Article 2 “Human rights promotion and protection should be a responsibility for all of us” Commentary Ms. Tuenjai Deetes Ms. Tuenjai Deetes, former senator and activist on the rights of hill tribes, agrees that there is a very strong link between the problem of discrimination and the existence of prejudice. Discrimination affects not only hill tribes but also migrant populations. Those who enter the country in an underprivileged situation are often treated differently. Ms. Deetes explains that according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all human beings are entitled to fundamental rights. Thailand has amended and enacted internal laws and instruments addressing some of the problems being faced by ethnic minority populations in this regard, e.g. the Nationality Law and Public Registry Law, in force since August 2008, subjecting all residents in the Kingdom of Thailand to population surveys, as well as issuing certificates to children who are accompanied by their parents into the country so that they may have an identity. The concrete effects of these steps depend on their effective implementation, she explains. The Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be an occasion to ensure that all human beings are equal in dignity, transcending the issue of national boundaries. Human rights promotion and protection should be a responsibility for all of us, whether we are senators, government officials or citizens. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains nothing more than a document if efforts are not made through collaboration between all sectors in society to make its provisions a reality for all human beings, she says. Ms. Deetes suggests that there is insufficient advocacy work related to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations should work more proactively with partners from different sectors of society so that the Thai people have a better understanding of the Declaration. Our Voices are Heard in Thailand 15