PHA-Exch> Food for an unwavering thought

[Claudio Schuftan]

Human Rights Reader 180

* *

*SOCIAL PROGRESS HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED ON PUBLIC PRESSURE.*



Since there needs to be a push for an international paradigm shift among top
decision-makers/duty-bearers, do we really have a choice *not* to take
political sides?



1. Democracy and the respect for human rights are not simply about elections
at sub-national and national level, but also about democracy at the global
level. Democracy and human rights (HR) are interdependent. Both ultimately
depend on individuals and institutions (the press included) that keep
national governments and their elected officials, as well as global
governance officers (elected or not) in check.



2. Our present age is characterized by massive national and global
institutional failure --mainly in the social and economic areas-- as well as
by utter insensitivity to HR violations.



3. For a moment, let's shine the spotlight just on:

·        Health systems: they are not only overburdened and underfunded, but
one-sidedly geared towards the treatment of illnesses instead of their
prevention and promotion;

·        Educational systems: they are literally breaking down, are also
underfunded and/or are imparting outdated knowledge through rigid curricula.




4. We just have to come-up with, and forcefully-demand, *new* solutions!



5. Today, decision-makers in high positions feel overwhelmed in the face of
such huge challenges. But the HR perspective of these problems is
unfortunately not perceived by them --not even by far.



6. This Reader contends that justice will not be done to the complexity of
the matters at hand unless leaders with innovative, HR-based approaches,
genuinely partner with civil society (*and* directly with those whose
dignity is being denied) to address these matters frontally and
collectively. This is where we have to apply a good part of our public
pressure.



7. For this to happen, nothing less than a global paradigm shift will do,
one that has the HR-perception-thought-and-action adopted by the existing
local, national and global leadership (…or by a new leadership if so needed
for this to happen). The crucial bottom-line need is to change their
perspective to one rooted in the HR-based framework.



8. Testing and implementing new measures in the HR realm more quickly is
thus badly needed --and is now the main thrust of several UN agencies. Among
other, this requires leaders:

·        to meet face to face with marginalized people, i.e., making sure a
first-hand contact actually happens with the people whose rights are being
violated;

·        to more intuitively and boldly identify new perspectives and
solutions, not only using statistical information, but rather inner
reflection (…and study of the HR-based framework!);

·        to open these new avenues they come-up-with and to launch the
 corresponding
new measures (even if they may seem radical at first).



9. Here, we remain adamant: we will achieve the desired HR goals faster, the
earlier we learn from successes (primarily), from failures and from
mistakes, when --together with the affected population-- we pursue sincere
and transparent new avenues within the HR framework.

Here is a call to get started, to try out new options, to gain first-hand
practical experience, to test, to reject, to modify…



Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City

cschuftan at phmovement.org

[All Readers can be found in www.humaninfo.org/aviva  under
No.69<http://www.humaninfo.org/aviva%20%20under%20No.69>]




Mostly adapted from D+C, 34:4, April, 2007, and D+C, Vol.34, Nos.7+8,
July/Aug 2007.

*Note**:*

*I repeat a footnote from many Readers ago:* Are these Readers sometimes
repetitive?  Yes and No.

No, in the sense that they look at the many aspects of HR work, some new,
some old, but the latter always from different perspectives and angles.

Yes, in the sense that they always reinforce key concepts of the HR
framework.

This deliberate duality is considered indispensable for the readers to
progressively internalize the concepts in such a way that they can then
comfortably use them in debates and in teaching HR.

In that sense, this is no apology.

[Moreover, all the good and wise in these Readers has come from others; that
of lesser importance has been mine].
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