What’s Happening in the UNA-OC Human Rights Organization?
At UNA-OC, we are dedicated to promoting human rights through education, awareness, and action. Our goal is to help create a world of informed and responsible global citizens who understand the importance of human rights and actively work to uphold and protect them.
Why This Matters
We often hear about human rights in the news, but how well do we truly understand them? Why is it so important to know what our rights are? If we don’t know, how can we protect them for ourselves and others?
That’s why we start with the basics, raising awareness about human rights as the foundation of dignity, equality, and justice for all. They shape our lives and impact our quality of life every day. Imagine a community where everyone knows their rights and responsibilities; in such a place, people confidently stand against injustice, support each other, and contribute to civic life. This is our vision.
Through our programs, we build awareness and engagement that creates positive change. Every post, story, and initiative is a step toward this goal. When people are informed, they can take action; when they act, they inspire others to do the same.
Content and Programs
All our programs are shared regularly on our Instagram and Facebook platforms, making it easy for our followers to stay connected and engaged.
New Visual Update – Color and flyer Coding Introduced in October 2024
To help followers easily recognize the purpose of each post, we use two visual systems introduced in October 2024 — color borders for single posts and flyer designs for series and campaigns.
Color Border (for single posts): Each border color reflects the tone and goal of the content.
• Dark Blue for #UNAOCCHumanRightsUpdates: Signifies seriousness and responsibility.
• Light Blue for single educational posts as part of #UNAOCCHumanRightsWednesdays: Represents peace and openness for learning.
• Green for #UNAOCCHonorsIntlDays: Symbolizes growth and sustainability, aligning with international observances.
Flyer Coding (for series and campaigns): If a topic or program is shared as a series or campaign, each has its own flyer design and color theme for clarity, consistency, and easy recognition.
1. Human Rights Wednesdays
Hashtag: #UNAOCCHumanRightsWednesdays
Color Border: Light Blue for single posts; Flyer Coding: each series has its own flyer.
Why: We use two visual formats —Light blue for single posts and a distinct flyer design for each series.
Since the beginning, our flyer design has made it easy for followers to track each series.
Every Wednesday on Instagram and Facebook, we share posts that break down the basics of human rights. We began with Foundation Knowledge—introducing key UN documents, main international bodies, and core human rights concepts—and have since expanded to more advanced topics.
Our content is organized into series:
• Series 1 (Light Blue): Decoding Human Rights – covering foundational definitions and bodies.
• Series 2 (Aqua Blue): Civil and Political Rights – exploring ICCPR and 2024 rights trends.
• Series 3 (Orange): Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights – discussing ICESCR and the Committee’s role.
• Series 4 (Red): Human Rights and SDGs – highlighting the relationship between human rights and the SDGs.
• Series 5 (Gray): Human Rights in the 21st Century – addressing key challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing world.
• Series 6 (Purple): Protecting Human Rights in a Multipolar World – focusing on global power shifts and new regional voices rise.
• Series 7 (Green): Human Rights for the Most Vulnerable – spotlight the world’s most vulnerable groups — those whose rights are often overlooked, denied, or placed at risk.
2. Real World Updates
Hashtag: #UNAOCCHumanRightsUpdate
Color Border: Dark Blue for single posts, and a distinct flyer design for each series.
Why: Dark blue represents the serious nature of real-world human rights challenges.
This program focuses on current human rights news worldwide, connecting our audience to the real impact of these issues. We share:
• Key updates on recent developments.
• Examples of successful initiatives to inspire.
• Challenges and educational context to help followers understand the bigger picture.
• Educational Clips that explain major UN sessions and discussions—such as HRC59 and UNGA80—through short, accessible video series with their own flyers.
3. UN International Days and Monthly SDG Themes
Hashtag: #UNAOCCHonorsIntlDays
Color Border: Green
Why: Green aligns with themes of growth, unity, and sustainability that mark these global observances.
For UN International Days, we celebrate and raise awareness of important observances like Human Rights Day. Our posts and clips explain:
• The significance of each day and what it represents.
• The current situation and ways people can get involved in making a difference.
Each month, this category also follows a dedicated SDG theme, highlighting the link between human rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through these monthly themes, we connect global priorities to local awareness and everyday action.
4. Human Rights Campaigns
Hashtag: #UNAOCCHumanRightsCampaigns
Flyer Coding: Each campaign has its own flyer design and color theme.
Our Human Rights Campaigns turn awareness into action. These initiatives connect global human rights goals to everyday life through engaging, student-led campaigns.
• Campaign 2: #30Articles30Days – Journey Through the UDHR
A 30-day journey through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), presenting one article per day with short insights, infographics, and inspiring quotes.
• Campaign 1: #17SDGs17Days – Linking SDGs and Human Rights
A 17-day campaign that connects each Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to human rights, showing how every goal reflects people’s rights and responsibilities in daily life.
5. Internship Program
Our Internship Program offers students a chance to work directly with us on human rights advocacy projects. Students from Chapman, UCI, Soka, and other universities gain hands-on experience by contributing to campaigns, creating educational content, and assisting with special projects such as our Human Rights Campaigns and the Mother Earth Day clip shared on Instagram and Facebook.
If you’re passionate about human rights and want to get involved with projects like these, reach out—we’re always looking for collaborators!
6. Events
Events bring our human rights work to life by connecting education with community action.
UNA-OC Human Rights hosts and participates in events that promote learning, dialogue, and civic engagement. Our annual highlights include:
• Human Rights Day Celebration: Featuring panels, performances, and exhibits to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and raise awareness of current issues.
• UN Day Gala: Celebrating the United Nations’ anniversary and recognizing leaders advancing peace, sustainability, and human rights.
• Community Workshops and Youth Forums: Interactive spaces for students and community members to explore human rights and the SDGs in action.
Each event reflects our mission to educate, engage, and empower—turning global goals into local impact.
Impact
By providing clear and accessible information, UNA-OC Human Rights empowers individuals to take action, confront injustice, and inspire others. Our work demonstrates that human rights are not just abstract principles—they are the foundation of a better life and a more equitable world. Through our programs, we cultivate the next generation of human rights defenders—young leaders dedicated to building a world where equality, freedom, and justice are lived realities for all.
Integrating Human Rights and the SDGs
Human rights and the SDGs are deeply interconnected. The 2030 Agenda commits to upholding human rights for all through equality and non-discrimination. By integrating human rights into our initiatives, we ensure that no one is left behind. As we reflect on the mission of the United Nations, we are reminded that over 90% of the SDG targets are directly linked to human rights—advancing one means advancing both. What we do locally is part of a global movement: a movement for a world where dignity, equality, and justice are the birthright of every person.
Contact Us
For questions, collaboration, or to learn more about our programs, reach out to:
Sara Balkh, PhD of International Law
Human Rights Ambassador
sarabalkh@una-oc.org
Together, we are stronger—building a world where human rights and dignity guide every action.
“We are once again at a crossroads. We must choose the harder path—to prove we can be better together.”