President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared Saturday, December 10, 2016 as International Human Rights Day to be observed throughout the country as a Working Holiday.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Liberian leader has called upon all citizens and foreign residents, national and international organizations and all Government agencies concerned to join the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INHCR) to execute appropriate programs befitting the observance of the Day.

This year’s Human Rights Day which will be celebrated under the theme: “Stand Up For Someone’s Rights Today,” is devoted to the launch of a year-long campaign for the 51^st anniversary of the two international covenants on human rights: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966.

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, in 1950, the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V), inviting all States and interested organizations to observe December 10^th of each year as Human Rights Day.

Liberia is a founding member of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), and a signatory to the Charters of both organizations, which express strong commitment to the principles of human rights, and has established an Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INHCR), by an Act of the National Legislature in 2005.