Zero Discrimination Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st March to celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life and to live with dignity and free from discrimination.
The day is annually celebrated by the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations
- The symbol of Zero Discrimination Day is a “Butterfly”, which is widely recognized as a sign of transformation.
- The theme of Zero Discrimination Day 2022 is “Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower”.
Aim:
To promote equality before the law and in practice throughout all of the member countries of the UN.
Significance:
The day marks the importance of living life with dignity regardless of income, sex, age, health status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, drug use, gender identity race, class, ethnicity and religion.
Background:
i.On 1st December 2013 (World AIDS Day), the UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)/Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and Nobel Peace Prize Winner and UNAIDS Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination Aung San Suu Kyi launched the #zerodiscrimination campaign calling for a global transformation.
ii.On 27th February 2014, then Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, launched the Zero Discrimination Day at an event in Beijing, China.
- The first Zero Discrimination Day was observed across the globe on 1st March 2014.
Zero Discrimination Day 2022:
i.On the occasion of Zero Discrimination Day 2022, UNAIDS highlights the need to take action against discriminatory laws, that result in people being treated differently, excluded from essential services or being subject to undue restrictions on how they live their lives.
ii.World Health Organisation(WHO) highlights the right of all people to live healthy, full and productive lives with dignity regardless of their HIV, viral hepatitis or sexually transmitted infections status.
About Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS):
Executive Director– Winnie Byanyima
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
