Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Human Rights Committee is to raise awareness of and engage the public in learning about human rights, including violations thereof, through educational programs and activities in accordance with the purpose of the San Francisco Chapter of the United Nations Association.

UNA-SF holds an annual event to celebrate Human Rights Day, which has included renowned speakers and celebrities. This year we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with an exciting series of events addressing Human Rights, the SDGs, and Climate Change.

Human Rights and the UN

The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN Charter, making the concept an important guiding principle of the United Nations.

In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) introduced the human rights concept into the corpus of international law. Since then, the United Nations has worked to protect human rights through legal instruments, activities, and organizations, including The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, The Human Rights Council, Human Rights Treaties, and Special Procedures.

For a brief overview of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, please see this informative booklet.