Representatives from the Cambodian government and civil society organizations, including trade unions, observed Human Rights Day on December 10 to promote fundamental freedoms that will bring peace and sustainable development.

The December 10 International Human Rights Day marks a historic event in which the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. December 10, 2022 is the 74th anniversary of International Human Rights Day.

To commemorate the day, the Cambodia Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) released a more than 5-minute video on human rights on social media platforms. The video quoted Prime Minister Hun Sen addressing the 41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council on 4 June 2019, saying that Cambodia is a country that had gone through a regime that did not give any rights to the people and Cambodia really needs all rights.

He added that for this reason, the Cambodian government has vowed to promote and protect human rights.

“We clearly understand that respect for human rights, the promotion of fundamental freedoms, sticking to the principles of liberal democracy and pluralism and upholding the rule of law, as well as building these foundations in society, will bring peace, stability, harmony and prosperity, sustainable social justice as well as contributing to sustainable and inclusive development,” he continued.

At the same time, representatives from communities and associations and trade union federations and NGOs celebrated the 74th anniversary of International Human Rights Day on December 10 at Freedom Park in Chraing Chamreh commune of Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district.

The 2022 Human Rights Day was held with the theme “Guaranteeing political rights to promote citizens' participation in deciding the fate of the nation under the principles of liberal democracy and pluralism and the rule of law.”

The CCHR also highlighted important milestones in the chronicle of human rights, releasing leaflets on the human rights chronology from January to December 2022.