When the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948, it was a revolutionary moment. For the first time in history, all nations came together to agree on a common set of human rights standards, applicable to all human beings, everywhere.  The Declaration emphasised rights and freedoms that were universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and inalienable, and recognised the equality, dignity and worth of every person. On Saturday, 10 December, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will launch a year-long campaign to promote and recognise the 75th anniversary of the Declaration, which will be celebrated on 10 December 2023.  The campaign will focus on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a unifying force and its potential to transform lives, bring peace, and build consensus by focusing on its legacy, relevance and activism. The slogan is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.”  In South Africa, 10 December also marks the signing into law of the country’s Constitution. This commemorative convergence was a global symbol by Nelson Mandela.  He chose to sign the Constitution into law on International Human Rights Day to show that just as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights emerged out of two brutal world wars, the South African Constitution could be a uniting force as the country emerged out of a dark and violent past. The Declaration has stood the test of time Since the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, human rights have advanced. We know that human rights are the catalyst to progress because they have already shown their potential. The rights of women, children, young people, persons with disabilities and migrants have been inscribed in law and discrimination has been challenged. Large swathes of the world are no longer under colonial rule and repressive regimes.  The Declaration embodies the values of many globally revered icons who have fought for social justice. It has inspired social movements for stronger human rights protection.  In the 48 years between the adoption of the Declaration and the signing of the South African Constitution into law, the Declaration galvanised millions of its people to continue to fight against racism and colonialism and to stand for freedom and equality.  The universality of the rights in the declaration was evident in those fighting against the apartheid regime in South Africa. They were part of a global movement for freedom and justice. The Freedom Charter, which greatly influenced the Constitution, took inspiration from the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, South Africa’s Constitution is internationally acclaimed as one of the most progressive in the world and its Bill of Rights is a near mirror image of the declaration. A beacon of light The promise of the Declaration, of dignity and equality in rights, is under attack. The climate crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing conflicts, economic instability, misinformation, racial injustice, rising inequality and global setbacks on women’s rights are all challenges that require us to reorient ourselves with the Declaration.  Many people are exasperated and have lost faith in programmes and policies and the perceived inaction of governments and institutions that are meant to protect human rights.  Guided by the Declaration, we need to renew the social contract between governments and the people and within societies. The values inherent in the Declaration will help us rebuild trust and embrace a common agenda on the road to a just and sustainable development. The Declaration an enabler of activism  New movements, young activists and bold leaders continue to challenge the status quo and rekindle the spirit of the Declaration, with new ideas to protect and promote human rights.  The Declaration remains an enabler of activism. The articles of the Declaration find expression in the #MeToo and #TotalShutDown movement’s fight against gender-based violence and femicide; the call for radical climate action to protect the environment and livelihoods; the demands by young people for improved service delivery and dignified living conditions; and the unwavering conviction of human rights defenders who risk their lives for others.   Emboldened by our solidarity and common purpose, we must continue to work together to give the Declaration new life and to realise the fast-approaching target for 2030 sustainable development goals.  Today, as the sun sets on the 25th anniversary year of South Africa’s Constitution that has established a society based on democratic values, it rises on 75 years of the Declaration that was, is and will become a torchbearer of equality, freedom, and dignity for generations to come.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the South African Constitution are proof that it is within our power as humans to solve the greatest crises of our time if our solutions are rooted in human rights. Let dignity, freedom and justice reign.  Abigail Noko is the regional representative for Southern Africa at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. As published by Mail & Guardian: 10 December marks two anniversaries: South Africa’s Constitution and Universal Declaration of Human Rights - The Mail & Guardian (mg.co.za) 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Nelson Muffuh of Cameroon as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in South Africa, with the host Government’s approval. He takes up his post on 1 December.    Nelson Muffuh brings more than 20 years of experience in international relations and negotiations, political and development issues at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, regional and country levels.   Prior to his appointment as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Nelson Muffuh served as Chief of Staff and Principal Strategic Adviser to the UN Deputy Secretary-General since 2017. He led the overall management and guidance of staff, focusing on the acceleration of systemwide and whole-of-society efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on the repositioning the UN development system and strengthening the Resident Coordinators system.   As lead strategic adviser and policy coordinator on sustainable development political and partnerships interventions, Mr. Muffuh helped shape and advance the UN’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, advocate and organize summits on the SDGs, Financing for Development, and Climate Action. He was instrumental in convening and coordinating the efforts of launching the Spotlight Initiative on violence against women and girls, the Decade of Action for the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and the Global Crisis Response Group to address the impacts on food, energy, and finance due to the war in Ukraine. Prior to this, Mr. Muffuh led and coordinated stakeholder engagement, outreach, and global strategic partnerships efforts to inform the post-2015 development policy process, whose outcome was the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its accompanying SDGs to succeed the Millennium Development Goals.   Nelson Muffuh started his UN career with the UN Development Programme-UN Millennium Campaign, then UN Population Fund in Africa, where he acquired extensive experience in programme management, multistakeholder collaborative interventions, partnerships and communications, as well as advocacy and mobilization.   Before that, he served as a Senior Programme and Advocacy Advisor for Christian Aid, and Programme Coordinator for the African Liberal Network-Westminster Foundation for Democracy and Transparency International Secretariat.       Mr. Muffuh studied political science and international relations at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, and development cooperation at Sussex University, United Kingdom.   He is married and has two children.  

As the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, I believe the international community should view this day as a success story. After all, we have gotten to this point because people are living longer, fewer women are dying giving birth, childhood mortality has declined, and healthcare systems are getting better. While many have used this milestone in population growth—and every other before it—to focus on the climate crisis and other challenges the world faces, let us instead focus on the opportunities. No demographic trend is solely bad or good, and with the right investments, sound policies, and advance planning, governments can empower every person in their population to achieve a good quality of life. At UNFPA, we help countries unlock this potential by helping them understand their changing demographics, project their future population, and devise policies that build healthy and inclusive societies, with a focus on ensuring rights and choices for all. Let us address the topic most fundamental to our growing population—reproductive health and rights. Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended and more than 250 million women do not want to become pregnant, but are not using modern contraception. Yet, in our research and programmes we see firsthand that providing every person with access to safe, voluntary family planning is one of the best investments a country can make. Access to contraceptives not only prevents unintended pregnancies and lowers maternal death rates, it also reduces poverty and helps people complete their education. These benefits pay dividends to the development of countries’ economies and social structures. In fact, some estimate that the long-term socioeconomic benefits of achieving universal access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, would yield returns of $120 for every dollar invested. When we invest in family planning, we’re investing in girls’ futures. Teaching adolescents about their reproductive health and options improves their long-term health outcomes and lowers their chance of pregnancy and childbirth complications—the leading cause of death among adolescent girls. Together, knowledge and access to reproductive health services benefit all areas of girls’ lives, from their education to their level of autonomy in the household. Let’s plan for a future in which all 8 billion of us can fulfil our potential. By prioritizing the issues that impact the most vulnerable, we can support those bearing the brunt of the world’s most pressing challenges. In our increasingly unequal world, we need to invest in people and the promise they hold – irrespective of their gender, race, nationality or creed. When we do, a future in which all 8 billion of us can thrive will be within our grasp. * The views expressed in this blog are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UN DESA.

On October 31st, Eskom, South Africa’s national power utility closed the Komati coal-fired Power Station, in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa.  At first glance, the closing of a 56-year-old coal fired power plant may not appear particularly notable.  But this is not just worthy of attention, it is historic. With this closing, the Government of South Africa has begun implementation of its Just Transition Framework that will shift the country from heavy dependence on coal for energy generation towards renewables. Komati will be the first coal fired power plant in the country’s history to be decommissioned, with several more expected to follow in the coming years, in line with South Africa’s goal of becoming a low carbon and resilient economy. Further, the Government plans to repurpose the site of the plant for renewable energy generation and to do all this while making sure workers and the impacted communities have access to new opportunities. This historic move came after extensive consultations with stakeholders, reflecting the spirit of the   country’s Just Transition Framework, and places equal importance on the transition to lower carbon technologies and the ability to do so in a manner that is just and sustainable. The decommissioning of the coal-fired plant will result in reduced carbon emissions and the improvement of ambient air quality in the vicinity of the plant. The power plant will be converted to a renewable generation site powered with 150MW of solar, 70MW of wind and 150MW of storage batteries, thereby continuing to put the site and its associated transmission infrastructure into good use and to provide economic opportunities to the community. South Africa is a country that has been heavily impacted by climate change and its agriculture, cities, infrastructure, and most importantly, people, have been affected by rising temperatures and variable rainfall, resulting in recurring droughts, floods, and heatwaves. The country is already heating at twice the global average, while droughts and flooding have been increasing in intensity and frequency in main urban centers and agricultural areas, affecting the poor and the most vulnerable. In support of this important transition, the World Bank approved financial support to Eskom’s Just Energy Transition Project (EJETP). The $497 million project will support Eskom to decommission, repurpose and create new opportunities for the impacted people of Mpumalanga province, which has 12 of South Africa’s coal fired power plants and the 83% of South Africa’s coal production. I visited Mpumalanga in September and met with the Region’s Premier, Refilwe Tsipane. We discussed the governments Just Transition Framework to reduce the economy’s heavy reliance on coal and improve the health and livelihoods of the local people. It was heartwarming to hear about the Premier’s level of engagement in the plans to diversify the Mpumalanga economy away from coal with the people of the province at the center of these plans. Achieving a just energy transition requires increased competition in strategic sectors, including those dominated by state-owned enterprises, a more flexible labor market, and improvements in fiscal and financial policies. The World Bank Group is committed to working alongside governments to address climate change, aligned with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement, and is offering technical advice to countries via our new diagnostic tool, Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs). CCDRs are developed in consultation with governments and key stakeholders at the local level. They analyze the connection between climate and development policies and identify concrete priority actions that support countries’ development goals and ambitions set out in their National Determined Contributions (NDCs).  The EJETP project aligns with the country’s Just Transition Framework and our newly released CCDR for South Africa. The recommendations include the finding that South Africa can deliver an effective response to climate change risks, without undermining its socioeconomic goals, and can achieve its development and climate goals by embracing a “triple transition” that is low-carbon, climate-resilient and just. Urgent action on adaptation will help the country build resilience to changing climate patterns, particularly in the coastal cities, agricultural provinces, and underdeveloped peri-urban areas of the main metropolitan centers. Immediate action in this regard requires increased financing that is still materializing at too slow a pace. Scaled up financing commitments are urgently needed to close the gaps in climate actions that will create diverse economic opportunities for millions of people. At COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh this week, African voices must be the cornerstone for climate action and solutions. South Africa’s leadership on the decommissioning of the Komati coal-fired plant could serve as a model for future projects, in the country and around the world. The example of Komati demonstrates what is possible with country ambition, leadership, well-timed investments, and external financial support in order to transition our countries to more inclusive, resilient, and low-carbon economies. Published by The World Bank