Previously in this series regarding the Universal Human Rights, I did select some of those important rights and added my personal view. This year (2021), I am going through all the 30 basic rights. I would like to encourage you to look up our Human Rights, not to take these for granted or to misuse, but as a reminder we are all human beings, Beautiful Souls and therefore we ALL matter.
Universal Human Rights - Do you know them?
Violence, intolerance, racism, discrimination seems to be part of a never ending story. More and more people need to flee their homes and/or their countries, in the hope to find safety and peace elsewhere in our world. When even world leaders appear to have forgotten our Universal Human Rights, I believe it’s time (again) and very important to remind us all of our Universal Human Rights.
Background:
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its 3rd session on 10 December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France. The full text is available on the United Nations website.
The Declaration consists of thirty articles affirming an individual’s rights which, although not legally binding in themselves, have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, economic transfers, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions, and other laws. The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols. In 1966, the General Assembly adopted the two detailed Covenants, which complete the International Bill of Human Rights.” Source: Wikipedia
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.” Source: United Nations
At my website you will find a permalink to a list of the 30 Universal Human Rights: regardless where you were born, how you are raised, your circumstances, etc., as a human being you automatically have these basic rights. I added this link to make sure all the Beautiful Souls who visit my site, will be reminded of the rights we have.
This year (2021), I am going through all the 30 basic rights and add my personal view. I would like to encourage you to look up our Human Rights, not to take these for granted or to misuse, but as a reminder we are all Human beings, Beautiful Souls and therefore we all matter.
In addition, I hope to inspire the writers and artists among us to also use this topic for an article, story, poem, photograph, paint or any other piece of art and help me and many Human Rights Organizations to spread this information of huge importance.
To all of the Beautiful Souls who visit my virtual home: Will you also take the pledge you will stand up for Human Rights? CLICK
Article 2 ~ Freedom from Discrimination
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty…”
My personal view
As a human being I am regularly ashamed of our species, knowing that discrimination still occurs in 2021. Feelings of sadness, anger, despair and frustration alternate, realizing that we as humans have evolved into unique, beautiful creatures, but learn from the past seems to be a lesson some of us appear to be incapable of. Or worse, deliberately not want to learn.
By living with the wisdom of the past, I not only try to learn from wise persons who lived in previous centuries. I also try to learn from the mistakes our ancestors made. Just because survival is one of Nature’s core goals, and therefore also ours, it doesn’t mean we should survive at all costs.
In 1948, after World War II it was a superb and relevant initiative to document the Universal Human Rights. Over six decades later, despite Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Ellen Degeneres, Gay Prides, increase of laws which enables homosexuals to get married, etc., we seem to be going downhill again. Which means we have to address the past, we have to work harder to prevent it from reoccurring in the future. Keep an eye on the future, to make sure our children can delete these Articles, because we made sure they will no longer be relevant.
How easy to say “the past is the past”, right?
Though when the past is still present, we just cannot ignore it!
I don’t mean to imply we all have to get along. There are some individuals I will not invite in my own personal world. Sometimes, we just don’t click. That doesn’t give me (or you) the right to be mean, hurtful, violent… Choose to ignore, if you can’t find a better solution. Be at least civil, decent, one human being existing next to the other one.
As I ended in the previous post regarding the Universal Human Rights: “We are all born naked”, we are brought into this world as equals and although we are all unique individuals: race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status shouldn’t be a cause for discrimination.
It starts with you, my dear neighbor, it starts with me. Maybe we should stop trying and start doing: Look at, Connect with, care for, love one another for, the human beings we all are.
Originally posted September 2017. Updated and re-published January 2021.
Article 4 – Freedom from Slavery, I will address this year in another post.
Resources:
Human Rights Library, University of Minnesota: http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/ (in more languages available)
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights
United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html
Download the UHR campaign logos: HERE
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Missed the first post in this series? Find it HERE
16 Responses
Something like: live and let live, with respect, I think that’s a start xx
Yes, exactly. Shouldn’t be hard to do, right?
Thanks for the support, dear Helena. XxX
‘Keep an eye on the future’ – That is what we should be doing… and reminding our elected politicians to do likewise
I think they do know too, dear Andy. We all know, but making the right decisions and follow up to them, isn’t easy. Especially, if you are responsible for the life of so many people. So let’s help our leaders by living by example…
Sending you a big hug, XxX
Thank you for the compliments 🙂 Maybe they do understand, but change can be scary and sometimes it is easier to stick to what you know 😉
Thanks for connecting! XxX
I can’t get my head around that slavery still exists today – humanity hasn’t learnt from its past.
This happens a lot in SE Asia where migrants from Myanmar (Burma) try to get into Thailand for a better life. They’re usually stopped at the Myanmar border side where agents promise them a better future, take their money and documents, then sell them off typically, as prostitutes or domestic maids for females, or on fishing boats and construction for males. Many on fishing boats don’t step foot on land for 2 or 3 years, many are killed and thrown overboard. And yes, this is fact not sensationalism.
It’s so sad. I saw a news-item last weekend, informing about kids being sold by their parents due to lack of sufficient income. Those kids do have to fish on small boats with nets. If the net get stuck underneath the boat, they have to jump in the ocean and try to free the net, with the risk of getting stuck in the net themselves and drawn.
Their is an organisation that rescue these kids, which is a wonderful initiative. At the same time I also feel…help those parents to improve their living circumstances, so they don’t feel the need to sell their children.
There are many of these types of stories, especially in India. In 2019, poverty should be history, but it’s still with us…
very important post – many tx for reminding us, dear Patty
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, dear da-AL. As always, highly appreciated! XxX
Very relevant and timely post Patty! The fragmentation we see all around us in the world today clearly indicates that we as a race are going through an identity crises. We refuse to learn from our past mistakes and are treading a path to repeat the ills of history all over again. It’s a time for reflection and introspection for the human race. Thanks for this🙏
It surely is! Thanks for your beautiful comment, dear Sukeshi. XxX
It saddens me greatly whenever I come across discrimination. I do support a particular international organisation by putting my name to relevant petitions when such matters come to light.
A key place we started was with our own children. Our friends believe in freedom from discrimination (We believe in a fair go to all). I have also implemented anti bullying, anti discrimination policies and procedures in many organisations I have worked for. I have certainly pulled people up for inappropriate comments and behaviour.
Discrimination shouldn’t be happening in today’s world, but I think this is what occurs when fear drives certain agendas and that fear is allowed to manifest itself. One of my favourite stories is “A Stranger in a Strange Land.” It makes you think…
Love your strategies regarding these matters. Not only fear, unfortunately also ignorance plays often a part. What frustrates me personally, the unwillingness to be(come) open-minded. And that we still have to address these kind of topics, because, unfortunately, not everyone teaches their children the great lessons you do.