UN launches human rights poster competition for students

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has initiated a competition for primary and high school students to design a poster to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two landmark international human rights covenants.

The contest is part of a yearlong celebration of the anniversary this year of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is intended for students of primary and secondary schools between the ages of five and 18, and its deadline is 8 February 2016, the UN press office in Cairo said in a statement on Tuesday.

To mark the anniversary of the two major international treaties, OHCHR kicked off a campaign on Human Rights Day last month under the slogan "Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always." It will run through 10 December this year. These two covenants, along with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, form the International Bill of Human Rights and are among the oldest international human rights laws in the world.

The competition is a way of encouraging children to learn about human rights in an entertaining way. The poster competition revolves around the theme of freedom: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. These freedoms are as relevant today as they were when the Covenants were adopted in 1966.

The competition is open to school-age children in two categories: primary school (ages 5-11) and secondary school (ages 12-18). A poster from each category will be selected for use in the Two Covenants Campaign. The contest is open to all schools, including vocational training institutions and any special schools.

Entries will be judged on the basis of their interpretation and clarity of theme, creativity and originality, and overall impressions of art. Winning posters will be printed and disseminated as part of the campaign and may also be used to illustrate other communication materials. Winners will be included in an online art gallery showcasing the work and entries of the competition.

The regional office of OHCHR in Beirut and the United Nations Information Centre in Cairo ask the media, partners and other interested parties to kindly assist in spreading the word about this stimulating competition for youths in the region and beyond. Entries should be submitted to Yara Sharif, Public Information Officer, by email (ysharif@ohchr.org) no later than 1 February 2016.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): The principal United Nations office mandated to promote and protect human rights for all. OHCHR leads global human rights efforts and speaks out objectively in the face of human rights violations worldwide. It provides a forum for identifying, highlighting and developing responses to human rights challenges, and acts as the principal focal point of human rights research, education, public information, and advocacy activities in the United Nations system.

Source: MENA