On Human Rights And World Terror

By: Editorial Comment

ON 10 December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has become a universal standard for defending and promoting human rights.

Every year on 10 December, Human Rights Day marks the adoption of

the Universal Declaration.

On Human Rights Day it is celebrated around the globe that "All

human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and

fundamental freedoms".

 

Human Rights Day 2004 is dedicated to human rights education and

world leaders will meet in the UN General Assembly to mark the end

of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004)

and discuss possible future initiatives for the enhancement of

human rights education worldwide.

 

The Assembly is expected to proclaim a World Programme for Human

Rights Education with the first phase of the Programme, to run from

2005 to 2007, to be devoted to human rights education in the

primary and secondary school systems.

 

But in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the United States,

which in turn plunged the world into what was labelled by the Bush

Administration as a global 'war on terror', the definition of

'human rights' has been subject to diverse variations on which

there is not necessarily international consensus.

 

So while the 'war on terror' continues to be waged at various

levels, it becomes more difficult to uphold universal rights and

freedoms as the world intensifies the war against terrorism, and

the latter has in turn contributed to the erosion of civil rights

and liberties in some countries around the globe.

 

It remains to be seen how world leaders can reconcile the need

for the promotion, maintenance and upholding of human rights

worldwide, against the 'war on terror' background, but it is

important that this matter be debated in the interests of democracy

and good governance throughout the globe.

 

In the meantime, the priorities outlined by the UN for the World

Programme on Human Rights Education to be devoted to human rights

education in primary and secondary school education need to be

furthered in order to promote both an ongoing awareness as well as

entrenchment of a human rights culture in the youth.

 

With young people around the globe more sensitised about human

rights, we could surely look forward to a world that would see the

spread of these basic rights and freedoms.

 

The UN Millennium Declaration, in September 2000, spelled out

the commitment by heads of state and governments from over 189

countries to re-dedicate themselves to sparing no effort to promote

democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and respect all

internationally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms,

including the right to development.

 

This commitment will be reviewed at a UN Development Summit

scheduled for September 2005 as world leaders will judge progress

made on Millennium Development Goals.

 

There is a need for them to be realistic about gains and losses

in this regard.

 

Some countries that are in the forefront of those calling for

democratisation and human rights maintenance throughout the world,

are themselves guilty of eroding the lives of others, both in their

home countries and abroad, in the so-called war against terror.

 

There is little doubt that countries in economic peril, turmoil

or in war or civil strife and chaos, are not conducive breeding

grounds for a global human rights culture.

 

We cannot, therefore, afford to have selective definitions of

what constitutes human rights, and there has to be broad consensus

in order that we avoid hypocrisy and double standards, in order to

consistently uphold universal human rights and freedoms, and in

order to advance a culture of observance among those who will be

the leaders of tomorrow.

 

On Human Rights Day it is celebrated around the globe that "All

human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and

fundamental freedoms".Human Rights Day 2004 is dedicated to human

rights education and world leaders will meet in the UN General

Assembly to mark the end of the United Nations Decade for Human

Rights Education (1995-2004) and discuss possible future

initiatives for the enhancement of human rights education

worldwide.The Assembly is expected to proclaim a World Programme

for Human Rights Education with the first phase of the Programme,

to run from 2005 to 2007, to be devoted to human rights education

in the primary and secondary school systems.But in the aftermath of

the 9/11 attacks in the United States, which in turn plunged the

world into what was labelled by the Bush Administration as a global

'war on terror', the definition of 'human rights' has been subject

to diverse variations on which there is not necessarily

international consensus.So while the 'war on terror' continues to

be waged at various levels, it becomes more difficult to uphold

universal rights and freedoms as the world intensifies the war

against terrorism, and the latter has in turn contributed to the

erosion of civil rights and liberties in some countries around the

globe.It remains to be seen how world leaders can reconcile the

need for the promotion, maintenance and upholding of human rights

worldwide, against the 'war on terror' background, but it is

important that this matter be debated in the interests of democracy

and good governance throughout the globe.In the meantime, the

priorities outlined by the UN for the World Programme on Human

Rights Education to be devoted to human rights education in primary

and secondary school education need to be furthered in order to

promote both an ongoing awareness as well as entrenchment of a

human rights culture in the youth.With young people around the

globe more sensitised about human rights, we could surely look

forward to a world that would see the spread of these basic rights

and freedoms.The UN Millennium Declaration, in September 2000,

spelled out the commitment by heads of state and governments from

over 189 countries to re-dedicate themselves to sparing no effort

to promote democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and respect all

internationally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms,

including the right to development.This commitment will be reviewed

at a UN Development Summit scheduled for September 2005 as world

leaders will judge progress made on Millennium Development

Goals.There is a need for them to be realistic about gains and

losses in this regard.Some countries that are in the forefront of

those calling for democratisation and human rights maintenance

throughout the world, are themselves guilty of eroding the lives of

others, both in their home countries and abroad, in the so-called

war against terror.There is little doubt that countries in economic

peril, turmoil or in war or civil strife and chaos, are not

conducive breeding grounds for a global human rights culture.We

cannot, therefore, afford to have selective definitions of what

constitutes human rights, and there has to be broad consensus in

order that we avoid hypocrisy and double standards, in order to

consistently uphold universal human rights and freedoms, and in

order to advance a culture of observance among those who will be

the leaders of tomorrow.

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