THE Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) is set to launch its new six-year strategic plan (2025-2030) during International Human Rights Day celebrations scheduled for December 10 this year.

The event marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, which outlined 30 fundamental rights to which every individual is entitled without discrimination based on race, nationality, gender, religion, politics, opinions, nation of origin, property, birth, or any other status.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, LHRC's Executive Director Dr Anna Henga announced the start of the celebrations yesterday. She stated that the event aims to highlight challenges in implementing human rights under the theme ‘Reducing Inequality and Promoting Human Rights’.

She noted that the celebration coincides with a high-level international summit held at the United Nations headquarters in New York in September, where leaders reached a global agreement on how to improve the current state of human rights worldwide and protect the collective future of all nations.

Dr Henga explained that during the celebrations, LHRC will be concluding its previous six-year strategic plan (2019-2024) with a series of events aimed at reducing inequality and promoting human rights in Tanzania.

Leading up to the celebrations, LHRC will organize student art competitions to nurture talent, raise awareness and motivate young people in matters of human rights and advocacy in the country. The organization will also offer legal aid to those in need, especially women, by setting up legal assistance camps in various areas of Dar es Salaam.

Additionally, LHRC will use social media to disseminate content aimed at raising public awareness and engaging various stakeholders on how to improve human rights implementation in Tanzania with focus on equality.

Deogratius Bwire, Director of Capacity Building and Accountability at LHRC, said that the centre has made significant progress, particularly in raising public awareness about human rights issues. He noted that citizens have become more informed about reporting acts of violence, harassment and other abuses, a marked improvement compared to the past when such incidents were often ignored.

"All of this is a result of extensive education LHRC has provided to various groups of people and we are proud of the increased awareness among citizens," he said.