Civil society has been instrumental in advocating for greater protection for human rights. Many international human rights instruments exist today, including the UN’s Bill of Rights, because of lobbying by civil society. Sadly, however, there is a stark contradiction between these human rights documents, and the everyday practice of human wrongs. We at CIVICUS are expected to act as advocates for citizen participation as essential components of governance and democracy, as well as to take an inclusive approach to all human rights in our struggle for a more just world. In this week’s column, I would like to share with you the thoughts of Clare Doube, CIVICUS Civil Society Watch Programme Manager, on why civil society should strengthen human rights campaigns?
Warmest regards,
Kumi Naidoo
Human Rights Day: Righting the Wrongs
By Clare Doube, CIVICUS Civil Society Watch Programme Manager
Human rights are the framework in which we live and thrive, the check on power being wielded irresponsibly and with immunity, and the assurance of equality and justice for all. Or in theory at least… One only need to quickly glance around the globe, however, at the coup unfolding in Fiji, recent detention of activists in Ecuador, Cuba and Congo, the extensive attacks on civilians in Darfur, and the widespread practices of censoring or intimidating free expression of the media in Turkmenistan, Benin, Vietnam and beyond to know that more action is required – and required now.
Human Rights Day on 10 December provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the state of human rights in the world today, and the priorities we must choose to bring about real change. One of the most pervasive and destructive violations is poverty. The existence of poverty in times of plenty not only breaches individuals’ economic rights, but also curtails the enjoyment of most other rights as well, whether due to an inability to access healthcare, to participate in governance processes or to gain a good education. Yet, in the public mind and in the view of some governments, poverty is still often synonymous with fate, the individual’s laziness or a country’s level of development. It is rarely seen as a question of human rights. The Global Call to Action against Poverty, a broad based civil society campaigning initiative, established in 2005, affirms in its Beirut platform adopted in March 2006: “This poverty is a violation of human rights on a massive scale. Poverty continues to intensify due to increasing militarism, environmental degradation, the lack of democratic governance and processes and the exclusion of groups of people on the basis of class, caste, gender, disability, age, race and religion”.
The aim for HRD 2006 is to help a wider audience make this link. Poverty is a human-rights issue that requires human-rights based solutions. As Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights puts it: “Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime... Poverty eradication is an achievable goal.”
Poverty is the focus for Human Rights Day 2006, but tragically, it is not the only violation we see on a daily basis. A recent solidarity mission to Zimbabwe that CIVICUS facilitated, along with Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, for instance, found far too many examples of crushing poverty, violence and arrests of peaceful protestors, restrictions on communications and expression of dissenting views, and repressive laws that impinge on the enjoyment of rights.
The mission brought together seven civil society leaders from across West, East and Southern Africa to visit Zimbabwe and see the situation for themselves, meet with civil society there and discuss actions that can be taken across the continent to support their work. I would like to thank those who participated in the mission (Don Mattera, South African writer and community activist Luckson Chipare, former regional director of Media Institute of South Africa; John Kapito, a commissioner at the Malawian Human Rights Commission; Don Deya, the executive director of the East African Law Society based in Tanzania, Hannah Forster, executive director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies in the Gambia; Jeremias Langa, news director of SOICO, the only independent broadcaster in Mozambique and Fatoumata Toure, of the Global Pan African Movement, based in Kampala) for their time, commitment, reflections and input during the mission. Our gratitude and admiration also goes to all those we met during our time in Zimbabwe, the many people who are actively working to build a brighter future for their country, despite the dangers and threats they face on a daily basis.
The team saw the struggles of ordinary Zimbabweans and the efforts of courageous activists who dare to speak out in demand of better lives and greater freedom, despite the risks to their safety, life and liberty. At the end of their visit, the members of the mission expressed their “strong support to all the citizens and civil society of Zimbabwe who are struggling to realize their fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression, association and assembly and the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.” The communiqué from the mission can be read at www.civicus.org/new/media/zim-mission-communique-Dec06.pdf and a report of the mission will be released soon.
Perhaps the greatest tragedy of all is the silence we hear from Zimbabwe’s neighbours. While Zimbabwe was a tower of strength and support to South Africans during their struggle against apartheid, that assistance is not being adequately reciprocated to Zimbabweans in their time of need. The deepening poverty, repression and desperation of the people of the once proud country, Zimbabwe, is largely met with a wall of silence and indifference. It is our hope that this mission can contribute to turning this tide, to raise awareness among more Africans of what their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe are experiencing and recognise that it is their responsibility – and their governments’ responsibility – to speak out. Please contact Civil Society Watch (cswatch@civicus.org) for more information or to be involved.
Best wishes,
Clare Doube
Below you will find all previous columns published within e-CIVICUS editions.
