Rights Day on December 10 honors local and global activities working to initiate, strengthen and sustain the civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights and freedoms enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. Such principles are considered the bedrock of peaceful and just societies. President Jimmy Carter sums up the need: “We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes—and we must.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council, created in 2006, comprises 47 member states responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The protection of fundamental human rights was a cornerstone in the establishment of the United States and remains a central goal of U.S. foreign policy. This country understands that the existence of human rights helps to secure peace, deter aggression, promote rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies and prevent humanitarian crises.

In 2048: Humanity’s Agreement to Live Together, author Kirk Boyd maintains that “Peace and prosperity can be attained through the realization of five basic fundamental freedoms for all people: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, freedom for the environment and freedom from fear.” These establish a framework within which other necessary rights can flourish.

“That struggle,” declared Robert F. Kennedy, “…will be won by action, by those who commit their every resource of mind and body to the education and improvement and help of their fellow person.”

Take action at RFKCenter.org, SpeakTruth.org and CarterCenter.org.