Human rights should not be something we pay a passing thought to once a year on South Africa’s Human Rights Day on 21 March. It is important to be conscious and inclusive of human rights in our daily lives.
Human rights are the same for all people everywhere regardless of our backgrounds, where we live, what we think or what we believe – they embrace people who are young and old, rich and poor. This is what makes human rights ‘universal’. There are some rights, known as collective rights, that belong to groups of people – or communities. Communities have the power to demonstrate human rights in action, particularly when they create a space where every member can equally learn, feel valued and safe, and connect with others.
?Here are eight aspects of human rights understanding that, when practiced, will result in an “others consciousness” that supports the advance of human rights as a matter of course within a community:
- ?KNOWLEDGE:? Individuals and communities must know their human rights and responsibilities. Such knowledge is itself empowering and an important building block for learning.
- VALUE:? Individuals and communities must value human rights. If human beings actively respect the dignity of themselves and others, a safe space for developing and sharing can be created.
- INSPIRATION:? Individuals and communities must identify meaning and purpose to inspire themselves and others to inherently develop and grow as human rights initiators and trailblazers.
- CONNECTION: Human beings need to connect both with their full self (mind, body, heart, and spirit) and with other people. How one relates with oneself and others determines whether the individual and community will grow to their full potential and provide ways to support and re-energise each other
- HEALING:? Every individual within a community (and certain communities themselves) have suffered loss and pain. In order for a community to thrive, the individual and the collective group must both learn to heal through internal analysis, storytelling, sharing with one another and learning new ways.
- ACTION:? Human beings, both individually and collectively, need to act to improve and realise their human rights. Practicing what one might feel or know is "right" empowers both the individual and a community.
- REFLECTION: Individuals and communities must regularly give thought and reflection to the outcome of their behaviour. For example, have their values and actions led to improvements of human rights conditions for themselves and others?
- CELEBRATION:? Individuals and communities must take time to celebrate ways they have been working to foster respect for human dignity and the rights of others. The recognition of the time, commitment, and dedication must be adequately supported for the individuals and community to feel revitalised and cherished.
