Friday 10 December 2021

International Human Rights Day 2021: EQUALITY - Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.

 


“Where, after all, do the universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. […] Unless these rights have meaning there, they will have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for the progress in the larger world” - Eleanor Roosevel

In 1945, the Second World War came to an end. It is estimated that over 70-85 million people perished. At the time that was just over 3% of the world’s total population. Devastated by the event, 51 countries pledged that they would never want a repeat of such mass destruction ever again. They came together and formed what is now known as The United Nations. Following their pledge to international peace and security, they realised the importance of the security of the individual. Many atrocities had taken place during the war including mass killings, atomic bombings, torture cases and genocides. In a bid to never repeat such “barbarous acts which […] outraged the conscience of mankind”, Eleanor Roosevelt was tasked to chair the Commission on Human Rights which drafted what became known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

December 10th marks Human Rights Day. On this day the whole world celebrates  one of the greatest  accomplishments of the last century, by resolution 217 A(III) of 1947 the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.in 1948 was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. With the principles having been borrowed from the Code Napoleon, the Universal Declaration became the cornerstone document for Constitutionalism in the 20th Century. 

Today it seems unimaginable that the world could ever have existed in a time where human rights were not the foundation of the social contract.. The Declaration set out, for the first time in history, those fundamental human rights that Governments all over the world undertook to respect, protect and promote. .In 1950, the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V), inviting all States and interested organizations to observe 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.

 And ever since that auspicious day it has stood as the first major stride forward in ensuring that the rights of every human across the globe are protected. From the most basic human needs such as food, shelter, and water, all the way up to access to free and uncensored information, such has been the goals and ambitions laid out that day.

The Declaration proclaims a simple, yet powerful idea :

 "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,"  "They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

These rights are the birthright of all people: it does not matter, what country we live in and even who we are. Because we are human, we have these rights; and Governments are bound to protect them. They are not a reward for good behaviour, nor they are optional or the privilege of a few- they are inalienable  entitlements of all people, at all times- regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. And because they are universal, they are also matters of legitimate concern; and  standing  up for them is a responsibility that binds us all.

 It is the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages.  When the General Assembly adopted the Declaration, with 48 states in favor and eight abstentions, it was proclaimed as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", towards which individuals and societies should "strive by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance".

Although the Declaration with its broad range of political, civil, social, cultural and economic rights is not a binding document, it inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights. It has helped shape human rights all over the world.

Today the general consent of all United Nations Member States on the basic Human Rights laid down in the Declaration makes it even stronger and emphasizes the relevance of Human Rights in our daily lives.The High Commissioner for Human Rights, as the main United Nations rights official, plays a major role in coordinating efforts for the yearly observation of Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Day reminds us that there is much to be done  and around the world to protect those who cannot voice or respond to perpetrated discrimination and violence caused by governments, vigilantes, and individual actors. In many instances, those who seek to divide people for subjective means and for totalitarian reasons do so around the globe without fear of retribution. Violence, or the threat of violence, perpetrated because of differences in a host of physical and demographic contrasts and dissimilarities is a blight on our collective humanity now and a danger for our human future.

Human Rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to live your life. They should never be taken away, these basic rights are based on values such as dignity, fairness, equality, respect and independence. But human rights are not just abstract concepts, they are defined and protected by law.

The aim of Human Rights Day is to raise awareness around the world of our inalienable rights – rights to basic needs such as water, food, shelter and decent working conditions. In the UK we are protected by the Human Rights Act 1998, however in other countries, especially developing countries, the laws are not in place to protect people and to ensure that their basic needs are met.

For millions of people, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still just a dream.Many people around the world are still denied the most basic of human rights on a daily basis. Women’s rights are still repeatedly denied and marginalised throughout the globe, despite 70 years of the milestone declaration on human rights. Confronted with widespread gender-based violence, hate and discrimination, women’s well-being and ability to live full and active lives in society are being seriously challenged. 

Racism, xenophobia and intolerance are still  problems prevalent in all societies, and discriminatory practices are widespread, particularly regarding the  targeting of migrants and refugees. including in rich countries where men, women and children who have committed no crime are often held in detention for prolonged periods. They are frequently discriminated against by landlords, employers and state-run authorities, and stereotyped and vilified by some political parties, media organizations and members of the public.

Many other groups face discrimination to a greater or lesser degree. Some of them are easily definable such as persons with disabilities, stateless people, gays and lesbians, members of particular castes and the elderly. Others may span several different groups and find themselves discriminated against on several different levels as a result.

Those who are not discriminated against often find it hard to comprehend the suffering and humiliation that discrimination imposes on their fellow individual human beings. Nor do they always understand the deeply corrosive effect it has on society at large.

The Human Rights Act is currently under attack, with the UK’s Justice Secretary having indicated, in the past, that he does not support the Human Rights Act and does not believe in economic and social rights,. As part of its efforts to hide from accountability and make itself untouchable, the Government has announced it will ‘overhaul’ our Human Rights Act.
 
Human rights are about values we all hold dear: dignity, fairness, equality. And the Human Rights Act makes our rights real. It places obligations on public authorities to respect our rights and gives ordinary people the power to enforce those rights in British courts if they don’t.
 
But the Government wants to ‘overhaul’ the Act that protects us all from the State and keeps power in check.  
The only people who benefit from weakening human rights are those in power. And that is a government that is systematically attempting to shut down all avenues of accountability. Its attack on the Human Rights Act is not an isolated incident. Its Policing Bill will criminalise protesters who dare stand up to power. Its plans for voter ID will stop people getting to the polling booth. 
 
And its Judicial Review Bill will make it harder for people to challenge the Government’s unlawful actions in court – and make it so that even winning your case won’t be worthwhile.
The Government is re-writing the rules to make itself untouchable.
 
Priti Patel's Racist cruel and hateful, anti-refugee bill  will criminalise refugees and the Bill will  see 2 out of 3 women & children who have been accepted by the UK as refugees turned away in the future, It will  give the UK Government the ability to strip individuals of their British citizenship without warning, and the UK Government would be exempt from giving notice to people if it is deemed not “reasonably practicable” to do so, or if it is in the interests of national security, diplomatic relations or the wider public interest.
 
Critics are warning the Bill is too draconian, giving Home Secretary Patel too much power over people’s lives and sends the the message that certain citizens, despite being born and brought up in the UK and having no other home, remain migrants in this country. 
 
Asylum seekers could soon face renewal on their claim every 30 months, while being subjected to the “no recourse to public funds” condition, preventing them from accessing social security services.
Campaigners have warned it risks asylum seekers falling in and out of being documented, increasing their chances of destitution.
 
The Refugee Council said: 
 
“This new approach flies in the face of the Refugee Convention, which states that the status of an asylum claim should not be dependent on the mode of entry into a country.
“It will create a group of vulnerable, precarious people, unable to plan for their futures in the UK or start to integrate. They will also have limited family reunion rights so will be kept apart from their children and spouses.
“This cruel approach will not stop people arriving in the UK. It will, however, cost more as people will be waiting in limbo for months before their claim is heard, or as they cruelly move through the court and prison system.” 
 
The humanitarian rights of refugees & displaced persons are protected legally under the UN Convention & Status of Refugees 1951 & Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. There is a reason why Tories & media refuse to recognise those fleeing war zones as refugees.

For this  Human Rights Day we must continue to  stand with all people targeted for giving expression to the vision and values embodied in the declaration. Every day must be Human Rights Day, as every person in the world is entitled to the full and indivisible range of human rights every day of his or her life.Global human rights are not selective in their value or meaning, nor are they limited to a day or time of year. Until all people have access to these human rights we must stand up, advocate for, and insist that more must be done. Human Rights Day should serve as a reminder to act for those lacking basic rights each and everyday. 

 Human Rights Day calls on us all to ‘stand up for someone's rights today!’ It reminds us what we have achieved over the years to respect, promote and protect human rights. It also asks to recommit and re-engage in championing these rights for our shared humanity since whenever and wherever humanity's values of equality, justice and freedom are abandoned, we all are at greater risk.

Human Rights are universal rights of every human being to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. This year theme for Human Rights Day is; EQUALITY - Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights. The theme this year is based on Article 1 of the UDHR. The Article states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Equality is at the core of human rights in that through realising equality we can break power cycles and even tackle the root causes of conflict.

The COVID-19 crisis has been fuelled by deepening poverty, rising inequalities, structural and entrenched discrimination and other gaps in human rights protection. Only measures to close these gaps and advance human rights can ensure we fully recover and build back a world that is better, fairer  more resilient, just, and sustainable society for future generations.  
 
With the pandemic still ongoing, it is also necessary to address vaccine inequality and ensuring that those in need are taken care of it. The UN also puts forth the case of addressing climate change and environmental damage through a human rights lens, saying harmful practices "exacerbate existing inequalities and negatively affect the human rights of present and future generations".
With the pandemic still ongoing, it is also necessary to address vaccine inequality and ensuring that those in need are taken care of it. The UN also puts forth the case of addressing climate change and environmental damage through a human rights lens, saying harmful practices "exacerbate existing inequalities and negatively affect the human rights of present and future generations".

https://www.news9live.com/knowledge/human-rights-day-2021-history-theme-significance-and-all-you-need-to-know-139532?infinitescroll=1
With the pandemic still ongoing, it is also necessary to address vaccine inequality and ensuring that those in need are taken care of it. The UN also puts forth the case of addressing climate change and environmental damage through a human rights lens, saying harmful practices "exacerbate existing inequalities and negatively affect the human rights of present and future generations".

https://www.news9live.com/knowledge/human-rights-day-2021-history-theme-significance-and-all-you-need-to-know-139532?infinitescroll=1

Equality means that like cases must be treated alike. It means that where there is a difference in treatment, it must be justifiable and that there must be proportionality between the aim sought and the means employed when it comes to dealing with people. In some cases, affirmative action must be taken in order to even the playing field and eliminate unfair conditions. This is the only way to reduce inequalities and advance human rights.

 Principles of equality and nondiscrimination lie at the core of human rights, according to the U.N. website. “Equality has the power to help break cycles of poverty; it can give young people the world over the same opportunities; it can help in advancing the right to a healthy environment; it can help tackle the root causes of conflict and crisis.” 

 “Societies that protect and promote human rights for everyone are more resilient societies, better equipped through human rights to weather unexpected crises such as pandemics and the impacts of the climate crisis,” the U.N. website said.  “Equality and non-discrimination are key to prevention: all human rights for all ensure everyone has access to the preventive benefits of human rights but, when certain people or groups are excluded or face discrimination, the inequality will drive the cycle of conflict and crisis.”

Nearly a billion people do not have enough food to eat, and  even in wealthier countries like the UK and the US where there is an increasing growth in food banks. Poverty is a leading factor in the failure to protect the economic and social rights of many individuals around the world. For the half of the world population living on less than $2.50 a day, human rights lack any practical meaning.

Nelson Mandela once said that “overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.” .

It’s important to acknowledge that human rights, have rarely been gifted to us through benevolent leaders. Rather, they have been won after long fought battles and collective struggle. We need to recognize and pay tribute to human rights defenders the world over, putting their lives on the line for others, our voice must be their voice. 

 As thousands of struggles have proved, human rights are a vital lever in the quest for equality and social justice. If governments will no longer protect human rights it will be up to us, the people to keep on fighting for them and ensure our human right are always upheld.

We all need to stand up for these Rights which are too often under threat.  We need to remind people of the importance of protecting our Human Rights to ensure that they cannot be eroded. Lets work to achieve a better life for all. And more importantly, to continue to take a stand for people whose human rights are still not being met across the globe, find a way to use our voices for those who may not have an opportunity to advocate for themselves. At the same time  strengthening  international law and justice in order to end impunity, and bring to justice those guilty of violations of human rights and offer protection to their victims. 

Today is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in rebuilding the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity. A future  of cooperation among citizens, peoples and between nations. It is a a prerequisite for a more peaceful future where disputes are solved through negotiation and diplomacy.

"If your neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, "- Desmond Tutu

http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/  

 I Have the Right

I have the right to my own opinions
to state what I believe to be the truth,
I believe in freedom of thought
I believe in freedom of speech,
I have the right to be free from bondage
to be free from chains and mental slavery,
to choose what I want to be, where I need to go
because this is my right to be free.

I have the right to speak out
this is my choice, this is my conscience,
this is my right to freedom of expression
this right allows me to speak out against oppression,
this right allows me to stand against transgression, 
                                           aggression, exploitation
this right acknowledges that all born equal and free.

Everyone  is a unique individualistic form 
all have a right to life and liberty,
dignity and pride, the security of protection
that allows us to cry, to love and laugh,
remember that when justice is forgotten 
alternative paths trample down opposition,  
decency and justice, respect, and all that has been given
so  keep on fighting for human rights with no inhibition
remember actions speak louder than words
and what unites us is greater than what seperates

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