10th December is Human Rights Day. In 1946, the United Nations established the Commission on Human Rights with Eleanor Roosevelt as its Chairperson. The commission brought the Declaration of Human Rights to the General Assembly of the United Nations where it received unanimous approval from the member states on Dec. 10, 1948.
When I first moved to Melbourne with my husband, leaving my job and my friends I signed up straight away with Amnesty International as a volunteer because I love the work they do. I ended up as a director on their board and playing a fairly significant part, but for me it was all about taking a stand. Trying to make a difference, was really important. This was the first document in the history of the world to define the qualities of a decent standard of living for all people everywhere. The 30 articles of the declaration spell out the specific rights to which all people are entitled without distinction for race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
I do have to say that from a personal perspective, the question that I feel I have to throw out there is: how is it possible for people to treat each other so inhumanely? What makes one person decide that s/he is better than the next? Surely we are all here trying to get on and make a difference on the same little planet as everyone else.
If Nelson Mandela’s death is going to amount to anything at all, it’s surely that he made a difference to the way people treat each other – to the way everyone in life can now mix freely – there was a lovely note today about that and we need to be very grateful for that:-
I mean, what is going on with the world? WHERE ARE THE HUMAN RIGHTS? WHERE IS THE LOVE??? (cue Black Eyed Peas) because a lot of countries have a lot to answer for and only a couple of days ago I was shocked at the level of brutality – literally in an act of brutality unparalleled even in war-torn Yemen, an armed group blasted its way into a defence ministry compound in the capital Sana’a before killing 52 doctors, nurses and other staff of the hospital on its site.
They killed doctors and nurses and other staff. Human beings who have trained forever to give their lives to saving others and rumour has it that they were dragged out into the courtyard of the hospital and shot in front of their colleagues.
I mean WTF.
Please try and watch this video and reconsider this space to be added: I will speak to her in the morning (tbh that said I”d all at eager..
