Cathedral hosts conversation on Human Rights

‘People care about their own rights – it’s other people’s that are more challenging’

To celebrate Human Rights Day, Shami Chakrabarti came to the Cathedral to speak about her new book, ‘Human Rights: the Case for the Defence’, with the Dean.

10^th December is Human Rights Day because the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on that day in 1948 and set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. As a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”, the UDHR is a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies. It is available in 577 languages, from Abkhaz to Zulu, making the Declaration the most translated document in the world.

The current Secretary General of the United Nations has said that human rights are under assault in our day and need standing up for. Shami, a life peer, human rights lawyer, and broadcaster, has written her latest book to do this. A former Director of Liberty, and Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales from 2016-2020, she uses her professional experience to make her case.

Shami was described in The Times as ‘probably the most effective public affairs lobbyist of the past 20 years’. The Observer called her an ‘undaunted freedom fighter’ and the Sun called her ‘the most dangerous woman in Britain’.

Shami and the Dean discussed the state of democracy around the world, how human rights can be made an appealing and positive subject at a time when so many are sceptical, and how people of faith view the language of ‘rights’ and share belief in human dignity. Questions were then asked by members of the audience.

More information about the Universal Declaration can be found at: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights