The State of the World's Human Rights
The most formidable enemy of human rights today is silence, and the responsibility to speak out against human rights abuses falls on each of us.
Taking that responsibility to heart, Amnesty International has just spoken out: releasing their monumental annual report on ‘The State of the World’s Human Rights’. All of the report’s 398 pages are framed in the context of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60 years, and a call to action demanding that the world’s leaders re-commit themselves to delivering concrete improvements.
According to a press release on Amnesty International's website:
“The human rights flashpoints in Darfur, Zimbabwe, Gaza, Iraq and Myanmar demand
immediate action,” said Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International,
launching AI Report 2008: State of the World’s Human Rights.
“Injustice, inequality and impunity are the hallmarks of our world today. Governments
must act now to close the yawning gap between promise and performance.”
Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, people are still
tortured or ill-treated in at least 81 countries, face unfair trials in at least 54 countries
and are not allowed to speak freely in at least 77 countries.
“2007 was characterised by the impotence of Western governments and the
ambivalence or reluctance of emerging powers to tackle some of the world’s worst
human rights crises, ranging from entrenched conflicts to growing inequalities which
are leaving millions of people behind,” said Ms Khan.
Amnesty International cautioned that the biggest threat to the future of human rights
is the absence of a shared vision and collective leadership.
“2008 presents an unprecedented opportunity for new leaders coming to power and
countries emerging on the world stage to set a new direction and reject the myopic
policies and practices that in recent years have made the world a more dangerous and
divided place,” said Ms Khan.
Amnesty International challenged governments to set a new paradigm for collective
leadership based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
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Speaking out, telling those most difficult and important stories, is a fundamental step in realizing the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration - as a “common standard for all people and all nations”. While organizations like Amnesty International have taken that responsibility very seriously and have made 'speaking out' core to their mission, you don't have to be part of a large non-profit organization to do your part. If you have a story to tell about something you've seen, about a human rights abuse or a human rights triumph that you've witnessed - share it with The Elders and with the world.
