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Your government is not magnanimous by guaranteeing your Human Rights. And hey, it’s December the 10th – another International Human Rights day.
It is worth mentioning that our world has made a remarkable progress in guaranteeing the enjoyment of Fundamental Human Rights of every man and woman.
From Civil Societies to regional and international organizations particularly the United Nations, the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, to Musicians, visual and performing artists etc., folks across the world are showing the tyranny inside of us, and the tyrants among us a better way to live. Nothing inspires hopes in our troubled world than the energies, time and resources committed to realizing a just, equitable and free world.
The significance of this day is unmatched and can only be described as the essence of our being alive. It is a testament of our resolve to make our world free and livable. It is an unmistakable signal that to repressive régimes that our world deserves nothing less than a true freedom.
The Second World War may have dealt a huge blow on the entire world, it however made the protection of the human rights a global priority. Efforts in entrenching these rights also brought great relief to citizens across the world who were under repressive regimes.
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person from birth to death. They apply to every person regardless of their origin and lifestyle. They can NEVER be taken away. Leaders and governments anywhere will not be doing the citizens a ‘favor’ by ensuring they enjoy this freedom. They would only be justifying their rights to be listed on the map of civilization. For it is criminal for any government to sabotage this.
Though, in the interest national security these rights can sometimes be restricted. Also, certain aspects of these rights may be restricted when you break the law. Safe this, no individual or government is justified to infringe on these provisions. They are universal and true.
They are BASIC rights predicated on values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and independence. Human rights are protected by the Human Rights Act 1998.
Your right to life, right to a private and family life as well as expressing your opinions, and
your right NOT to be mistreated or wrongly punished by the state are some of the specific provisions of the HRA 1998.
Below are the 30 articles wherein our human rights are enshrined.
Articles;
1 Right to Equality
2 Freedom from Discrimination
3 Right to Life, Liberty, Personal Security
4 Freedom from Slavery
5 Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment
6 Right to Recognition as a Person before the Law
7 Right to Equality before the Law
8 Right to Remedy by Competent Tribunal
9 Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest and Exile
10 Right to Fair Public Hearing
11 Right to be Considered Innocent until Proven Guilty
12 Freedom from Interference with Privacy, Family, Home and Correspondence
13 Right to Free Movement in and out of the Country
14 Right to Asylum in other Countries from Persecution
15 Right to a Nationality and the Freedom to Change It
16 Right to Marriage and Family
17 Right to Own Property
18 Freedom of Belief and Religion
19 Freedom of Opinion and Information
20 Right of Peaceful Assembly and Association
21 Right to Participate in Government and in Free Elections
22 Right to Social Security
23 Right to Desirable Work and to Join Trade Unions
24 Right to Rest and Leisure
25 Right to Adequate Living Standard
26 Right to Education
27 Right to Participate in the Cultural Life of Community
28 Right to a Social Order that Articulates this Document
29 Community Duties Essential to Free and Full Development, and
Article 30 Freedom from State or Personal Interference in the above Rights.
I listed this out as contained in charter to remind the government and citizens of developing societies – particularly our country Nigeria – who may not have paid reasonable attention to these 30 articles. Knowing this is, in my opinion, very sacrosanct if the fight for their entrenchment will be realized. Demand must be placed on governments both at local, state and federal levels to ensure that these rights are protected.
We must not give up. We must not let down the *humanity* in us. We must not leave the debt of free, equitable society for our children.
As legend Bob Marley has noted, ‘beneath every man’s chest there’s a heart’, let us make our hearts and that of our children _dance_ in excitement and not skip in fears. Let us not make our hearts ache in pain or bittered by injustice. Let us make our hearts dance in the freedom of our liberties.
Happy International Human Rights day 2017.
– Oshaloto, Joseph Tade is a strategic communication expert. He acts, speaks, writes and travels.
+2348031551786
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