International Human Rights Day: Why Emotional Wellbeing Matters as a Human Right

Every year, 10th December marks International Human Rights Day, a global moment to reflect on the rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled. These rights span dignity, freedom, equality, and safety, but one often overlooked aspect is the right to mental and emotional wellbeing. As conversations around mental health continue to evolve, this day offers an important reminder that psychological safety, accessible support, and compassionate care are not privileges; they are fundamental human rights.

For organisations like The Wellbeing Therapy Hut, which is committed to offering affordable counselling and therapy, Human Rights Day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of equitable access to mental health services. Many individuals still face barriers to support — financial, cultural, social, or emotional, and recognising mental health as a human right helps challenge these obstacles.

Mental Health as a Human Right

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and wellbeing. This implicitly includes mental health, though historically it has not been given the same emphasis as physical health. Today, however, the world is increasingly aware that emotional wellbeing is integral to living a life of dignity, connection, and purpose.

Mental health difficulties — whether anxiety, depression, trauma, or stress — do not discriminate. They can affect individuals across all backgrounds, ages, and cultures. Yet stigma, limited resources, and high therapy costs prevent many people from accessing help. Affordable services and non-judgemental support, therefore, play a vital role in ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to seek healing and growth.

How Counselling Supports Human Rights

Counselling can be a transformative experience. It offers space to be heard, understood, and accepted without judgement. In a world where many people feel silenced, overwhelmed, or marginalised, therapy provides a vital avenue for reclaiming one’s voice and sense of worth.

Therapy honours a person’s autonomy and the right to decide, reflect, and make choices about their own life. It supports emotional safety and empowers individuals to overcome challenges that may limit their freedom, self-expression, or relationships. In this way, counselling actively supports the principles that underpin Human Rights Day: dignity, respect, equality, and compassion.

The Person-Centred Approach (PCT): Empowerment at the Heart of Therapy

At The Wellbeing Therapy Hut, many practitioners draw on the Person-Centred Approach (PCT), developed by psychologist Carl Rogers. PCT aligns beautifully with the values celebrated on International Human Rights Day because it is grounded in respect for the individual and the belief that each person has an innate capacity for growth.

Key aspects of PCT include:

• Unconditional Positive Regard

Clients are accepted fully, without judgement or conditions. This affirms one of the core human rights principles: every person is worthy simply because they exist.

• Empathy

The therapist seeks to genuinely understand the client’s world from their perspective. Feeling deeply heard can be profoundly healing, especially for those who have experienced discrimination, shame, or trauma.

• Congruence

Therapists aim to be authentic rather than distant or clinical. This genuine connection can help clients feel safe enough to explore difficult emotions.

By placing the client at the centre, PCT empowers individuals to reconnect with their own strengths, intuition, and sense of self. It emphasises autonomy and self-determination; both deeply aligned with human rights principles.

Why Affordable Therapy Matters

Access to mental health support should never be dependent on wealth. The Wellbeing Therapy Hut was created with this belief at its core: everyone deserves the right to compassionate, professional help. Affordable therapy options help remove financial barriers, making healing more accessible to those who need it most.

On International Human Rights Day, we are reminded that fairness, dignity, and empathy are not abstract values but principles we can actively uphold, including by ensuring mental health care is within reach for all.

If you want to start your therapy journey with us, please book an assessment. If you have any queries, please get in touch.