Recognizing Universal Human Rights Month
With Giving Tuesday recently behind us and end-of-year charity donation season in full swing, our attention is drawn to the problems of people around the world. I couldn’t let Universal Human Rights Month go by without recognizing people who are forced to live their lives without freedom, equality, or their basic needs being met.
Universal Human Rights Month is celebrated in December because December 10th is the anniversary of the UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But why, all these decades later, are many people still lacking rights? It’s a complicated question with no easy answer. But one way you can help is by learning more about human rights issues and supporting organizations that stand up for the oppressed and suffering.
Here are a few issues that are relevant today:
COVID-19 and vaccine equity
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the world, and it has shed light on various injustices. For example, vaccine equity is a major problem right now. Wealthier countries have been able to create and distribute more vaccines to than poorer countries. While people in America have relatively easy access to COVID vaccines, people in other countries aren’t able to get vaccinated because not enough vaccines are available in their country.
Physicians for Human Rights is an organization that exposes human rights violations using a scientific research-based approach. Their work covers a variety of issues, including the pandemic. PHR is working to protect healthcare workers who have risked their lives to fight against the virus. The organization is also pushing for vaccine equity so that people can be protected against COVID no matter where they live.
Protecting people in oppressive countries
No one should have to live under an oppressive government that restricts basic freedoms and rules over people with severe punishments. The Human Rights Foundation sums it up well: “Tyranny is the root of poverty, war, and torture.” HRF works to advocate for the rights of people in authoritarian countries like North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba.
The International Rescue Committee is another organization that helps the oppressed. IRC fights to protect people who are struggling to survive due to wars and natural disasters. One example is Afghanistan, where the IRC is providing humanitarian aid to the war-torn country while also helping people who have fled the country.
Education for girls
In many countries around the world, women don’t have an equal place in society. They have no choice but to live under the control of men. One of the biggest causes of this is a lack of education for girls. When girls can’t get educated, they’re more likely to stay in poverty and end up in forced marriages and sex slavery.
Fortunately, there are organizations that help girls access education, such as CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education). CAMFED works to promote girls’ education in Africa. Their efforts create more educational opportunities for girls and more leadership opportunities for women. This helps women gain economic freedom, giving them more power in society.
Universal Human Rights Month helps us become aware of the fact that as human beings, we are all one. Instead of focusing on our differences, recognizing our shared humanity is a beautiful thing! Let’s begin to think of ways we can give back yearly and make the world a safer place.
