International Human Rights Day Observed in Newfoundland and Labrador

Tomorrow marks 63 years that people across the world have celebrated and observed International Human Rights Day with the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year’s theme is Celebrate Human Rights.

“Our Provincial Government believes that discrimination in any form is wrong and that every Newfoundlander and Labradorian has the right to be free from discrimination,” said the Honourable Felix Collins, Minister of Justice and Attorney General. “We have worked diligently through the proclamation of the new Human Rights Act to ensure that the rights and dignity of everyone are upheld and protected.”

In 2010, the Provincial Government introduced and proclaimed the new Human Rights Act. Previously, the province had a Human Rights Code which needed to be updated with modernized language to reflect the changing ideals and attitudes of society. The act includes new grounds of discrimination and an expanded definition of discrimination to increase the protections afforded to people who wish to make a complaint. It also includes an improved procedure for the processing of complaints with the Human Rights Commission.

“Our government recognizes the important work the Human Rights Commission does every day to protect the rights and freedoms of our society,” said Minister Collins. “Along with improvements made through the new Human Rights Act, the Provincial Government invests over $1 million annually for the continued operation and proactive work of the Human Rights Commission.”

Building on the new act, the Human Rights Commission launched a new website in the last year that includes new guidelines written in plain language. Anyone interested in the Human Rights Commission can visit www.justice.gov.nl.ca/hrc.

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Media contact:
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca

2011 12 09                               10:40 a.m.