World Human Rights Day will be observed on December 10th to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations in 1948.
The theme this year is: Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials. The 30 articles in the UDHR enshrine “the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being—regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” (UN).
Although the UDHR is not a binding treaty, it sets a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations” and has been the basis for numerous legally binding treaties, eg, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Many of these rights have been incorporated in national constitutions worldwide, including our own.
Today, let’s reflect on the importance of these rights and commit to empower ourselves and others to defend them continuously.
Human rights are under threat globally due to wars, escalating hatred and discrimination, social divisions et cetera. There is an urgency in the “air,” even in our own sweet T&T.
As part of our democratic process, our Government has the primary responsibility to promote, protect, respect and fulfil human rights, eg, by establishing and maintaining legal systems that ensure justice, fairness, and due process for everyone; by preventing human rights abuses; by adhering to human rights treaties and conventions.
Do we have appropriate laws, policies, and effective remedies for violations of our human rights?
Participatory democracy requires us as citizens to step up to the plate and accept our responsibility to promote and protect our human rights and those of others.
Now is not the time to be passive bystanders. We have a duty to ourselves and others to become human rights advocates.
The words of John Donne, in his Meditation XVII (1623), come to mind. As part of the human family, we are all interconnected. Indeed, as Pope Francis emphasised in his encyclical, Laudato Si, we are connected to ALL of creation. Donne’s brief poem reminds us that:
“No man is an island,
Entire of itself...
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”
We can’t become advocates for human rights/justice by “vaps.” Active citizen engagement requires us to understand how essential human rights are. Let’s educate ourselves about human rights issues.
Read the preamble of our Republican Constitution, research from credible sources, join one or more of the many organisations in T&T/globally that is/are involved in human rights activities, eg: ensuring access by all to essential goods and services such as basic, affordable healthcare services, safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, affordable housing; promoting gender equality and social inclusion; reducing crime and violence and creating a culture of peace and harmony; working to create conditions that will allow families to have the wherewithal to take advantage of education; advocating for policies and legislation that protect the rights of the poor and vulnerable, promote economic rights and improve the living conditions for all people; promoting good governance, including transparency, accountability, and the rule of law; ensuring that developmental work includes environmental protection; participating in public forums, consultative processes and online platforms; taking small actions like signing petitions—locally and globally, and joining local or online groups; exercising your franchise by voting; becoming involved in political processes.
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the challenges we face.
St Teresa of Kolkata rightly said: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
She also said: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”
No matter how insignificant our actions may seem, each of us can make a positive impact in our families, our communities, our workplaces, our nation, and in the world—once we act with love and compassion in our hearts.
As the saying goes: Service to humankind is service to God.
I take courage from the many protests around the world in the face of gross and systematic violations of basic human rights, eg, torture, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary detention, sexual violence, persecution, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
There should be no spectators in this “play” of life. We cannot be complacent. Let empathy and compassion be our guide.
