Written by MBM Social Media Volunteer: Michael Armijos
December 5, 2021
What are Human Rights?
This human rights day, we’d like to ask several questions. What are human rights? How is it attainable? How can we sustain them? How can one remain happy once those rights are acquired? These questions barely scratch the surface on how one can discuss human rights and the pursuit of happiness. While there are many variables and details to consider, for the purposes of this blog, and the limited word count available, we shall simplify what human rights is and what it looks like across the world. Admittedly, while these questions do seem like rather big questions to answer, we shall, to the best of our ability, answer some of the questions used to open this blog piece.
To begin with, we’ll ask the question: What are human rights? Human rights, simply put, are defined as basic rights that fundamentally belong to every person simply because they are human. Specifically, they protect us from degradation, discrimination, and inhumane treatment. In other words, they allow us to be treated fairly with dignity and respect. As good as this may seem, this is unfortunately not the case for some parts of the world. Some, astoundingly enough, do not have these rights exercised toward them.
Two Ingredients to Advocate for Human Rights: Care and Effort
While a good number of countries have attained human rights, there are some who have either let some of these rights go, or have ignored them altogether. What can we do to combat this? How can we give invaluable human rights to those who may not have them? It takes two things; caring and effort. Firstly, one has to care enough in order to put in the effort, and that takes an exposure to the facts and a restless heart set on achieving helping those in need. This is what builds up the need to put in the effort; which means getting the message across, and helping those in need in any way that person can. Of course, helping can involve a number of ways, whether it involves supporting movements or actively participating and engaging in conversations and conventions, such as the human rights conventions or international human rights law.
Become an Active Change Agent!
Indeed, another way to support human rights is to support volunteer groups such as Minds Beyond Measure (MBM). MBM is an organization that supports human rights and the UN sustainable development goals, specifically quality education, which is fundamental in providing all children and youth with equitable access to an education. MBM takes pride in contributing to providing attainable education in underserved and at-risk communities, by creating more accessible schools and providing educational opportunities. We, at MBM, do everything in our power to provide children and youth with the basic human right of obtaining an education; and we do it simply because we care!
We need people such as YOU, to do extraordinary things. Become an active citizen and change agent in your community to help provide children and youth with the basic right to receive an education.
Be the example you wish to see to change our world!