Human Rights is a Universal Standard

07 Dec Human Rights is a Universal Standard

Pranava Shrisai Gande

Grade 9 student, SNIS

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

– Nelson Mandela

We are human. We can imagine, perceive and rationalize. Because of this, we all deserve, and are expected to live by a fundamental, sacrosanct code of rules – our “human rights”. Without human rights, it is simply impossible for the people of the world to exist in harmony. Imagine if we did not have the right to freedom of expression, for instance. Would we be able to live together if we were not free to speak our minds and say what we think? This goes against our most rudimentary notions of living in accord.

However, about three-quarters of governments investigated by Amnesty International, a London-based non-governmental organization focusing on human rights, were found to arbitrarily restrict freedom of expression. Our human rights are constantly being violated every day, and this has been happening ever since the concept of human rights first originated. Though this may not affect us at the present, we can still feel the ripples of this in our everyday lives. There are 30 human rights in total, some of which are: the right to education, right to freedom of thought, right to play, right to public assembly, and so on.

Owing to their gravity in the modern world, it is imperative that the concept of ‘our rights’ is instilled in children of all ages. Sharanya Narayani International School’s (SNIS) vision is to educate the future generation to be responsible global citizens and ethical leaders. SNIS is taking a strong step towards educating its students about their rights. It is also the responsibility of an international residential/ boarding school to ensure that students live in an environment reflecting the rights they are entitled to. The students and boarders of SNIS live and learn in a place where they are given the freedom and equality they deserve. The students of SNIS are treated equally and non-discriminatively, regardless of religion, caste, creed and color.

John F. Kennedy once famously stated that, “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened”. Human rights are not just words on a piece of paper; they are a standard everyone must follow. Though their existence is paramount to human society, they are being abused everywhere. This issue can only be resolved by taking steps towards upholding these basic entitlements for everyone, and we urge everyone reading this to never compromise on human rights, their own or others.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/what-are-human-rights/universal-declaration-of-human-rights/articles-16-30.html
• https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/POL1033202016ENGLISH.PDF