(1) Project of the month - Human Rights Day

Human Rights

Human Rights day is celebrated to promote the universal human right: to live and to do so peacefully. Some of the world's occupants have this right suppressed [e.g. the right to equality]. This day was declared to raise awareness of human rights and of those who are deprived of these rights.

 

Liberty

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

See the United States' Bill of Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

Since its adoption in 1948, the Declaration has been and continues to be a source of inspiration for national and international efforts to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.  

Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December.This theme for 2008, “Dignity and justice for all of us,” reinforces the vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a commitment to universal dignity and justice. It is not a luxury or a wish-list. 

The UDHR and its core values, inherent human dignity, non-discrimination, equality, fairness and universality, apply to everyone, everywhere and always.  The Declaration is universal, enduring and vibrant, and it concerns us all.The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights. The commemoration was established in 1950, when the General Assembly invited all states and interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit.The day is a high point in the calendar of UN headquarters in New York City, United States, and is normally marked by both high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. In addition, it is traditionally on 10 December that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights are awarded. Many governmental and nongovernmental organizations active in the human rights field also schedule special events to commemorate the day, as do many civil and social-cause organisations.

For example, the theme for 2006 was the struggle against poverty, taking it as a human rights issue. Several statements were released on that occasion, including the one issued by 37 United Nations Special Procedures mandate holders.

“Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime....Poverty eradication is an achievable goal.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, 10 December 2006

The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights occurs on December 10, 2008, and the UN secretary-general has launched a year-long campaign to lead up to this anniversary. Because the UDHR holds the world record as the most translated document—with more than 360 language versions available—organizations around the globe will be enabled to use the year to focus on helping people everywhere learn about their rights.

Interesting facts

2004 - Human Rights Day is endorsed by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) as an official day of Humanist celebration.

 

Nominations sought for 2008 UN Human Rights Prize

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced on 4 April that it is seeking nominations for the 2008 United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.The prize, which is awarded to individuals or organizations once every five years for “outstanding achievements in the field of human rights,” was first given out 40 years ago on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  

The prize has usually been given to a group of six winners, although the 1993 award was shared by nine individuals and organizations, and the 1978 one by eight recipients. There have been 47 winners in all. Eleanor Roosevelt, who played a key role in creating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and legendary US civil rights leader Martin Luther King were both honoured posthumously, as was UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil, who received the award four months after he was killed along with 21 other people in the 2003 Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad.

Organizations that have won the prize include Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Mano River Women’s Peace Network in West Africa.The prize was established by the General Assembly in 1966, and first awarded on 10 December 1968. Nomination forms should be sent to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The committee that selects the winners is made up of the Presidents of the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and Human Rights Council, and the Chairs of the Advisory Committee and of the Commission on the Status of Women.

More detailed instructions about eligibility and the procedures for nominations can be found at:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/hrprize2008.aspx.  

Calendar of events around the Human Rights Day 2008http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/calendar.shtml#October  from

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Day"

(2) Portray of the month: Kofi Atta Annan

Kofi Atta Annan

 Kofi Atta Annan, born in 1938 is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1997 to 1 January 2007. Annan and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

Kofi Annan was born in the Kofandros section of Kumasi, Ghana. Annan's family was part of the country's elite; both of his grandfathers and his uncle were tribal chiefs.

Annan has said that the school taught him "that suffering anywhere concerns people everywhere".

In 1958, Annan began studying for a degree in economics, received a Ford Foundation grant, enabling him to complete his undergraduate studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, in 1961. Annan then did a DEA degree in International Relations at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1961–62, later attending the MIT Sloan School of Management (1971–72) Sloan Fellows program and receiving a Master of Science (M.S.) degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

 

Early career

In 1962, Annan started working as a Budget Officer for the World Health Organization, an agency of the United Nations. In the 70s he worked as the Director of Tourism in Ghana. Annan then returned to work for the United Nations as an Assistant Secretary-General in three consecutive positions: Human Resources Management and Security Coordinator (1987-1990); Program Planning, Budget and Finance, and Controller, (1990 to 1992); and Peacekeeping Operations, (1993 – 1994).

 

Secretary-General of the United Nations

Appointment

On 13 December 1996, Annan was recommended by the United Nations Security Council to replace the previous Secretary-General, dr. Boutros-Ghali of Egypt, whose second term faced the veto of the United States. He was confirmed four days later by the vote of the General Assembly, and he started his first term as Secretary-General on 1 January 1997.

 

Some activities

In April 2001, he issued a five-point "Call to Action" to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic. As Secretary-General, Annan saw this pandemic as a "personal priority" and proposed the establishment of a Global AIDS and Health Fund in an attempt to stimulate the increased spending needed to help developing countries confront the HIV/AIDS crisis.

On 10 December 2001, Annan and the United Nations were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world".

During the build-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Annan called on the United States and the United Kingdom not to invade without the support of the United Nations. In a September 2004 interview on the BBC, Annan was asked about the legal authority for the invasion, and responded, "from our point of view, from the charter point of view it was illegal."

Annan supported sending a UN peacekeeping mission to Darfur, Sudan, and worked with the government of Sudan to accept a transfer of power from the African Union peacekeeping mission to a UN one. Annan also worked with several Arab and Muslim countries on women's rights and other topics.

 

Recommendations for UN reform

After years of research, Annan presented a progress report, In Larger Freedom, to the UN General Assembly, on 21 March 2005. Annan recommended Security Council expansion and a host of other UN reforms.

On 31 January 2006, Kofi Annan outlined his vision for a comprehensive and extensive reform of the UN in a policy speech to the United Nations Association UK. The speech, delivered at Central Hall, Westminster, also marked the 60th Anniversary of the first meetings of the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council.

On 7 March 2006, he presented to the General Assembly his proposals for a fundamental overhaul of the United Nations Secretariat. The reform report is entitled: "Investing in the United Nations, For a Stronger Organization Worldwide".

 

Post-UN career

Upon his return to Ghana, Annan was immediately suggested as a candidate to become the country's next head of state. He has become involved with several organizations with both global and African focuses. In 2007, Annan was named chairman of the prize committee for the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, was chosen to lead the new formation of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), became a member of the Global Elders, was appointed president of the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva, and was selected for the MacArthur Foundation Award for International Justice.

In the beginning of 2008, as head of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities, Annan participated in the negotiations to end the civil unrest in Kenya. He threatened to leave the negotiations as mediator if a quick decision was not made.

On 26 February 2008 he suspended talks to end Kenya's violent post-election crisis. On 28 February, Annan managed to have President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga sign a coalition government agreement and was widely lauded by many Kenyans for this landmark achievement. That was the best deal achieved then under the mediation efforts.

Annan currently serves on the board of directors of the United Nations Foundation, a public charity created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes. The UN Foundation builds and implements public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the UN.

Annan is a member of the Africa Progress Panel (APP), an independent authority on Africa launched in April 2007 to focus world leaders’ attention on delivering their commitments to the continent. The Panel launched a major report in London on Monday 16 June 2008 entitled Africa's Development: Promises and Prospects.

Kofi Annan was appointed the Chancellor of the University of Ghana in 2008.  

Honours

• Free University of Berlin, doctor honoris causa, 13 July 2001
• Nobel Foundation, The Nobel Peace Prize, jointly presented to Kofi Annan and the United Nations, 2001
• Honorary Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II (GCMG), 2007.^[30]
• MacArthur Foundation, MacArthur Award for International Justice
• King's College London, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 28 May 2008
• Peace of Westphalia Prize 2008
• …

 

from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Annan

(3) News around the world - Human Rights violation

*Revivalism of religious rights is a challenge to democratic secular 

constitution*

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Immediately after the Delhi bomb blast, the police as usual, claimed to 

have cracked the case by arresting several people in the South Delhi's 

Jamia Nagar area. Vice Chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia, Mushir-ul-Hasan,

who was seen to be a villain in the community on his forthright comment

on the prohibition of ' Satanic Verses',  became a hero as soon as he 

decided that the University would provide all the legal assistance to the

alleged terrorists who were student of the University. While 'seculars' 

have applauded the case, the Hindutva affiliates are up in arm against 

this, terming it unconstitutional as well as appeasement of the Muslims.

I am not entering into this debate on what is right and what is wrong as

some people have decided to become judgmental terming one community

always wrong while other always feel that it is victimized without 

introspecting our own self. Prof. Mushirul Hasan recently said in a 

meeting in Delhi as why should Muslim always be answerable to 

everything that is happening around them. He was actually saying that

 why do we expect Muslims only to react when there are bomb blasts or

 there is a Fatwa. His question was that the debate liberal verses 

fundamentalist Muslims is a sham and nobody ever think of other 

communities in the same way. Have we ever talked of a liberal Hindu 

verses communal one? That question would not arise as the upper 

caste Hindus are always perceived to be liberal one. Prof Hasan 

suggests as why should Muslims in India be responsible for whatever 

happening elsewhere? Of course, Muslims of India are not responsible 

for whatever is happening in Bangladesh, Pakistan or any other 'Islamic' 

country but definitely they can speak against the treatment that minorities 

gets in these countries. Let us not speak about ordinary Muslim who is 

working harder for his survival in this country but why should those who 

champion the cause of Muslims remain mute to such things. Are we so 

naïve to say that there is nothing common in South Asia and we remained 

neutral to things happening in our neighbourhood even when majority 

of us have relations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan as well as 

Sri-Lanka. If the things in our neighbours do not affect us then 

Karunanidhi and entire Tamilnadu should not have felt the jitters 

because of the conditions of Tamils prevailing in Sri-Lanka.

Now, the debate revolves around the students who were picked up by 

the police as well as the encounter that was carried out by the Delhi 

police in Batla House. Much worst is the case when 'breaking news' 

appears and a reporter gets 'confession' from the 'terrorist'. If we 

accept police confessions as the proof then why the Indian media and 

agencies are afraid of not accepting the same when an Indian prisoner 

in Pakistan confessed his hand in bombing.

Unfortunately, we are in the midst of an information war. Whether it is 

the Islamic sites or the Hindu fascists, every one is speaking to their 

own converts. And the biggest casualty here is the truth and freedom. 

Fact of the matter is that in this game of religious war, the common man, 

the poor and the women are at the receiving end. All talks of reforms are 

closed down as the main threat is then perceived from outside the 

community.

It is unfortunate that a legal aid given to a person is considered against 

the nation. One can disagree on the nature of support but one can not 

deny right to defence to those 'alleged terrorists'. The political 

degeneration of the country is so much that none is going to believe in 

the truth. Hence every community should be vary of these power hungry 

politicians who are selling the country to the private parties, engineering 

communal and caste riots and then coming with great ideas for a secular 

idea. Sorry, in the state of affair, the credibility of our political class is so 

low that it gives strength to fundamentalist forces as they appear better 

than others. People easily ignore that corruption and dishonesty is not 

just in financial term but also in the ideological form.

As the elections season approaches we will witness continuous violence 

against the minorities in the country. Muslims are already in the receiving 

end and now the Christians are also being targeted systematically. The 

Hindutva propagandists have planned every thing well in advance and 

how to describe each of their action which has one agenda in different 

forms. The Muslims therefore are easily described as 'terrorists', suited 

to each one of us in India after George Bush's notorious Islamic Fascism 

and ' either with us or our enemy' statements. Christians, the blue eyed 

boy of Indian establishment are now at the receiving end. Despite 

churning out best Brahmins of the Hindutva brand today, the Christians 

face the dilemma of the political system in India. Surely, evangelism is 

part of Christianity but definitely there will always be violence on such 

cases as Hindutva's targeting Christians is a threat to freedom and 

liberty of choosing one's faith. It threaten the Dalits indirectly to be ware 

of such conversion to either to Christianity or Islam, else you will meet 

with the same fate.

If the home ministry had been strong enough to take action in each of 

these issues, the Sangh Parivar and its goons could not have got such 

freedom to assault any one at their will. Patil represent at best the 

duality of Congress party in dealing with the communal elements. 

Congress, which actually was a representative body of a majority of 

diverse Indian communities once upon a time despite its Brahmanical 

character slid in the decimation after 1980s as Indira Gandhi started 

using the upper caste Hindu sentiments and the first call was Congress's 

role in subsequent elections in Jammu and Kashmir and then operation 

Blue Star in June 1984, when the government ordered Army assault at 

the Harmandir Saheb. It mobilized the Hindu population of the country 

despite the fact that Sikh were completely marginalized. None had 

bothered to wipe the tears of those Sikh families who became victim of 

this marginalization.

But the rulers have understood well that by making mockery of law and 

vilifying one community, you can easily come close to power and therefore 

there is always a danger in India which is the entry of brahmanical 

supremacy through various doors. Through, the Hindutva propaganda 

and vicious violence against minorities, through the congress in action 

which allow the Hindutva lunatics to carry on their threat to minorities 

and Congress than proclaiming their sole protector and thirdly, through 

the state apparatus which has completely been Hinduised in the name 

of terrorism and goes by the same way as have inherited from the 

British and finally through secular platform which look different from 

Congress but a motley group of disgruntled politicians mainly from the 

upper caste Hindu background, secularism for whom means sitting with 

some Holy priests, who can cry against the Indian state and the 

government of the day. Secularism has other vanguards also in India. 

Whenever these things happen, we see the same faces at one platform 

swearing in the name of secularism and protecting 'minorities'. 

So far, Indian secularism has always been of pampering communities 

through bad examples like issue of terrorism, uniform civil code, Shariat 

and so on. None of them have time to feel that secularism is participation 

in nation building and socio-cultural political life of the country. And 

therefore, anyone who believes in secularism, must feel convinced that 

Muslims are one of the most vulnerable communities in India at the 

moment. A majority of them live in poverty, malnutrition and deep 

insecurity. There is a hidden biasness against them in the government 

and even in the secular circles. If the secular parties were so much 

concern, they should have been more worried about the common 

Muslims and not with the issues of giving certificate who is a terrorist 

and who is not. Instead, one would have thanked to ensure fair 

participation of Muslims in our administration, in police and paramilitary 

forces, in our industries as well as civil services. Alas, our politician would 

never venture to think as why Muslim participation in our power structure 

is reducing and that it need redressed. As long as this happen, only the 

caste Hindus will be the leaders of Muslims in the name of secularism and 

those Muslims who do not believe in these fundamentalist leaders will 

either be termed as liberals or terrorists.

India's basic problem lies in this certification of what is terrorism and 

what is not. While the Advani and company want every Muslim to be 

arrested and hanged for the 'blasphemy' of challenging the Indian 

state, the Indian 'secular' parties and political activists, seems to have 

lost faith in the political structure. And in this, the fundamentalist grains 

the most because those who do not believe in democracy and secular 

values are actually the biggest beneficiary of the secular state.

The threat to Indian statehood is bigger and vital but the response has 

been mute and reactionary. Rather than proactive, it is becoming more 

in the form of symbols and so called unity of all the reactionaries who 

are outside the brahmancial reactions. So, it is becoming a fight between 

the Hindu reactionaries and all other reactionaries who do not like them. 

Can India survive a fight between different reactionaries? Where will be 

the common person and her interest? All these reactionaries are opposed 

to basic human rights, whether right to livelihood, right to choice and 

right to abort. They preach gospels and are against individual freedom 

and right to question religion.

Yes, these reactionaries only feed each other. They cry against the other 

except questioning their own misdeeds. The state of India has become 

a virtual enslave to these religious heads. It would have been greater if 

the Hindus, Muslims, Dalits, Sikhs, Christians demand for secular laws 

and secular values san the fundamentalist leaders. The longer the 

leadership goes to the religious fanatics pretending peace mongers, 

the more dangerous the entire issue of diversity. These priests actually 

do not fight a political battle but a battle of religious supremacy. They 

know the weaknesses of others but not ready to discuss their own 

issues. They scuttle all kind of reforms with in the communities and 

therefore this war of various religious identities in India is going to 

defeat people's movement for reform. Secular groups must be vary of 

this and join hand in such a war where a common man can challenge 

the religious head of the community and even question him.

The problem is what is an administrative problem has been made a 

national problem and an ideological fight on the secular vision is 

completely been termed as communal problem. The hoodlums of the 

Hindutva are roaming free, taking course of action which they like and 

finally the political patronage.

It is important to understand the current crisis in India is self created by 

the Hindutva protagonists which in turn strengthen the similar forces 

elsewhere as the religious heads take over as the leader of the 

community. Now, one should ask the government what is the need to 

discuss about what happened in Adilabad. A shameful and most 

atrocious incident happened in Andhra Pradesh when a Muslim family 

of six was burnt alive by the Hindu militants and nothing happened. It 

is tragic that the government seems to be sleeping and the incidents 

just passed as we see so much from the secular gangs about Batla 

house simply because the things happened in Delhi and you make a 

good news but why we keep quiet on what happened in Adilabad which 

should have put all of us to shame and shock.

Many of our friends say that Muslims do not need to speak all the time. 

Why not? We all need to speak all the time against fundamentalism. 

Muslims are no exception. If we do not speak the space will be taken 

over by the fundamentalists gangs who need some enemies to fight 

with and if there is no enemy they will create one.

Indian media as well as activist-politicians are treading dangerous path. 

Here people are already being declared as terrorists according to their 

religion. But the interesting news has just appeared in the Indian 

Express when for the first time the mainstream media has reported in 

its front paged item that behind the Malegaon and other blasts, the 

police believe the hand of Hindu Jagarn Manch.(Indian Express, Delhi 

October 23, 2008). I am sure the next day there will be many ifs and 

buts and not all Hindus would be declared as 'terrorists'. Question is 

why the entire community should be vilified for the act of a few if they 

happen to be from the community. Indian media and society will have 

to ponder over this before putting any question.

Normally, these 'liberal' Hindus are more dangerous. Often they put 

question as 'we accept that every Muslim is not a terrorist but why 

every terrorist is a Muslim'. This question is often asked to me and my 

answer is simple. It depends on your definition. You have not called 

people who can burn a family in Adilabad or Ahemedabad as terrorist. 

You have not called those who raped the nun and killed her as terrorist. 

You do not call who start his Rathyatra with a trail of blood behind it, 

as terrorist. You do not even stop him from becoming a prominent 

minister. You talk of morality but for others as you have information and 

media with you.

Yes, we are living in time when each one of us is passive about our own 

issues and about own communities. We have documents, truths and 

everything about our communities. We want to sale that victimization 

mindset. And it is here we are getting nowhere. Those who do not read 

history will always misinterpret it as we only believe in what our 

forefathers have told us. That is the beginning of fundamentalism and 

radicalism in our self. Therefore the Hindu liberal intellect would always 

say as why no Muslim country is either secular or democratic. It won’t 

understand that in Algeria and Turkey the military had always 

intervened to stop a democratically elected government in the name of 

secularism. That the Islamic fundamentalist groups had been winning 

elections in these countries providing ample fuel to 'secular' army to 

intervene in the interest of the nation. 

It is important to understand the issues in wider perspectives and not 

be judgmental simply because somebody has got a newspaper and a 

channel in his hand. Media, academics as well as activists in India need 

lot of introspection. We simply do not speak on issues but are divided 

on communities line, both simply justifying their own positions. None of 

them dare to speak and support the dissent with in their own 

communities. As most of our communities want to listen to only those 

ideas which they have been conditioned and writers and activist know 

that and therefore vilify others. The biggest victim of this calumny is 

free thought and human rights which are perhaps still far cry with in 

each of these communities. Our state just represents our existing 

mindset. Why should we pretend that a democratic India is secular India 

also? The dirt in the name of secularism need to be cleaned first. Those 

who take shelter in the name of secularism need to believe in its 

perception and practice otherwise India is heading for a Afghanistan 

kind of a situation where we all will be speaking for our respective 

communities and not for those whose rights are violated and dignity 

challenged. It is a grave challenge and we must think it over. Give a 

space to common man please do not make the religious thugs an 

alternative to what is happening among us. A country victim of religious 

hatred cannot look again to the mindsets who have concealed hatred 

in their heart and pretended smiles on their faces when they meet for 

a photo session.

 

(4) Announcement - Carl von Ossietzky Medal

The International League of Human Rights

announces following Award:  

 

Human Rights Day 2008 “Carl-von-Ossietzky-Medal”  

 

to the   Palestine Popular Committee of Bil’in

http://www.bilin-village.org/index.htm.  

 

and the  

 

„Anarchists Against the Wall“ from Israel

  http://www.awalls.org/about_aatw 

Both stands for the non-violence fight against the inhuman separation and for a culture, which makes a common future and life in peace and freedom possible in Israel and Palestine.   

Where:

House of cultures of the world

John-Foster-Dulles Allee 10, 10557 Berlin

Sunday 7th December 2008  www.ilmr.de   

 

 

 

The Carl-von-Ossietzky-Medal is awarded from the International League for Human Rights since 1962 every year. This honour goes to people, who are fighting for the reality of basic rights to everybody. The medal is a reminder to the publicist and Noble Prize recipient Carl von Ossietzky. He was a strong pacifist und active fighter for the human rights and died in 1938 due to his torture in the concentration camps.

(5) Youth In Action - Youth Action Nepal

Youth Action Nepal / Youth involvement for nation building

   

Youth Action Nepal (YOAC) came in existence in the year 2003 with the initiation of Nepalese university students considering the vulnerable social, economic and political situation of Nepal after the origination of armed conflict and the existing structural forms of human rights violations. There are considerable numbers of NGOs and community based organisations and their activities have also reached through out the country but there was still the lack of organisation that had purely focused their activities for the active involvement of youth in community development process.

  

• Human Rights and Democracy Strengthening
• Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
• International Labour Migration
• Marginalised, Minorities and Indigenous Youth
• Leadership Development and Capacity Building
• Media/ Information and Communication Technology
• Youth Councelling and Youth Policies

  

YOAC’s activities are also focused on respecting the inherent human rights of the people which are reflected in international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). YOAC also believes that unless making people aware about their rights and duties it is worthless to initiate development projects. At the same time all development projects should address the need of marginalised people who are facing injustice and out of the main stream of development process.

 

 

 

Past activities 

SangSangai on Love, AIDS and Sexuality among YIC members 

Bashu Higher Secondary School, Bhaktapur 29 September 2008

  

SangSangai is an innovative edutainment tool to create awareness among young people in HIV/AIDS, STI, gender and different aspects of sexuality through participatory approach.

  

Movement to end all forms of violence against women 

Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu 27 July 2008

  

Youth Action Nepal(YOAC) has extended its solidarity to the movement to end all forms of Violences against women. YOAC has been selected to work in the coordinating committe to carry out this movement for this week. Various human rights organizations, members of civil society, human rights defenders and other supporters in coordination with Movement Struggle Committe against all forms of violence against women have been organizing relay hunger strike from sixteen days.

 

 

 

Coming soon... 

Nepal Youth Social Forum - 2065

Biratnagar, December 2008   To bring into reality the vision of social forum in Nepal, more than 2 dozens of youth organizations and national/international solidarity organizations in the coordination of Youth Action Nepal together organized the Nepal Youth Social Forum (NYSF)-2063 for the first time in Kathmandu. The feeling of all world social forums ‘Volunteerism and the activities based on it’ was also followed in the NYSF-2063. In NYSF-2063, around 2000 youth from all over the country gathered in the common forum and organized more than 100 different programs in two days.

 

A similar Social Forum was organized successfully in Nepalgunj this year coordinated by Youth Action Nepal with more than 100 organizations by participation of over 4000 youths of various sectors.

 For the continuity of the initiative, this year NYSF-2065 is going to be organized in Biratnagar Eastern Development Region. Behind the fact of organizing most of the high level programs in Kathmandu, this initiative of organizing NYSF outside Kathmandu valley would prove its vitality of being people’s forum.   

 

Date: December 2008All social organisations and individuals are invited to join hands in this social initiative.

For further information, please contact:

e-mail:youthactionnepal@ntc.net.np  

 

http://www.youthaction.org.np/index.php

(6) Column - UDHR at 60 by Yemi Johnson

UDHR at 60: Human Rights and the Imperativeness of Secularism

  Let me commence this piece by congratulating every human rights activist, and of course humanists, on the surface of the planet earth for their doggedness in the promotion of the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed on December 10, 1948. You can all bet that the road has not been easy. One, most governments, even the so-called world leading countries, have only paid glowing lip service to the ideals of the document; two, enforcement across border has been made cumbersome by some international treaties; three, many leaders do not consider it their responsibilities to ensure the enforcement and protection of the tenets of the document. But despite all these, we could still roll out the drums for the core of the document’s tenets has found its way into many national and international constitutions and many lives have been saved with the document. These, indeed, call for a great celebration; at least they gave us something to cheer.  So, hurray!!!  

Outside of these, however, and like I opined earlier, there are some grey areas that needed to be lightened. One of such areas is the link, nay the relationship, between human rights and secularism, and how the rejection of the latter has made the realization of human rights ideals unachievable. The main question behind this is: whether human rights can survive in a religious or non-secular state, where humans are chained to or coloured in one faith, on one hand, while being discriminated based on gender and belief, on the other? But first, let’s explain the two concepts: human rights and secularism. 

Human rights are entitlements inherent in individuals as free willing creatures; they refer principally to human dignity, to unblemished individual autonomy which all humans, by virtue of their humanity, can confidently lay claim to. Although not uniquely a concept of the twentieth century, having antecedents in the likes of King Alfonso’s 1188 declaration, King Andrew II of Hungary Proclamation 1222, among others, the concept was, however, made most popular by the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights charter by 48 United Nations member states out of 58 on 10 December, 1948. The UDHR is different because it consists of texts and instruments put forward by men and women from different countries, of different colours and beliefs, at a moment in the history of humanity when injustices and inhumanity thrives like air. The signing into force of the UDHR changed the definition of human rights to mean ‘international moral and legal norms that aspire to protect all people everywhere from several political, legal, religious and social abuses’. It essentially means a set of tenets intended to guide the relationship between individuals and the state, the freedoms that the individuals enjoy and their claims on the state, especially with regard to the provision of the basic needs of life. The above explains the intricacies that made the articles of the Charter to be akin to a spider web, intrinsically linked one to another, to the extent that a violation of one means a gross damage to the other; hence the need to wholly protect the document. 

Secularism, on the other hand, can be defined as indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion, or religious considerations from public life. What is inferable from this is that secularism involves more than one attitude on the parts of its subject, whether person or state or society. This might mean lack of concern for and about religious matters, or outright rejection of religions. In the words of Wilfred M. McClay, there are two versions of secularism, namely, soft and hard secularism. While Soft Secularism can be defined as a political and social order in which no particular religious, or irreligious, outlook is established, and in which the expressive and associative liberty of believers and non-believers alike is protected and secured in law and public policy; Hard Secularism, on the other hand refers to an order in which religious expression is rigorously banished from public life and in which proscription of all but the most private expressions of religion becomes codified in law and enshrined in public policy.  

The underpinning need for secularism is based on three pillars of rights: namely, the freedom of conscience, the need to respect individual autonomy and the equality of all humans. These are likewise the ground norms of human rights that most non-secular states cannot but violate unceasingly. These three, upon close examination will also be discovered to be quintessential to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that we are celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. In other words, once one is deprived of these three basic pillars of rights, then the very essence of one’s humanity, nay the possibility of claiming one’s human entitlements, is challenged, dashed or quashed. For how can one, for instance, lay claim to right to life when one is considered an unequal human being based on gender or belief (discriminations)? And how can one be free to move when one’s autonomy and ratiocinating ability as a human is challenged? These three pillars are therefore the crossroads that links secularism and human rights. 

One can then say that that meeting point and the need to ensure its effective management has been, is, and might continue to be, the headache of many of us who are humanists. This concern was first globally raised in the Summer 1992 edition of Free Inquiry and re-echoed in the October/November 2005 edition of the same magazine under the headlines ‘Will Secularism Survive?’ and ‘Secularism: Will it Survive?’ respectively. Our concern, as humanists, is based on the continued rise of Christian activism and Islamic fundamentalism that are daily shrinking the global political, social and cultural space. The fatwa issued on a Nigerian, Daniel Isioma, for desecrating the holy prophet, the same issued in the wake of the Danish Cartoon saga, and the continued annoying hypocritical behaviour of the Christian conservatives on issues that affects children and women lives, such as abortion, cannot but bother many humanists.  

Also very worrisome is the continued intrusion of Shari’ah, Islamic, legal code into the public space and most importantly the continued rejection of the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in many modern Islamic states such as Iran, Iraq, Sudan, etc. In the words of Ismail R.  Al Faruqi, a Professor of Islamics, Temple University, Philadephia, 

…muslims believe in human rights but their bill of human rights is  not one composed by a committee of scholars and leaders, resolved and promulgated by a government or or a representative assembly. Rather, they believe in a bill of human rights which is eternal and whose author is Alla- Subhanah wa Ta’ala (SWT)

  

This is despite the inadequacies of these Shari’ah based ‘bill of human rights’ noted by Prof. Abdulahi Ahmed An-Naim (quoting one Khadduri) that, 

Human rights in Islam as prescribed by the divine law (Shari’ah) are the privilege only of persons of full legal capacity. (And) a person with full legal capacity is a living human being of mature age, free, of Moslem faith. 

What is deducible from Abdulahi’s statement is the fact that the Shari’ah document does not make provision for the protection of the rights of all, most especially women and non-Muslims (see Qur 4 vs. 34, and the rights of Dihimma, for examples). 

Also disturbing is the continued Christian backed killing and maiming of children suspected of being witches in Nigeria of 2008, a very pathetic case study which has made the need for continued humanists’ concern for secularism and human rights an imperative.  

In order to arrest some of these nauseating conditions, most of us, humanists, have been campaigning for outright abandonment of religion, nay for a state that is totally disinterested in religious affairs of the citizens but that which is focused on their welfare. This to me is hard secularism. As for me, I think there is need for us to try routing for soft secularism, at least for a change; for as it offers a viable alternative based on the three essential points that it is likely to constructively underscore, namely:

 

1. Neutrality: which will enable the state to seek to be neutral between institutionalized religions without being indifferent to the religious life and activities of its citizens, and be able to come hard on any without fear or favour;
2. Plurality: protection of the plural nature of the state and not degenerating to segregating them into groups for the sake of seeking a sense of belonging, which makes fundamentalist attack and easy alliance to be formed (the Egyptian Brotherhood Party that nearly dominate the Egyptian Parliament, is a very important example here);
3. Tolerance: this means that we allow other belief to thrive side by side, schooling the citizenry in this will guarantee the spirit of tolerance that values the belief of others.

 

The main point here is that as we, rights activists and humanists, celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we must not lose focus of the fact that a lot is still being expected of us in the world, most especially the need to intensify efforts at promoting a global social order in which no particular religious, or irreligious, outlook is established, and in which the expressive and associative liberty of believers and non-believers alike is protected and secured in law and public policy, this, in fairness to the ideal of humanism, is the only sure way of securing human rights for the sake of generations yet unborn. 

Yemi Ademowo Johnson, socio-political philosopher and applied anthropologist, is former Secretary General of IHEYO, Belgium, and National Coordinator, Young Humanistas Network, Nigeria. Yemi, co-author of Humanism, Ethics and Africa, is also a Columnist with the HEF Magazine Fritanke.

© 2008 

(7) Book advice - Taslima Nasreen

Autobiography: “My girlhood” (1999) and “My youth” (2002)

  

Taslima Nasreen is an author in exile. She is a feminist and has received several death threats for her anti-religious writings. 

Born Nasrin Jahan Taslima to Rajab Ali and Idul Ara, Taslima Nasrin, also spelled Taslima Nasreen and popularly referred to as 'Taslima', her first name, rather than 'Nasreen' (born 1962 in Mymensingh, East Pakistan) is a Bengali Bangladeshi ex-physician turned feminist author who describes herself as a secular humanist. From a modest literary profile in the late 1980s, she achieved a meteoric rise to global fame by the end of the twentieth century, for her criticism of Islam and of religion in general. As return to Bangladesh was not possible, Taslima settled in Calcutta, India after long stay in Paris and Stockholm. In 2007, in the teeth of social protest, the government of India kept her in confinement in an undisclosed location for several months under tight security cover. Suffocated, she decided to quit India and eventually relocated to Sweden once again. In August 2008 she was allowed to return to India but was asked to quit in October again.

 

Life and literary career

She studied medicine at the Mymensingh Medical College and after graduating in 1986, she worked as a government physician until 1994. She began writing poetry while she was still at high school and published a poetry leaflet titled Snejuti from Mymensingh in early 1980s. She published her first anthology of poems titled Shikore Bipul Khudha(tr. Hunger in the Roots) in 1986. It was an anthology of 38 poems composed between 1980 and 1984. She specialized in writing short lyrics based on personal experience.

She succeeded in drawing attention of a wider readership when she started writing columns in the weekly magazine Khabarer Kagoj, encouraged by her second husband Naimul Islam Khan. Her alleged anti-Islam writings caused controversy throughout Bangladesh, and her feminist stance began to crystallize during the course of these articles. Her own experience of sexual abuse during adolescence and her work as a gynaecologist where she routinely examined young girls who had been raped, influenced her a great deal in writing about the treatment of women in Islam.

Her literary debut in the genre of fiction began with the publication of a 76 page novella titled Lajja, (a Bangla word meaning shame) where she, through graphic description of the rape of a Hindu girl by a Muslim man, purported to symbolize marginalization of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Taslima subsequently revised the novella, restructuring and substantiating with more information. It is now more than 200 pages long.

The Government banned the book and, allegedly an Islamic fundamentalist group declared a death sentence. In 1993, she was charged with blasphemy. An arrest warrant was issued and Taslima went into hiding. After two months she surrendered to the High Court and immediately left Bangladesh after receiving bail. Since 1994 she has lived in many countries in exile including France, Sweden and India. In the meanwhile, she has published a number of fictional and autobiographical accounts, in addition to poetry. Her autobiographical writings have also proved to be provocative and have faced governmental sanctions in India as well as Bangladesh. Taslima was penning her sixth autobiographical book, Nei Kichu Nei (There is nothing), but the continued movement against her through 2007 and expulsion from Calcutta disrupted further writing.

The author's other autobiographical works are Amar Meyebela (My Girlhood), Utal Hawa (Wild Wind), Dwikhandito (Split up into Two). Sei Sob Andhakar (Those Dark Days) and Ami Bhalo Nei, Tumi Bhalo Theko Desh (I am not well, stay well my homeland).

 

Controversy surrounding book Ka

Autobiographical books of Taslima raised controversy not only because of her criticisms of Islam but also for narratives involving the private lives of people. Taslima candidly described her sexual relationship with a number of named persons. She also touched upon her relationship with her four Bangladeshi husbands. Published in 2003, Ka, her third autobiographical book, was the first to raise such issues.

Taslima received criticism by several progressive writers and intellectuals who described Ka as a book written with the "business aspect in mind". The 400-page book was described as nothing but pornography or "autobiographical Kama Sutra" by commentator and writer Masuda Bhatti. Ka, published in Bangladesh, is a self-censored version of Dwikhondito published in India. Dwikhondito is said to contain critical comments on the prophet Muhammad. The latter was also banned in India by the Calcutta High Court in the state of West Bengal on 18 November 2004.

 

Censorship

Apart from Lajja, Taslima's first four autobiographical volumes have been banned in Bangladesh. Police were told to confiscate all copies of Wild Wind. The Home Ministry in Bangladesh claimed that they "contain anti-Islamic sentiments and statements that could destroy the religious harmony of Bangladesh." While talking to the BBC Bengali service, Taslima claimed that there was no freedom of expression in the country. "It is a democratic country but there is no real democracy in Bangladesh". Wild Wind is the sequel to My Girlhood, published in 1999, which was also banned in Bangladesh for blasphemy. In November of 2003, the West Bengal government in India banned the sale, distribution and collection of Taslima's Dwikhandito, the third part of her autobiography. However, the ban was lifted by the High Court in September 2005.

 

Life in Exile

Taslima's life in exile commenced when she left Bangladesh in 1994 to avoid arrest. As of 2008, Taslima has been living in exile for more than 14 years. Though she is still a citizen of Bangladesh, she has in the meanwhile been awarded Swedish citizenship. She enjoyed living in developed countries like France and Sweden where she had the freedom of speech and could choose a life style that she preferred. But as time passed by she became eager to return home. But she could not return to Bangladesh since she did not have a valid Bangladeshi passport anymore. In 1993, when she appeared at the airport for traveling to India, her passport was confiscated by the Bangladeshi immigration department on a charge of attempting to hide her real profession. However, when after she left Bangladesh in 1994, Bangladesh Embassies abroad declined to renew her passport and at once stage the validity of her passport expired. In this circumstances she decided to move to Calcutta, a city in India very close to Bangladesh. She enjoyed living in Calcutta where she could speak in her mother tongue. The government of India extended her visa to stay in India on a periodic basis. visa given by the Indian government although Taslima requested the Indian government to grant her Indian citizenship. After a huge agitation in spread over October and November, she was forced to leave Calcutta and the government of India kept her in an undisclosed location near New Delhi. In March 2008, Taslima decided to leave India and returned to Sweden. Incidents in India during 2007 prompted Taslima to begin writing a new book to be titled Narir kono desh nei” (tr. A woman has no country).

 

Return to India

Taslima Nasreen returned to India on 08 August 2008. Immediately after her arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, she was whisked away by security agencies to an undisclosed destination. Taslima has requested permanent Indian residency, but as yet the government has not obliged. Most unexpectedly, the government of India asked her to leave the country and she quietly left for Europe on 15 October 2008. Currently she is staying in an undisclosed location in Europe.

 

Awards

Taslima has received a number of international awards, some are listed here:

 

• Human Rights Award from the Government of France, 1994
• Kurt Tucholsky Prize, Swedish PEN, Sweden, 1994
• Hellman-Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch, USA, 1994
• Humanist Award from Human-Etisk Forbund, Norway, 1994
• Feminist of the Year from Feminist Majority Foundation, USA, 1994
• Honorary Doctorate from Ghent University, Belgium, 1995
• Scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service, Germany, 1995
• Distinguished Humanist Award from International Humanist and Ethical Union, Great Britain, 1996

 

Novels

• Oporpokkho (The Opponent) 1992
• Shodh (Revenge), 1992 (ISBN 978-8188575053)
• Nimontron (Invitation) 1993
• Phera (Return) 1993
• Bhromor Koio Gia (Tell Him The Secret) 1994
• Forashi Premik (French Lover) 2002
• Lajja (Shame), 1993 (ISBN 978-0140240511)

from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taslima_Nasrin"

http://taslimanasrin.com