By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora – PNA
MANILA — The country’s re-election at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), as well as the government programs that empower Filipinos particularly the vulnerable sectors, are a testament to the Philippines’ commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said Monday.
In a reception for the 70th anniversary of the UDHR at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Manalo showcased a photo exhibit that displays the efforts undertaken by government agencies for the past several years.
One of the exhibit’s highlights is equipping persons with disabilities with survival skills in time of disaster, despite the limitation in their physical mobility.
Some photos also show the Armed Forces of the Philippines assisting women and children displaced by the Marawi siege in 2017.
“Altogether, these are just some programs illustrating how the Philippine government is truly a responsible partner in giving life to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” he told dignitaries and envoys present at the event.
Drafted by countries with different legal and cultural backgrounds, the UDHR is considered a “milestone document” in the history of human rights.
In the drafting of the declaration in 1947, Manalo underscored that Manila stood for the underrepresented and the marginalized.
“Today, the Philippines remain a champion for the vulnerable and disadvantaged, leading up to our recent re-election at the UN Human Rights Council,” he said.
The country secured another term as a member of the UNHRC during elections in New York last October, granting it another three-year term in the 47-member Council from 2019 to 2021
