Asylum-seeker Numbers are Rising

The UNHCR Logo (x)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has reported a spike in asylum-seeking persons. The rise is in the "total number of people requesting refugee status" and from January to June of this year the amount was about 330,700 people. This is a 24% an increase from the same six-month period of last year. The requests are concentrated in five nations, the most populous being Germany, then United States, France, Sweden and Turkey. The top countries to contribute to the refugee influx reads Syria,  Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eritrea. The origin of these claims come from countries with oppressive regimes that endanger it's citizens. In 2013 612,700 asylum applications were sent to 44 countries and the UNCHR estimates that by the end of 2014 these nations will have amassed 700,000 people. This report reflects the implementation of two articles within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 13 states that persons have the right to "leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country" while Article 14 finds that "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution."

Sources

Asylum-seeker numbers rise by a quarter

Indigenous Peoples World Conference

The WCIP logo (x)

Today kicked off the first-ever two day United Nations event known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. The UN site describes this conference as "an opportunity to share perspectives and best practices on the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples, including pursuing the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" and will consist of  "two plenary meetings, three interactive round-table discussions and one interactive panel discussion." The Declaration, adopted in September of 2007, sets out to protect the right of indigenous peoples and allow them autonomy in maintaining their cultures and pursing their aspirations. UNDRIP deals with a plethora of issues specific to indigenous people such as discrimination, employment, health, education, participation in government, development, multicultural democracy, decentralization and tribal lands. The Declaration, like the Conference, asks that national governments work alongside natives. 

Sources
Indigenous Peoples World Conference
The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

The People's Climate March

People's Climate marcher (x)

The People's Climate March was held in New York City on Sunday morning and amassed an estimated 400,000 people. The March sought to bring attention to the issue of climate crisis and highlighted the United Nations Climate Summit happening today. One hundred and twenty world leaders will convene at the headquarters and discuss necessary environmental action, particularly those having to do with carbon pollution. The march stretched four miles and represented over 1,500 groups and an array of universities. This call to arms was not just exclusive to NYC. One hundred and sixty six other nations held a total of about 2,700 events featuring at least 270,000 participants worldwide. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins with "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family." Environmentalist issues are human rights issues for an unhealthy planet creates an unhealthy population and our governance cannot allow widespread destruction of our environment.

Sources

Thousands Turn Out for People's Climate March

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Thailand Limits Free Speech

A Thai protester (x) 

In May of 2014 the military of Thailand staged a coup and put army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha into power as the Prime Minister. In recent weeks government officials have taken to silencing the academic circles of the nation. Chan-ocha and his National Council for Peace and Order banned discussion on topics relating to democracy and human rights. The NCPO has taken action to silence activist groups and places of education. Police have ended two separate seminars at Thammasat University, the first being entitled “Democracy Classroom” which discusses ending dictatorships, and the second being a seminar on Thailand's constitution. The crackdown on political activism includes the shutdown of a panel discussion “Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable” staged in Bangkok and a closing of the Thai Amnesty International campaign for peace in Gaza. Articles 19, 20 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights pertain specifically to these occurrences in Thailand. The listed rights include the "freedom of opinion and expression without interference," the "freedom of peaceful assembly and association" and "the right to education...to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Sources
Thailand Cracks Down on Academic Freedom
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Disarmament for Development

An art piece titled "Bread Not Bombs" (x)

As most human rights advocates know, protecting people and furthering the causes of equality can be a pricey endeavor but there is no nobler cause than contributing to aiding the planet. A United Nations expert, Alfred de Zayas, called onto Governments to re-prioritize their budgets and reevaluate their allotted military funds. His proposal finds that if a military budget is reduced than more funds can be allocated "into education, health care, the creation of employment in peaceful industries, strengthening of the rule of law and administration of justice" and others necessary endeavors. If nations chose to disarm then they could turn to development and healing their economies. De Zayas also stated “It is time to reduce the spiral of military expenditures and to invest in research into the root causes of conflicts and in the development of strategies of conflict-prevention and resolution." Zayas also finds reports on government expenditures to be woefully inaccurate, misleading or simply unavailable. Corruption can be lessened if budgets are more transparent. This issue of military over-spending pertains many of the articles of the Declaration of Human Rights, particularly those concerning aid. Three strike me as especially applicable, those being 19, 22 and 25 which can be read here.

Sources

Disarmament for Development

Saudi Arabia Must Cease Use of Death Penalty

An anti-death penalty banner (x)

United Nations sources estimate that 45 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia thus far this year. Independent experts of the UN have called upon Saudi governance to end the senseless beheadings. The execution typically follows a confession gained through torture of a defendant that was not allotted a lawyer. These instances specifically violate the 5th and 7th articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which state "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and "Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law," respectively. These executions are a result of violent crimes but also include punishment for acts such as drug-smuggling, sorcery, adultery and apostasy.

Sources
UN urges Saudi Arabia to halt executions
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Guyana Marks Persons with Disabilities Milestone

The CRPD logo (x) 

On the third of May, 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was made effective by the United Nations. This international human rights treaty "reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms" (un.org). This treaty coincides with many aspects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, too many to name. Just today, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana made the decision to ratify this treaty. This sanctioning of the Convention was deemed a "major milestone" by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in that Guyana marks the 150th ratification. This treaty is essential to ensuring the validity of the Declaration of Human Rights for "persons with disabilities are also disproportionately represented among the world’s poorest, and lack equal access to basic resources such as education, employment, healthcare and legal support systems." The UN General Assembly hopes to "ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the same human rights as everyone else," and "the treaty sets out the obligations of States Parties to promote, protect and ensure the rights of all people with disabilities and promotes equal rights in all areas of life." (un.org).

Sources
UN hails ratification as ‘major milestone’
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Declaration: Part 2

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document consisting of a Preamble and thirty articles. The first line of the Preamble states that there will be "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world," and thus the document goes on to state all of the inalienable rights of the members of this planet. For the purposes of this post I will utilize the second half of Human Rights Education Associates' simplified version of the Declaration. 

The second half of the (simplified) thirty articles of the Declaration are: 

16. Everyone has the right to marry and have a family.

17. Everyone has the right to own property and possessions.

18. Everyone has the right to practice and observe all aspects of their own religion and change their religion if they want to.

19. Everyone has the right to say what they think and to give and receive information.

20. Everyone has the right to take part in meetings and to join associations in a peaceful way.

21. Everyone has the right to help choose and take part in the government of their country.

22. Everyone has the right to social security and to opportunities to develop their skills.

23. Everyone has the right to work for a fair wage in a safe environment and to join a trade union.

24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure.

25. Everyone has the right to an adequate standard of living and medical help if they are ill.

26. Everyone has the right to go to school.

27. Everyone has the right to share in their community's cultural life.

28. Everyone must respect the 'social order' that is necessary for all these rights to be available.

29. Everyone must respect the rights of others, the community and public property.

30. No one has the right to take away any of the rights in this declaration.

Sources

The full text of the Declaration can be read here: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The simplified version is found here: Simplified Version

The Declaration: Part 1

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document consisting of a Preamble and thirty articles. The first line of the Preamble states that there will be "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world," and thus the document goes on to state all of the inalienable rights of the members of this planet. For the purposes of this post I will utilize half of Human Rights Education Associates' simplified version of the Declaration. 

The first (simplified) fifteen articles of the Declaration are: 

1. Everyone is free and we should all be treated in the same way.

2. Everyone is equal despite differences in skin colour, sex, religion, language for example.

3. Everyone has the right to life and to live in freedom and safety.

4. No one has the right to treat you as a slave nor should you make anyone your slave.

5. No one has the right to hurt you or to torture you.

6. Everyone has the right to be treated equally by the law.

7. The law is the same for everyone, it should be applied in the same way to all.

8. Everyone has the right to ask for legal help when their rights are not respected.

9. No one has the right to imprison you unjustly or expel you from your own country.

10. Everyone has the right to a fair and public trial.

11. Everyone should be considered innocent until guilt is proved.

12. Every one has the right to ask for help if someone tries to harm you, but no-one can enter your home, open your letters or bother you or your family without a good reason.

13. Everyone has the right to travel as they wish.

14. Everyone has the right to go to another country and ask for protection if they are being persecuted or are in danger of being persecuted.

15. Everyone has the right to belong to a country. No one has the right to prevent you from belonging to another country if you wish to.

Sources

The full text of the Declaration can be read here: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The simplified version is found here: Simplified Version

An Introduction, A Declaration

Eleanor Roosevelt holding the English version of the UDHR (x)

In 1948 political figure Eleanor Roosevelt uttered the phrase "every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination," an aphorism that still rings true today. Roosevelt was speaking as the Chair to the Untied Nations Commission on Human Rights. The United Nations was formulated following World War II when the international community was shaken up by the recent atrocities the planet had suffered. It was thought that there should be an international assembly featuring specialized committees so as to create a more peaceful planet and weigh in on social and economic issues. The UN was officially created on October 24th, 1945 with twenty nine nations as official members. In 1947 the Commission on Human Rights was put into place and given the assignment to create an International Bill of Human Rights, now known as The Universal Declaration of Human Rights . The Declaration was officially adopted by the General Assembly on the 10th of December in 1948. Now that we've established a historical base, it's time to start diving into this Declaration and what it means for humanity today!

Sources:
The Formation of the United Nations
History of the Document
Universal Declaration of Human Rights