On Monday, the Institute of Global Politics hosted esteemed guests, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Bachelet, Frank Mugisha, Maria Ressa, and Allida Black to celebrate and discuss the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its relevance today. 

On Monday, October 23, Hillary Clinton moderated the Making Human Rights Come Alive panel as a discussion on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Hosted by the Institute of Global Politics (IGP), the panelists discussed the new relevance of the UDHR in today’s challenges to human rights. The guests were Michelle Bachelet, Allida Black, Frank Mugisha, and Maria Ressa. Karen Yarhi-Milo,  Columbia’s School of International School of International and Public Affairs and member of the IGP’s advisory board, described this as, “a timely and important event,” as “today’s conversation has a sense of urgency, [because] it is in times like this that we must discuss.”

Clinton kicked off the panel by recognizing the UDHR as one of the most “extraordinary documents ever conceived,” and touching on the fact that the document is under fire especially in today’s global conflicts, citing the Israeli-Palestine conflict, the war in Ukraine, and gender apartheid in Iran as examples. She then asked Allida Black, a Distinguished Fellow and Historian from the Rothermere American Institute and Oxford University, about the history of the declaration. First adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 and spearheaded by Eleanor Roosevelt, Black described the UDHR as the “first-ever foundational document of human rights law.” As the outlined definitions of personhood and  “who we are rather than what we are,” Black highlighted that the document has been used as a model for more constitutions and governments than any other document in the world. According to Black, this  remains essential today as “clearly human rights and their protection are under assault everywhere.”

The panel then segued to Michelle Bachelet, the first female president of Chile, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and IGP Distinguished Fellow. Asked by Clinton on how governments can use the UDHR to speak out against oppression, Bachelet highlighted the importance of keeping the document as it is, saying that its revision would be like “opening Pandora’s box,” leading to further polarization globally. Bachelet went on to talk about the importance of accountability under the declaration. When countries ratified the UDHR, they became legally bound to present reports every four to eight years on their nations, making sure they are held accountable for equality in their respective nations. Bachelet talked about a “name and shame policy,” in which governments who are not upholding the UDHR. 

Clinton applauded Bachelet’s point on the idea of “naming and shaming” when she was interrupted by a protester. The man, who was seated in the near front of the audience, claimed to be exercising his right to free speech by calling on the former Secretary of State to denounce President Biden. While Clinton agreed to talk to the protesters after the panel concluded, he continued to demand answers immediately. The panelists appeared horrified but impressed by Clinton’s grace and persistence in asking the man to sit down. However, upon his refusal, he was escorted out of the room by Columbia Public Safety. 

Following the brief incident, the air in the room was quite tense as Clinton asked Frank Mugisha, prominent Ugandan LGBTI+ Rights Advocate and IGP Carnegie Distinguished Fellow, about the abuse of the UDHR today. Mugisha founded Icebreakers Uganda, an organization to help LGBTI+ Ugandans, and now leads SMUG, an umbrella organization of more than 18 organizations promoting gay rights, having been arrested on more than 20 charges for his activist work. As Mugisha shared how he has been threatened multiple times, he emphasized that we “cannot look at homophobia as a problem that is exclusive to the Global South,” but as an issue we must combat in foreign rights policy, as a global community. Mugisha touched on the importance of solidarity and the privilege to speak out. He called on academia, like the IGP and Columbia, to commit to “strong and effective research that debunks misinformation and hatred,” echoing the other panelists’ calls to action. 

The spotlight was then on Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist, Cofounder, CEO, and President of Rappler, and IGP Carnegie Distinguished Fellow, who discussed the danger of misinformation in the case of the UDHR. She delved into the dangerous impacts of technology, AI, and social media in society today. Similar to Mugisha, Ressa has also faced threats for her work, citing that she once received more than 98 hate messages an hour. For Ressa,  technology enables hate and “information warfare,” explaining how, similar to the protestor who dominated the panel during his outburst a few minutes before, technology and social media are often dictated by one person. Technology and AI enable division that leads to further conflict, stating that  “if we are too busy yelling, we are too busy to listen,” and it is “impossible to find common ground.” Similar to the Mugisha and Bacehelt’s calls to action, Ressa highlighted the importance of civic engagement in committing to the UDHR. In this opportune moment, we must combat the “difficult fight of governance, justice, and information,” together. 

As the panel wrapped up, Ressa talked about how “great of a starting point the IGP” is to commit to “building communities of action.” Bachelet echoed this sentiment, touching on how through “optimism we can deliver.” Even 75 years later, the UDHR continues to be both debated and maintained. Despite the global conflicts that persist today, the UDHR’s new relevance that was discussed by the panelists left the audience with shimmers of hope in their eyes, for change and growth as a global community moving towards equality. 

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