Appreciating the Declaration on the Elimination of Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief
- Intern
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| Eddie |
This November marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. This declaration was the first international legal instrument devoted exclusively to the Freedom of Religion. Recalling strands of the human right to freedom of religion that are found in several other instruments of international human rights law, the Declaration proclaimed that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”[i] The international community has since elucidated this right, affirming that it must include many subtle, yet essential expressions of this right such as the freedom to change ones religion, to practice one’s religion in a public space, or the freedom to confess no religious belief. Most importantly, with this Declaration the General Assembly “Resolved to adopt all necessary measures for the speedy elimination of such intolerance in all its forms and manifestations…”[ii]
Many governments have responded to this Declaration, and to this apparent evolution in conceptions of human rights, by guaranteeing the freedom of religion in their domestic constitutional laws.[iii] Some states have even avowed to support the freedom of religion internationally and made the protection and promotion of freedom of conscience a major part of their international affairs policy. Furthermore, civil society has carried a great deal of the burden in actualizing the General Assembly’s declaration with innumerable nongovernmental organizations supporting freedom of religion in various ways. Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the General Assembly have reaffirmed this Declaration repeatedly since its establishment in 1981 through multiple resolutions which expanded on the provisions of the first.
The Current State of Freedom of Religion or Belief
While members of the international community have made invaluable progress, the General Assembly is firm in its demand of not only decreasing, but eliminating intolerance based on religion or belief. In the General Assembly’s most recent Resolution affirming the 1981 Declaration the General Assembly stated its concern that threats and violence against religious communities persist, that the number of laws and regulations that limit the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief are increasing, and that existing laws designed to protect this freedom are applied in a discriminatory manner. These concerns are shared throughout the international community as adherents of every world religion face persecution in at least one part of the world. The pervasiveness of intolerance suggests that a more comprehensive approach must be taken. When members of the international community respond to religious intolerance with forces such as military, economic, or diplomatic pressure, it often helps to enforce the rule of law by halting specific acts of intolerance. Yet, these efforts are evidence of an adversarial approach to governance and international relations that allows a degree of ignorance and animosity to persist, even exacerbating tensions between social groups. With these lessons in mind, such approaches to protecting the freedom of religion prove to be incomplete. Even if every country in the world amended its constitution to protect the freedom of belief, as many countries have, intolerance may persist in the hearts and minds of the people, and then manifest itself in the practices of a society’s systems and institutions. As lofty as it may sound to decrease the intolerance in the minds of individuals all around the world, the goal of eliminating intolerance requires it. We must target the root of this intolerance in order to eradicate it.
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| Eddie |
This November marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. This declaration was the first international legal instrument devoted exclusively to the Freedom of Religion. Recalling strands of the human right to freedom of religion that are found in several other instruments of international human rights law, the Declaration proclaimed that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”[i] The international community has since elucidated this right, affirming that it must include many subtle, yet essential expressions of this right such as the freedom to change ones religion, to practice one’s religion in a public space, or the freedom to confess no religious belief. Most importantly, with this Declaration the General Assembly “Resolved to adopt all necessary measures for the speedy elimination of such intolerance in all its forms and manifestations…”[ii]
Many governments have responded to this Declaration, and to this apparent evolution in conceptions of human rights, by guaranteeing the freedom of religion in their domestic constitutional laws.[iii] Some states have even avowed to support the freedom of religion internationally and made the protection and promotion of freedom of conscience a major part of their international affairs policy. Furthermore, civil society has carried a great deal of the burden in actualizing the General Assembly’s declaration with innumerable nongovernmental organizations supporting freedom of religion in various ways. Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the General Assembly have reaffirmed this Declaration repeatedly since its establishment in 1981 through multiple resolutions which expanded on the provisions of the first.
The Current State of Freedom of Religion or Belief
While members of the international community have made invaluable progress, the General Assembly is firm in its demand of not only decreasing, but eliminating intolerance based on religion or belief. In the General Assembly’s most recent Resolution affirming the 1981 Declaration the General Assembly stated its concern that threats and violence against religious communities persist, that the number of laws and regulations that limit the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief are increasing, and that existing laws designed to protect this freedom are applied in a discriminatory manner. These concerns are shared throughout the international community as adherents of every world religion face persecution in at least one part of the world. The pervasiveness of intolerance suggests that a more comprehensive approach must be taken. When members of the international community respond to religious intolerance with forces such as military, economic, or diplomatic pressure, it often helps to enforce the rule of law by halting specific acts of intolerance. Yet, these efforts are evidence of an adversarial approach to governance and international relations that allows a degree of ignorance and animosity to persist, even exacerbating tensions between social groups. With these lessons in mind, such approaches to protecting the freedom of religion prove to be incomplete. Even if every country in the world amended its constitution to protect the freedom of belief, as many countries have, intolerance may persist in the hearts and minds of the people, and then manifest itself in the practices of a society’s systems and institutions. As lofty as it may sound to decrease the intolerance in the minds of individuals all around the world, the goal of eliminating intolerance requires it. We must target the root of this intolerance in order to eradicate it.
Community: A Baha’i Blueprint Part 4/4
- Intern
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| Nadia |
POWER STRUCTURES
The issue of how humans deal with one another and how they develop relationships with one another crosses over into the concept of power and how it is administered within the wider community. Yes, power involves the political order, but more broadly than that it is:
concerned with how individuals relate to each other, how society impacts individuals, and how the various institutions and structures within society interact.
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| Nadia |
POWER STRUCTURES
The issue of how humans deal with one another and how they develop relationships with one another crosses over into the concept of power and how it is administered within the wider community. Yes, power involves the political order, but more broadly than that it is:
concerned with how individuals relate to each other, how society impacts individuals, and how the various institutions and structures within society interact.
Community: A Baha’i Blueprint Part 3/4
- Intern
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| Nadia |
Approaches to Community Building
Community building is something which is usually associated with social development within disadvantaged and developing populations. While this holds merit in many cases, it does not capture the truest and most profound meaning of community building. In its truest form, community building has the capacity to revitalize communities no matter their economic or social standing. It can have the potential to renew emotional, interpersonal, spiritual and intellectual ties within members of any given community.
Community building and cultural transformation must be a deliberate and active choice on the part of individuals and institutions. Within the worldwide Baha’i community, many efforts are continuously being made to systematically effect a transformation among communities and individuals in order to build and inspire a capacity for service to mankind. The framework for action guiding these activities has been rooted in a dynamic of learning – characterized by action, reflection and consultation.
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| Nadia |
Approaches to Community Building
Community building is something which is usually associated with social development within disadvantaged and developing populations. While this holds merit in many cases, it does not capture the truest and most profound meaning of community building. In its truest form, community building has the capacity to revitalize communities no matter their economic or social standing. It can have the potential to renew emotional, interpersonal, spiritual and intellectual ties within members of any given community.
Community building and cultural transformation must be a deliberate and active choice on the part of individuals and institutions. Within the worldwide Baha’i community, many efforts are continuously being made to systematically effect a transformation among communities and individuals in order to build and inspire a capacity for service to mankind. The framework for action guiding these activities has been rooted in a dynamic of learning – characterized by action, reflection and consultation.
Community: A Baha’i Blueprint Part 2/4
- Intern
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| Nadia |
THE NATURE OF A COMMUNITY
During my research, I outlined 4 concepts which I felt pertained to the nature of a community. These concepts were; 1) The Community as a Living Breathing Organism, 2) A Community of Unified Thought and Action, 3) A Community of Fellowship and Love, and 4) A Community of Excellence and Distinction. For the sake of this blog entry, I am going to talk about my findings in the first two areas; the community as a living breathing organism and a community of unified thought and action.
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| Nadia |
THE NATURE OF A COMMUNITY
During my research, I outlined 4 concepts which I felt pertained to the nature of a community. These concepts were; 1) The Community as a Living Breathing Organism, 2) A Community of Unified Thought and Action, 3) A Community of Fellowship and Love, and 4) A Community of Excellence and Distinction. For the sake of this blog entry, I am going to talk about my findings in the first two areas; the community as a living breathing organism and a community of unified thought and action.
Community: A Baha’i Blueprint Part 1/4
- Intern
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| Nadia |
As an intern at the BIC, opportunities often come about to undertake research and analysis projects. Increasingly there have been opportunities to study one particular area which pertains to the interests of the BIC UNO as well as the intern’s own focus of study.
During my time here at the BIC, I have attended many meetings, commissions and events, both at the UN and hosted by Civil Society. While the themes which have been dealt with have varied; social development, sustainable development, the advancement of women, indigenous rights etc, all have had a common thread through them which is very significant to the future of these issues in international discourse and that thread is the importance of the community. It is unequivocal and impossible to deny, that community building and development are essential to the eventual solution of the overwhelming number of issues faced by humanity today.
This led me to the project which I have recently completed; a research piece on the Baha’i perspective on community and its role in the development of society. Below I have summarized some of the main points which came about during my research.
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| Nadia |
As an intern at the BIC, opportunities often come about to undertake research and analysis projects. Increasingly there have been opportunities to study one particular area which pertains to the interests of the BIC UNO as well as the intern’s own focus of study.
During my time here at the BIC, I have attended many meetings, commissions and events, both at the UN and hosted by Civil Society. While the themes which have been dealt with have varied; social development, sustainable development, the advancement of women, indigenous rights etc, all have had a common thread through them which is very significant to the future of these issues in international discourse and that thread is the importance of the community. It is unequivocal and impossible to deny, that community building and development are essential to the eventual solution of the overwhelming number of issues faced by humanity today.
This led me to the project which I have recently completed; a research piece on the Baha’i perspective on community and its role in the development of society. Below I have summarized some of the main points which came about during my research.
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49th Session of the Commission for Social Development Approach, focus and growth: An intern’s viewpoint (Part 3 of 3)
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| Nadia |
Rethinking Poverty: The Gap between What We Know and How We Act
With such a large focus on the Millennium Development Goals at this time, especially in international discussions, it has been interesting to see the progress which is being made in how the MDGs are being related to social development, especially MDG 1: The Eradication of Poverty and Hunger. I have been curious to see how realistic member states and independent bodies (Special Rapporteurs etc.) and experts are in regard to their completion. What has become evident is the fact that not only is the goal of halving world poverty by 2015 an unrealistic one but that even if it is halved it will leave over 900 million people suffering in abject poverty. It will also leave an even larger number of people living just above the poverty line, in a precarious and unstable state which is highly susceptible to any variations in economic growth within a nation.
An effective example of how this poverty line’ is falling short of the mark was shown by Jimi Adesina; Professor of Sociology at Rhodes University, South Africa and Director of the Transformative Social Policy Programmed. He used his own small village in South Africa as example for his demonstration. In South Africa if you are to convert $1.25 into Rand, it works out as roughly 9 Rand in current exchange rates. This 9 Rand is estimated to be an adequate daily income to keep one above the poverty line. However Mr. Adesina went on to say that in his village a loaf of white bread costs roughly 7 or 8 Rand. Hence while the people in his village may not go hungry with their 9 Rand daily income; they will be naked, homeless, and diseased.This put the whole issue into a very different perspective in my mind. It is very disheartening to see that the international community is aiming towards such a feeble goal. At the same time, progress is being made towards this goal. But is it really an achievement to help people reach this lesser level of poverty? They may not be abjectly impoverished yet they are still in a position of immense suffering and difficulty in their day-to-day lives. The subjective and fluctuating nature of this measure of poverty leads me to believe that it should not be the main measurement of poverty and its eradication. What is needed is a multifaceted approach which includes the various aspects described above.
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| Nadia |
Rethinking Poverty: The Gap between What We Know and How We Act
With such a large focus on the Millennium Development Goals at this time, especially in international discussions, it has been interesting to see the progress which is being made in how the MDGs are being related to social development, especially MDG 1: The Eradication of Poverty and Hunger. I have been curious to see how realistic member states and independent bodies (Special Rapporteurs etc.) and experts are in regard to their completion. What has become evident is the fact that not only is the goal of halving world poverty by 2015 an unrealistic one but that even if it is halved it will leave over 900 million people suffering in abject poverty. It will also leave an even larger number of people living just above the poverty line, in a precarious and unstable state which is highly susceptible to any variations in economic growth within a nation.
An effective example of how this poverty line’ is falling short of the mark was shown by Jimi Adesina; Professor of Sociology at Rhodes University, South Africa and Director of the Transformative Social Policy Programmed. He used his own small village in South Africa as example for his demonstration. In South Africa if you are to convert $1.25 into Rand, it works out as roughly 9 Rand in current exchange rates. This 9 Rand is estimated to be an adequate daily income to keep one above the poverty line. However Mr. Adesina went on to say that in his village a loaf of white bread costs roughly 7 or 8 Rand. Hence while the people in his village may not go hungry with their 9 Rand daily income; they will be naked, homeless, and diseased.This put the whole issue into a very different perspective in my mind. It is very disheartening to see that the international community is aiming towards such a feeble goal. At the same time, progress is being made towards this goal. But is it really an achievement to help people reach this lesser level of poverty? They may not be abjectly impoverished yet they are still in a position of immense suffering and difficulty in their day-to-day lives. The subjective and fluctuating nature of this measure of poverty leads me to believe that it should not be the main measurement of poverty and its eradication. What is needed is a multifaceted approach which includes the various aspects described above.
49th Session of the Commission for Social Development Approach, focus and growth: An intern’s viewpoint (Part 2 of 3)
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| Nadia |
Grassroots: Facilitating Empowerment through community building
Microfinance – a little goes a long way
A key theme throughout the conference has been the emphasis on grassroots programs of growth. The eradication of poverty is not an issue which is going to be fixed from the top down. While discussion at international and national levels are vital in order to secure political and financial support, unless decisions made can be put into practice at the grassroots, very little progress is going to be made. Microfinance and grassroots training programs are just two of the ways in which the international community is engaging in this process of growth. During the Commission, I attended a side event focused on microfinance. It was remarkable to hear about the process of transformation which can occur both on an individual and community level by investing a very modest amount of money into the latent capacities of those who have not before had the opportunity to express them. The focus of the most successful programs has been listening to the needs and aspirations of the people it engages with. There is no point in providing cash flow and loans without first understanding the community dynamics of the people engaging in microfinance projects. On many occasions of course, the poor have been exploited by corporations hoping to profit from microfinance, but in the cases where it is applied ethically, the results have been and continue to be remarkable.
I had not understood before this event how important individual development is to the success of microfinance projects. It is key to encourage and facilitate the recipients of these microloans to develop their self-esteem, sense of self worth and value as an individual before the process can be successful. Through human empowerment and modest financial aid, recipients have been able to engage in the labor force, participate in valuable work, earn an income to support themselves and their families and become active members of their communities, not just passive recipients of charity.
Building Vibrant Communities
Ms. Diez spoke about her experiences in Burkina Faso where ATD; 4th World implemented a grassroots training program aimed at training local women in weaving. What ATD discovered was that economic benefits of this training were in fact, secondary in comparison to the sense of community, responsibility and human ties which developed between the women and encouraged their self-esteem and links to one another. This sense of community allowed them to function in the labor force in a much more meaningful manner which, in turn, increased their incomes and also their self worth.
|
| Nadia |
Grassroots: Facilitating Empowerment through community building
Microfinance – a little goes a long way
A key theme throughout the conference has been the emphasis on grassroots programs of growth. The eradication of poverty is not an issue which is going to be fixed from the top down. While discussion at international and national levels are vital in order to secure political and financial support, unless decisions made can be put into practice at the grassroots, very little progress is going to be made. Microfinance and grassroots training programs are just two of the ways in which the international community is engaging in this process of growth. During the Commission, I attended a side event focused on microfinance. It was remarkable to hear about the process of transformation which can occur both on an individual and community level by investing a very modest amount of money into the latent capacities of those who have not before had the opportunity to express them. The focus of the most successful programs has been listening to the needs and aspirations of the people it engages with. There is no point in providing cash flow and loans without first understanding the community dynamics of the people engaging in microfinance projects. On many occasions of course, the poor have been exploited by corporations hoping to profit from microfinance, but in the cases where it is applied ethically, the results have been and continue to be remarkable.
I had not understood before this event how important individual development is to the success of microfinance projects. It is key to encourage and facilitate the recipients of these microloans to develop their self-esteem, sense of self worth and value as an individual before the process can be successful. Through human empowerment and modest financial aid, recipients have been able to engage in the labor force, participate in valuable work, earn an income to support themselves and their families and become active members of their communities, not just passive recipients of charity.
Building Vibrant Communities
Ms. Diez spoke about her experiences in Burkina Faso where ATD; 4th World implemented a grassroots training program aimed at training local women in weaving. What ATD discovered was that economic benefits of this training were in fact, secondary in comparison to the sense of community, responsibility and human ties which developed between the women and encouraged their self-esteem and links to one another. This sense of community allowed them to function in the labor force in a much more meaningful manner which, in turn, increased their incomes and also their self worth.
49th Session of the Commission for Social Development Approach, focus and growth: An intern’s viewpoint (Part 1 of 3)
- Social Development
- Intern
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| Nadia |
I have been an intern at the Baha'i International Community for three months. Being only 18 yet bestowed with the bounty of interning at this Office has made the experience all the richer for me. Attending UN commissions and meetings is among one of the opportunities, which has been presented to me. The Commission for Social Development was the first Commission which I had the opportunity to attend. I was very interested and curious to experience the UN model of discussion and implementation (of decisions made). As an intern at the Commission, I had the opportunity to attend many of the plenary sessions as well as some very interesting side events. I also took photos for the Baha’i World News Service and recorded May Akale, one of our representatives, reading the Baha’i International Community’s oral statement to the Commission.
In the following postings, I would like to share my impressions, experiences and understanding of the processes involved in the Commission, the attitudes of its participants and the overall program of action which guides the work of the Commission.
Background:
The Commission for Social Development is a commission of the Economic and Social Council of the UN and consists of 46 members elected by the Council. Since the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, the Commission has been the principal UN body charged with implementing the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. Each year the Commission takes up key social development themes as part of its follow-up to the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.
Social Policy – A new global economic model
These efforts however, are proving tentative indeed. While progress has been made in recent decades in opinions and policy regarding the eradication of poverty; this ‘lip-service’ style of aid is not good enough. Words and ideas are not sufficient. It is the implementation of strategic action plans and more importantly their subsequent consolidation which transforms these abstract concepts into concrete entities with real growth potential.
A climatic view and a moral prerogative
Martin Lees, International Affairs Expert and member of The Climate Change Task Force, pointed out the need for moral change at the core of society, particularly at a national and global level. We now need to face up to reality and to reconceive a model of economic growth which includes those living in poverty, by letting go of outmoded ideas about what it means to have a successful and prosperous economy. To me, it seems that economic stability and prosperity is not fully captured by valuing stocks and shares but rather, is exposed, in every city, town and village by those suffering from abject poverty. True economic stability cannot be achieved until the poor become the protagonists of their own development; this will benefit not only those living in poverty but also the wider community and indeed in the world. To read more about rethinking how poverty is viewed click here.
An unavoidable change
Pedro Sassone, Representative to the Council of Delegates of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, spoke in greater detail about this need for a remodeling of the old economic frameworks. He stated that there can be no economic without social policy being an intrinsic part of it. The current growth model focuses on an increase in capital. However, in the majority of cases when this increase in capital occurs, it does not benefit the workers who have produced it.
Another issue is that social policy is not a working mechanism in governmental affairs; in the majority of cases, many nations have privatized social services and consequently made the sector vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. At the most basic level, this prevents universal access to fundamental human rights, specifically Article 25 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that,
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services”.
To me, this unequivocally implies that social policy cannot continue to be viewed as a privilege, as it is in many parts of the world. Services are as basic a right as are the rights to food and to water. If access to them continues to be hindered by unjust governments then we will find ourselves in the opposite direction of development and farther from the realization of human rights for all.
The state needs to be reborn as an entity based on a direct interaction with its people. Policies should be crosscutting and applicable to entire populations. Social policy needs to be the bones of the structure and based upon the inherent inclusion of all peoples. In this dominant growth model, poor populations are seen as the beneficiaries of services as opposed to active agents of their development. This perception compounds the problem and hinders those living in poverty from realizing their capacities and enjoying their right to participate in society and in making decisions that affect them.
The underlying inequalities in socio-economic frameworks have firmly established social exclusion and exploitation as sub strata of entire social policies. This then poses a number of very difficult questions to the international community. How can we dismantle the nucleus of inequality in policy and uproot the unjust frameworks, which hinder the eradication of poverty? And if this is achieved how then can we replace it with a framework, which has respect for the human rights of the people adhering to it?
This leads me back to the Baha’i International Community’s statement on the Eradication of Poverty which states that,
“Human rights, as endorsed by most governments of the world, must now enter into community and legal culture and be systematically incorporated into domestic legislation. They must be translated into all languages and made accessible through media and educational institutions. In this way, the human rights norms can come to replace broken legal systems characterized by the oppressive and arbitrary application of laws, forced on people unaware of their rights and unable to articulate their needs”.
If the protection of human rights can become a guiding principle of the institutions and processes of society, then, I believe, equitable and just social and political policy will emerge. When the protection of the individual as opposed to economic growth is the driving concern, it enables each one to share in and contribute to the generation of wealth and prosperity. In such a climate, individuals have the opportunity to provide for their material well-being in a dignified, meaningful manner, which values hard work, talent, diligence and capabilities as opposed to the fickle chances of genetics and geography.
|
| Nadia |
I have been an intern at the Baha'i International Community for three months. Being only 18 yet bestowed with the bounty of interning at this Office has made the experience all the richer for me. Attending UN commissions and meetings is among one of the opportunities, which has been presented to me. The Commission for Social Development was the first Commission which I had the opportunity to attend. I was very interested and curious to experience the UN model of discussion and implementation (of decisions made). As an intern at the Commission, I had the opportunity to attend many of the plenary sessions as well as some very interesting side events. I also took photos for the Baha’i World News Service and recorded May Akale, one of our representatives, reading the Baha’i International Community’s oral statement to the Commission.
In the following postings, I would like to share my impressions, experiences and understanding of the processes involved in the Commission, the attitudes of its participants and the overall program of action which guides the work of the Commission.
Background:
The Commission for Social Development is a commission of the Economic and Social Council of the UN and consists of 46 members elected by the Council. Since the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, the Commission has been the principal UN body charged with implementing the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. Each year the Commission takes up key social development themes as part of its follow-up to the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.
Social Policy – A new global economic model
These efforts however, are proving tentative indeed. While progress has been made in recent decades in opinions and policy regarding the eradication of poverty; this ‘lip-service’ style of aid is not good enough. Words and ideas are not sufficient. It is the implementation of strategic action plans and more importantly their subsequent consolidation which transforms these abstract concepts into concrete entities with real growth potential.
A climatic view and a moral prerogative
Martin Lees, International Affairs Expert and member of The Climate Change Task Force, pointed out the need for moral change at the core of society, particularly at a national and global level. We now need to face up to reality and to reconceive a model of economic growth which includes those living in poverty, by letting go of outmoded ideas about what it means to have a successful and prosperous economy. To me, it seems that economic stability and prosperity is not fully captured by valuing stocks and shares but rather, is exposed, in every city, town and village by those suffering from abject poverty. True economic stability cannot be achieved until the poor become the protagonists of their own development; this will benefit not only those living in poverty but also the wider community and indeed in the world. To read more about rethinking how poverty is viewed click here.
An unavoidable change
Pedro Sassone, Representative to the Council of Delegates of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, spoke in greater detail about this need for a remodeling of the old economic frameworks. He stated that there can be no economic without social policy being an intrinsic part of it. The current growth model focuses on an increase in capital. However, in the majority of cases when this increase in capital occurs, it does not benefit the workers who have produced it.
Another issue is that social policy is not a working mechanism in governmental affairs; in the majority of cases, many nations have privatized social services and consequently made the sector vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. At the most basic level, this prevents universal access to fundamental human rights, specifically Article 25 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that,
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services”.
To me, this unequivocally implies that social policy cannot continue to be viewed as a privilege, as it is in many parts of the world. Services are as basic a right as are the rights to food and to water. If access to them continues to be hindered by unjust governments then we will find ourselves in the opposite direction of development and farther from the realization of human rights for all.
The state needs to be reborn as an entity based on a direct interaction with its people. Policies should be crosscutting and applicable to entire populations. Social policy needs to be the bones of the structure and based upon the inherent inclusion of all peoples. In this dominant growth model, poor populations are seen as the beneficiaries of services as opposed to active agents of their development. This perception compounds the problem and hinders those living in poverty from realizing their capacities and enjoying their right to participate in society and in making decisions that affect them.
The underlying inequalities in socio-economic frameworks have firmly established social exclusion and exploitation as sub strata of entire social policies. This then poses a number of very difficult questions to the international community. How can we dismantle the nucleus of inequality in policy and uproot the unjust frameworks, which hinder the eradication of poverty? And if this is achieved how then can we replace it with a framework, which has respect for the human rights of the people adhering to it?
This leads me back to the Baha’i International Community’s statement on the Eradication of Poverty which states that,
“Human rights, as endorsed by most governments of the world, must now enter into community and legal culture and be systematically incorporated into domestic legislation. They must be translated into all languages and made accessible through media and educational institutions. In this way, the human rights norms can come to replace broken legal systems characterized by the oppressive and arbitrary application of laws, forced on people unaware of their rights and unable to articulate their needs”.
If the protection of human rights can become a guiding principle of the institutions and processes of society, then, I believe, equitable and just social and political policy will emerge. When the protection of the individual as opposed to economic growth is the driving concern, it enables each one to share in and contribute to the generation of wealth and prosperity. In such a climate, individuals have the opportunity to provide for their material well-being in a dignified, meaningful manner, which values hard work, talent, diligence and capabilities as opposed to the fickle chances of genetics and geography.
