Why South Africans commemorate Human Rights Day

Today, March 21, is a public holiday known in South Africa as Human Rights Day and according to the South African government, Human Rights Day is ‘to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in South Africa and to reflect on the progress made in promoting and protecting human rights.

On March 21, 1960, the communities of two townships, Sharpeville and Langa, like many others across the country, embarked on a protest march against the then-pass laws.

According to the government, 69 demonstrators were gunned down by the then-apartheid police.

The tragedy came to be known as the Sharpeville Massacre and was said to have exposed the apartheid government’s violation of human rights to the world.

As a result, the democratic (post-1994) government declared March 21 to be ‘Human Rights Day’ to commemorate and honour those who fought for liberation and the rights many enjoy today.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) was launched on March 21, 1996 – 36 years after the fateful events of the Sharpeville Massacre.

The commission aims to promote respect for human rights, promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights, and monitor and assess the observance of human rights in South Africa.

The government said the constitution is the ultimate protector of every citizen’s human rights, which were previously denied to most people under apartheid.

Click here to see your rights as enshrined in the constitution.