U.S. Council of Organizations

The Council of Organizations of the United Nations Association (COO) joins the United Nations and the international community in commemorating Human Rights Day – the date of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world’s first pledge to protect human rights. The COO members and its partners have not wavered in our commitment to the protections and tenets of the Universal Declaration, nor the principles and goals of the United Nations organization.

Prior to 1948, there had been no universal definition of human rights on the international level. The 18-member Human Rights Commission, chaired by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted on December 10, 1948, a milestone in protecting men and women. The Universal Declaration has stood as the foundation for revolutionary changes in international politics, and a foundational document in declarations of independence as new nations have been created.

The principles and goals of the Millennium Development Goals (2000), the Sustainable Development Goals (2015), the United Nations Pact for the Future (2024) and the Agenda 2030, all have bases in furthering and ensuring the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Although much progress has been made globally, today, we as an international community are faced with many threats to these rights- including political, environmental, economical, medical, and social. However, we know that together, we have the power to confront these injustices: by protecting the institutions that make human rights a lived reality. The COO supports the UN in urging collective action to preserve human rights gains, protect the vulnerable, and safeguard dignity and freedom for all.

The Council of Organizations is committed to continuing to support and work with the United Nations and expand its involvement with civil society and NGOs. The COO plays a critical role in offering opportunities for leaders from the NGO community to develop partnerships with the UN and each other. We commend the great strides that have been achieved since 1948; however, there is still much work to be done to secure human rights nationally and internationally. We still hold true to the Preamble’s declaration that “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” We are committed to continuing to champion and advancing actions and the adoption of key international conventions that further secure and protect human rights for all, now and for future generations.