Human Rights Day, observed annually on the 10th of December (along with Namibia Women’s Day), marks the moment the world formally acknowledged the fundamental dignity of every human being. Yet, as we reflect on this anniversary, it is impossible to ignore the persistent, systemic challenges that continue to deny these essential rights across the globe.
We see this in the widespread realities of environmental injustice, where marginalised communities disproportionately suffer from climate change and pollution. We see it in the persistence of systematic inequalities that limit access to opportunity based on gender, race, or background. These are not abstract failings; they are direct violations of the right to health, the right to a clean environment, and the right to live free from discrimination.
The everyday essentials under threat
The 2025 UN campaign, “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials”, calls on us to recognise that rights are not luxuries for the privileged; they are the absolute minimum required for a dignified life. These essentials, which the campaign champions, are being destabilised by a lack of global action, most critically, the climate crisis and environmental degradation.
The essentials that demand our immediate attention include:
- A right to a clean environment and health: This is fundamentally threatened by air and water pollution, which impacts public health. The changing climate also contributes to the spread of infectious diseases, making this right increasingly precarious.
- A right to sustainable food and water security: Droughts, extreme weather, and land degradation—all exacerbated by the climate crisis—directly threaten agricultural yields and water supplies, turning this basic right into a daily struggle for millions.
- A right to security and safety: Environmental damage often leads to resource scarcity and forced migration, increasing community instability and conflict. When people are displaced by climate events, their right to a secure life is immediately undermined.
- A right to education and economic opportunity: When families are forced to cope with the immediate impacts of environmental disasters or poverty, educational and economic opportunities are often the first things to be sacrificed, perpetuating the cycle of inequality.
These are the realities against which The Community Revolution was founded. Our mission is built upon the powerful idea that human rights are positive, essential, and attainable principles that demand a practical, sustainable response.
Our values: How TCR makes rights an everyday reality
The Community Revolution’s work is a direct response to making human rights an everyday essential for all. Our organisational values are specifically designed to address the deep-seated issues that compromise human rights:
- Sustainability: We view a right to life as inseparable from a right to a Sustainable existence. Our non-negotiable commitment is to address environmental injustice by developing long-term, positive impact solutions, such as regenerative agriculture to secure sustainable food systems, and initiatives to eliminate energy poverty. This is how we uphold the fundamental right to a safe, healthy environment.
- Diversity and inclusion: This value compels us to actively challenge systematic inequalities by ensuring fair treatment and dignity for all. We specifically focus on empowering groups facing exclusion, including young people, women, and migrant communities, through representative projects and inclusive practices.
- Empowerment: This is the core of our approach to making rights attainable. Our capacity building programmes—in digital, financial, and food literacy—are designed to enable individuals to realise their potential and become the active drivers of meaningful change in their own lives and communities.
Action-oriented leadership: Your role in the revolution
Making human rights an everyday essential is not a passive task—it demands action. Our value of Leadership is a collective commitment to drive the systematic changes required to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and wider economic and social justice. Volunteering with TCR is a commitment to this action-centred leadership:
- Driving Impact: Every activity is results-oriented, focused on delivering tangible, positive outcomes for beneficiaries. We use rigorous impact measurement to ensure our efforts are genuinely improving lives.
- Teamwork: Our value of Collaboration ensures that success is co-created with beneficiary communities, partners, and internal multidisciplinary teams, making every voice essential to the solution.
We have a variety of roles available, from digital communications to project delivery, that directly contribute to realising our mission.
Join the movement: Make human rights your daily commitment
This Human Rights Day, move from perspective to direct participation. If you believe human rights are truly everyday essentials, positive and attainable, we urge you to join us. Your skills, passion, and commitment are exactly what the community needs to co-create sustainable solutions.
Ready to make human rights your daily commitment?
- Find your purpose and volunteer with us today: Volunteering with Us webpage
- Explore our current volunteer roles TCR: Volunteer roles
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