In a world overrun with grief, greed and
grievance the importance of human rights has faded. Everyone has human rights
whether they realise it or not; it is the essence of one's character which
cannot be tainted, stolen or lost. There are thirty official human rights,
however there are a couple which stand out as important factors in the means of
humanity.
The
freedom of belief and religion. Probably the most relevant human right of
todays society because for generations and generations, we as humans have
either judged or been judged for the religion or belief which we adhere to. For
example the 1933 Holocaust[1] which was endured for over ten
years under Hitler's Nazi regime religious groups, especially people of the
Jewish faith were persecuted for their religious beliefs. People who were
targeted by the Nazi were mostly sent to concentration camps unless they were
fortunate to escape. We look at the Holocaust as a tragic event which should
have never happened, however whilst this is sufficient in a historical sense, I
feel we must look at this barbaric event with compassion towards those who
suffered unimaginably as individuals.
Not only were their right to life taken away, their right to believe was
stripped away.
The
right to education. Without education one cannot develop the true ability to be
rational and to flourish. Education is of great importance especially in modern
day society, it is not just about 'learning things' it is about delving into
depths of the psyche which enables one to rationalise and learn. In a recent
article from BBC News[2] Malala Yousafzai calls for more
education for the millions of Syrian refugees displaced in Syria and its neighboring countries. According to the Malala Fund: 'nearly half of the four
million displaced Syrian refugee children in
the region are not in school'. That is four million children, four
million minds and four million futures. Children receiving education is more
than just going to school, it will give children the basic skills to pursue
better paid jobs and even break though the cycle of poverty which means a
better standard of living.
The
right to equality. This phrase is so meaningful as it represents the struggles
of the past and the heartache of the present. The struggles of the past include
being racially discriminated, such as the
Apartheid in South Africa which was governed by the National Party from
1948 to 1994[3]. This racial segregation towards black people
not only affected their access to certain amenities and or services, it also
had repercussions psychologically as to be told that you are not of the same
standard as another person, that you are not of the same value because
of the colour of one's skin, is condemning person to a politically incorrect
category. Inequality sadly still remains a massive social problem, for example
due to the horrific terrorism attack from the so called 'Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria' Muslims are being stereotyped as 'terrorists' is completely
inadequate as a human race. This inflicts on their freedom of belief and
religion, it makes false accusations of a person individually and it is labeling a person to something which is intrinsically wrong. As Martin Luther
King famously said 'Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that'[4]
meaning that we should show people love and especially in a world at war with
it's self. The love which Martin Luther King is talking off is agape love
which is unconditional love which is the highest form of love, like brotherly
love and the love which God has for man.
People
campaign for abolishing of embryo testing; treating an embryo as a human sentient
being but does not reciprocate the same level of care to people like refugees;
stripped of their homes, livelihoods and identity. Humanity needs to look for
the out cry's of out fellow brothers and sisters and start treating each other
as sentient human beings. This starts with recognising that each and every one
of us have not just the right life, but the right to fulfill it. In a world
overrun with grief, greed and grievance - what is there to lose in love?
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