2011 has been an incredible year for human rights. People worldwide, from the Arab Street to Wall Street, have taken an unprecedented stand for their basic human rights and dignity. That's why the United Nations has declared "Celebrate Human Rights" as the theme of the upcoming International Human Rights Day, commemorated this Saturday, December 10.

International Human Rights Day marks the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was passed on this date in 1948. The declaration is accepted by virtually all nations and includes 30 articles that establish a broad range of essential rights that all people are entitled to. It happens to be the most translated document in the world, written in 382 languages. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and U.N. offices throughout the world are hosting events to celebrate the anniversary.

On Thursday, October 6, 2011 the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) conducted the Insights to Action: Solutions to Child Marriage event highlighting an international crime issue that has been plaguing our global community for decades.  Child marriage is a harmful traditional practice that denies 10 million girls a year their rights to health, education and security.  Every day, more than 25,000 girls are married before they turn 18, with little if any say in the decision.  That's 19 girls a minute denied their voice.  Insights To action: Solutions to Child Marriage by the International Center for Research on Women exposed a problem swept under the rug by the global community for years.  In recent years, national and international communities have begun to increasingly recognize child marriage as a serious issue, as it is a violation of girls' human rights and is a hindrance to key development outcomes.  The highest rates of child marriage

David Shorr, a program officer at the Stanley Foundation and co-editor of Bridging the Foreign Policy Divide project, wrote a blog on Care 2 yesterday about Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's anti-U.N. bill. David quoted Citizens for Global Solution's Chief Executive Officer Don Kraus' apt sports analogy on the common sense of punishing the U.N. as an institution for the actions of some member states saying,

"But the main problem is this: it is an attempt to punish a diplomatic venue for a vote taking place there. Don captured the essential fallacy with the following sports analogy: 'Funding for the United Nations should not be cut based on the actions of some of its members.  It’s like blaming Madison Square Garden for the Knicks losing a game.'"

The text of Ros-Lehtinen's outrageous bill can be viewed here. Stay tuned for more details we get closer to action being taken on the bill.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced an extreme bill, H.R. 2829, that holds U.N. funding, as well as U.S. leadership, prestige, and influence at the U.N., hostage if her outrageous demands aren't met.  Ros-Lehtinen is willing to sacrifice the benefits of U.S. leadership at the U.N. right at a time when the U.S. is successfully promoting its national security and foreign policy priorities on the world stage.