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
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.
Article 5 - Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment
“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
My personal view
This article is nowadays truly accepted universally. Even though some may still carry out described practices, no one will admit it openly. Nothing may be used as an excuse for torture, not even during a time of war or to try to get information from a terrorist.
You can read more background information about the Universal Human Rights Article 5 here: CLICK
When I dived into this article myself, I couldn’t help thinking that this Right most likely will be violated somewhere in our world. Probably at the very same moment I write this post, or you are reading it. Even though no one will openly admit it, I think we all know this is the case. Wars are still taking place between countries, within countries, between cartels and other criminal organizations.
However, what worries me even more, is the tortures and degrading treatments which occur in daily life. On a daily base. I think of children who are being bullied or abused by their caregivers, siblings or classmates. People being disrespected, treated with contempt for being different in the color of skin, gender, sexual preference, beliefs, etc.
Yesterday, I watched a news item displaying refugees driven back across the boarder. My heart broke and I started to cry. Regardless if people are fleeing their home countries for the right or wrong reasons, regardless if the countries they are running, swimming, riding or flying to are in their right to deny giving refugees a new home: inhuman, degrading treatment is not the answer.
Responsibility
We are so quick to judge these days. Instead of listening to our neighbors, hear their stories, trying to understand their reasoning for personal views, we rather start wars, shoot each other down, punish one and another.
Is it easy to be empathic, compassionate and kind all the time? No, it isn’t. Today, I had some not so very warm thoughts about a neighbor myself. However, catching yourself being judgmental, or having degrading thoughts, is a step in the more harmonious direction. The article 5, Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment, goes further as actions during wars in my opinion.
At the end of the day, it is not only the responsibility of our global leaders, but that of us all to treat each other with the dignity we all have a Universal Human Right to.
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
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: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
Amnesty: Slavery Today
Download the UHR campaign logos: HERE
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Missed the first post in this series? Find it HERE
7 Responses
Excellent repass, Patty!
Thank you for this very needed series, and reminder.
Best,
Shira
Thank you, dear Shira!
I didn’t know about the ‘pledge-campaign’. Did you? Unfortunately, I noticed it hasn’t a lot of ‘pledgers’. I hope my posts are going to help a bit 😉
Most welcome! No, I hadn’t heard of this campaign, so I think that your posts do indeed help. I’m behind on my deadline, but I do hope to schedule some more reposts, once I get caught up on my WiP, and in my goal to find an blog-circle partner.
Send me an email to contact ‘at’ pattywolters.com. Maybe I can help you in finding a blog-circle partner?
I’ve actually just started another blog for that very purpose:
https://educatingforlongtermdemocracy.wordpress.com/2021/05/22/educational-blog-round-robin/
Done!