For your information
Be a defender: Stop discrimination
This year Human Rights Day, December 10, was celebrated with the theme, "human rights defenders who act to end discrimination".
According to The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Human Rights Day 2010 was held to highlight and promote the achievements of human rights defenders and emphasis was given on the primary responsibility of Governments to enable and protect their role. The Day was also intended to inspire a new generation of defenders to speak up and take action to end discrimination in all of its forms whenever and wherever it is manifested. Human rights, a dream word, gives us hope to believe that, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. These are the rights inherent to all human beings, irrespective of the nationality, race, sex, ethnicity, religion, language and any other status. All are entitled to enjoy their rights without discrimination. “Denial of human rights and fundamental freedoms not only is an individual and personal tragedy, but also creates conditions of social and political unrest, sowing seeds of violence and conflict within and between societies and nations.”
A human rights defender is a person who acts against all kinds of discrimination, often takes risk. This year Human Rights Day recognised and acclaimed the role of human rights defenders.
Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated, “Human rights defender is a title each and every one of us can earn. It is not a role that requires a professional qualification. What it depends on is regard for our fellow human beings, an understanding that we are all entitled to the full range of human rights and a commitment to seeing that ideal become a reality.”
Yes, we believe every one of us can make a difference. Let's celebrate the sprit of human rights by defending the impunity, advocating non-discrimination, raising awareness and reaching out to our local communities and through all of 2011, let's promise to act differently.
What we can do to make a difference?
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist” is the first step towards positive change. After getting informed about the facts of human trafficking, we can take actions:
Tell someone: Share your learning about human rights issues with a family member, friend, or colleague.
Support activisms: Support activists and organisations that help survivors by volunteering your skill that can be time, language abilities, or professional skills. Donate money, clothes, or equipment to them, and perhaps plan a fundraising event to help an organisation.
Call for change: Email, call, or write a letter to our municipal, government officials, law makers, to ask about what they're doing to address the problem of human rights, and ask them to implement the national and international standards.
Speak up: Raise the issue of human rights violations and discrimination in letters to the social networking sites, editor, at political debates, in the classroom, and discover other innovative platforms.
Report it: And most important be aware of the warning signs of human rights violation in your locality, at work, and even when travelling. Report suspicious activity to your local police.
-Compiled by Law Desk.
