World Human Rights Day
Today is World Human Rights Day, and it marks the 60th anniversary of
the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN Declaration).
Sixty years ago, following the horrors of World War II, the nations of the world
came together to declare a common set of principles and standards upon which lasting
freedom, justice and peace could be achieved.
The UN Declaration is one of the most influential human rights documents
of our times. Interestingly, one of the principal authors of the UN Declaration
was a Canadian, John Peters Humphrey. The document outlines the inalienable
rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including those who are imprisoned.
In federal Corrections, this principle is entrenched in the Corrections and Conditional
Release Act, which affirms that offenders retain the rights and privileges
of all members of society, except those that are necessarily removed as a consequence
of incarceration.
Last year, the UN Secretary-General launched a year-long campaign to celebrate this
milestone. The theme of the campaign is "dignity and justice for all
of us". To pay special tribute to this anniversary, Ms. Louise Arbour,
then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reached out to all national human rights
institutions around the world to focus their attention on the situation of persons
deprived of their liberty in prisons and other places of detention.
The Office of the Correctional Investigator was established 35 years ago to provide
oversight of federal Corrections and to promote human rights compliance. The
Office's mandate continues to contribute to an open, transparent and accountable
Correctional Service of Canada, and to public safety in general. Commemorating
the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration in both words and
deeds afford us an excellent opportunity for all to reflect on our responsibilities
in ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights within our correctional
systems.
Howard Sapers
Correctional Investigator