Discrimination
Updated: December 10, 2021
Vancouver B.C. – What does the next generation of British Columbians think about equal rights? BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (BCOHRC) is celebrating International Human Rights Day 2021 with a heartwarming new video featuring elementary school students.
In the two-minute short, a diverse group of young students share artwork and ideas about this year’s Human Rights Day theme—equality—and demonstrate their thoughtfulness, creativity and enthusiasm for building a more equitable world.
“Equality is important to me: A Human Rights Day video” is now available to watch on BCOHRC’s website at: bchumanrights.ca/equality
“This video is about hope,” said B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender. “One of my key goals as Commissioner is to foster a culture of human rights in our province, not only by shifting laws, policies and practices but also by changing hearts and minds. ‘Equality is important to me’ shows the power and potential of the next generation, and reminds us all that a kinder, more equitable B.C. is within reach.”
“We should all be treated equally because on the inside we’re all the same,” Emily tells us in the video.
“To me it means having equal rights,” Chloe says. “It shouldn’t matter your race, gender, culture, beliefs, money or anything.”
“We should all be included,” adds Sequoia.
International Human Rights Day is observed every year on Dec. 10 to mark the anniversary of the United Nations’ adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inalienable rights of all people and sets international standards. 2021 marks the 73rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration.
This is Govender’s third year celebrating Human Rights Day as B.C.’s Commissioner.
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Media contact
For more information about “Equality is important to me: A Human Rights Day video,” please contact Charlotte Kingston, Director, Communications, at Charlotte.Kingston@bchumanrights.ca or 1-250-216-4534.
Media kit
Download our media kit for images of Commissioner Kasari Govender.
About BCOHRC
BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner exists to address the root causes of inequality, discrimination and injustice in B.C. by shifting laws, policies, practices and cultures. We do this work through education, research, advocacy, inquiry and monitoring. Learn more at: bchumanrights.ca
About the Commissioner
B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, started her five-year term on Sept. 3, 2019. Since then, our Office has been working swiftly to build a strong team, to listen deeply to the concerns of British Columbians, to deliver education materials on our rights and responsibilities, to issue policy guidance to protect marginalized communities and to lay a human rights-based foundation for our work. As an independent officer of the Legislature, the Commissioner is uniquely positioned to ensure human rights in B.C. are protected, respected and advanced on a systemic level throughout our society.
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