HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION

Second Semester, SY 2020-21

Atty. Jan Kristy Y. Pastor

CHAMPIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Twenty-seven million people live in slavery—more than twice the number during
the peak of the slave trade. And more than a billion adults are unable to read. Given
the magnitude of human rights violations, it is not surprising that 90 percent of people
are unable to name their universally declared human rights.

Who, then, with so many unaware of their most basic rights, will make sure that
human rights are promoted, protected and become a reality?

To answer that question, we can draw inspiration from those who made a
difference and helped create the human rights we have today. These humanitarians
stood up for human rights because they recognized that peace and progress can never
be achieved without them. Each, in a significant way, changed the world.

Among them are the following humanitarians, each a powerful and effective
advocate and each an inspiration to all who today dedicate themselves to the cause of
universal rights:

1. MAHATMA GANDHI (1869–1948)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is widely recognized as one of the twentieth

century’s greatest political and spiritual leaders. Honored in India as the father of the
nation, he pioneered and practiced the principle of Satyagraha—resistance to tyranny
through mass nonviolent civil disobedience.

While leading nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women’s rights,

build religious and ethnic harmony and eliminate the injustices of the caste system,
Gandhi supremely applied the principles of nonviolent civil disobedience to free India
from foreign domination.

He was often imprisoned for his actions, sometimes for years, but he
accomplished his aim in 1947 when India gained its independence from Britain. Due to
his stature, he is referred to as Mahatma, meaning “great soul.” World civil rights
leaders—from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Nelson Mandela—have credited Gandhi as a
source of inspiration in their struggles to achieve equal rights for their people.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love
have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can
seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it—always.”
—Mahatma Gandhi

2. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (1884–1962)

As the chair of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Eleanor Roosevelt
was the driving force in creating the 1948 charter of liberties which will always be her
legacy: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Born in New York City, Eleanor married rising politician Franklin Delano Roosevelt
in 1905 and became fully immersed in public service. By the time they arrived in the
White House in 1933 as President and First Lady, she was already deeply involved in
human rights and social justice issues. Continuing her work on behalf of all people, she
advocated equal rights for women, African-Americans and Depression-era workers,
bringing inspiration and attention to their causes.

Courageously outspoken, she publicly supported Marian Anderson when in 1939

the black singer was denied the use of Washington’s Constitution Hall because of her
race. Roosevelt saw to it that Anderson performed instead on the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial, creating an enduring and inspiring image of personal courage and human
rights.

In 1946, Roosevelt was appointed as a delegate to the United Nations by

President Harry Truman, who had succeeded to the White House after the death of
Franklin Roosevelt in 1945. As head of the Human Rights Commission, she was
instrumental in formulating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which she
submitted to the United Nations General Assembly with these words:

“We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United
Nations and in the life of mankind. This declaration may well become the international
Magna Carta for all men everywhere.”
 Called “First Lady of the World” by President Truman for her lifelong
humanitarian achievements, Roosevelt worked to the end of her life to gain acceptance
and implementation of the rights set forth in the Declaration. The legacy of her words
and her work appears in the constitutions of scores of nations and in an evolving body
of international law that now protects the rights of men and women across the world.

“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom

comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does
not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt

3. CÉSAR CHÁVEZ (1927-1993)

Mexican-American farmworker, labor leader and civil rights activist César Chávez
brought about better conditions for agricultural workers. Born on his family’s farm near
Yuma, Arizona, Chávez witnessed the harsh conditions farm laborers endured. Routinely
exploited by their employers, they were often unpaid, living in shacks in exchange for
their labor, with no medical or other basic facilities. Without a united voice, they had no
means to improve their position.

Chávez changed that when he dedicated his life to winning recognition for the
rights of agricultural workers, inspiring and organizing them into the National Farm
Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers. Through marches,
strikes and boycotts, Chávez forced employers to pay adequate wages and provide
other benefits and was responsible for legislation enacting the first Bill of Rights for
agricultural workers. For his commitment to social justice and his lifelong dedication to
bettering the lives of others, Chávez was posthumously recognized with the highest
civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the
person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You
cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and
the future is ours.”

—César Chávez
4. NELSON MANDELA (1918–2013)

Nelson Mandela, one of the most recognizable human rights symbols of the
twentieth century, is a man whose dedication to the liberties of his people inspires
human rights advocates throughout the world. Born in Transkei, South Africa, Mandela
was the son of a tribal chief, and educated himself with a university degree and law
degree.

In 1944, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) and actively worked to
abolish the apartheid policies of the ruling National Party. On trial for his actions,
Mandela declared, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against
black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which
all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I
hope to live for and achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to
die.”

Sentenced to life imprisonment, Mandela became a powerful symbol of

resistance for the rising anti-apartheid movement, repeatedly refusing to compromise
his political position to obtain his freedom. Finally released in February 1990, he
intensified the battle against oppression to attain the goals he and others had set out to
accomplish almost four decades earlier.

In May 1994, Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president, a
position he held until 1999. He presided over the transition from minority rule and
apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy of national and international
reconciliation. An international celebration of his life and rededication to his goals of
freedom and equality was held in 2008, on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to
him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live
together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for
and to achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

—Nelson Mandela
5. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (1929-1968)

Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the twentieth century’s best-known advocates
for nonviolent social change. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, King’s exceptional oratorical skills
and personal courage first attracted national attention in 1955 when he and other civil
rights activists were arrested after leading a boycott of a Montgomery, Alabama,
transportation company for requiring nonwhites surrender their seats to whites and
stand or sit at the back of the bus.

Over the following decade, King wrote, spoke and organized nonviolent protests
and mass demonstrations to draw attention to racial discrimination and to demand civil
rights legislation to protect the rights of African-Americans. In 1963 in Birmingham,
Alabama, King guided peaceful mass demonstrations that the white police force
countered with police dogs and fire hoses, creating a controversy that generated
newspaper headlines around the world.

Subsequent mass demonstrations in many communities culminated in a march

that attracted more than 250,000 protestors to Washington, DC, where King delivered
his famous “I have a dream” speech in which he envisioned a world where people were
no longer divided by race. So powerful was the movement King inspired, Congress
enacted the Civil Rights Act in 1964, the same year he was honored with the Nobel
Peace Prize. Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, King is an icon
of the civil rights movement. His life and work symbolize the quest for equality and
nondiscrimination that lies at the heart of the American—and human—dream.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

6. DESMOND TUTU (b. 1931)

Desmond Tutu is one of South Africa’s most well-known human rights activists,
winning the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in resolving and ending apartheid.
Born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa, he was first a teacher, and later studied
theology, becoming the first black Anglican Archbishop of both Cape Town and
Johannesburg. Through his lectures and writings as an outspoken critic of apartheid, he
was known as the “voice” of voiceless black South Africans. After the students’ rebellion
in Soweto escalated into riots, Tutu supported the economic boycott of his country,
while constantly encouraging reconciliation between various factions associated with
apartheid.
When South Africa’s first multiracial elections were held in 1994—electing Nelson
Mandela as the nation’s first black president—Mandela appointed Tutu chairperson of
the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

In his human rights work, Tutu formulated his objective as “a democratic and
just society without racial divisions,” and has set forth minimum demands for the
accomplishment of this, including equal civil rights for all, a common system of
education, and the cessation of forced deportation.

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Tutu has been bestowed numerous awards,
including the Pacem in Terris Award, the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished
Humanitarian Service Award, the Lincoln Leadership Prize and the Gandhi Peace Prize.

Desmond Tutu continues to travel extensively, championing human rights and

the equality of all people, both within South Africa and internationally.

“I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of

someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights.”

—Desmond Tutu

7. OSCAR ARIAS SÁNCHEZ (b. 1940)

Oscar Arias Sánchez won the respect of leaders and humanitarians everywhere
for bringing peace to Central America. Born in 1940, he studied in the United States and
then earned a law degree in Costa Rica.

Elected President of Costa Rica in 1986, Arias Sánchez immediately put the world
on notice that he intended to restore peace in Central America by disentangling the
region from the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. In a series
of meetings with the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua,
President Arias Sánchez pressed to resolve the turmoil and end outside influence in
Central America. He eventually gained approval of his peace plan, which called for each
country to limit the size of their armies, assure freedom of the press, and hold free and
open elections. The plan was successful and, with the signing of the accords, fighting in
the region came to an end.

In 1987, President Oscar Arias Sánchez received the Nobel Peace Prize for
bringing peace to the region, and used the monetary award to establish the Arias
Foundation for Peace and Human Progress. During his presidency, he frequently
ventured into the public without entourage or fanfare to listen to the concerns of the
citizenry. After the conclusion of his first term in office, he continued to be a “man of
the people,” promoting human security and development on many fronts. In 2006, he
was again elected President of Costa Rica and today continues to champion peace and
human rights.

“The more freedom we enjoy, the greater the responsibility we bear, toward others as
well as ourselves.”
— Oscar Arias Sánchez

8. MUHAMMAD YUNUS (b. 1940)

Economist and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus has become internationally

renowned for his revolutionary system of micro-credit—the extension of small loans to
entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans—that has helped millions to
escape poverty. Born in the seaport city of Chittagong, Bangladesh, Yunus’ life is
motivated by his vision of a world without poverty. It began in 1976 when he saw
village basket weavers living in abject poverty despite their skill. Considered poor credit
risks, the artisans were forced to borrow money at high interest rates to purchase
bamboo and made no profit after repaying moneylenders. From his own pocket, Yunus
made a loan of $27 to a group of women who repaid the funds and, for the first time,
made a small profit. Yunus realized that by means of tiny loans and financial services,
he could help the poor free themselves from poverty. In 1983 he established the
Grameen Bank (Village Bank), founded on his conviction that credit is a fundamental
human right. In a quarter of a century, the bank has stood as the flagship of a 100-
country network of similar institutions enabling millions to escape poverty through
individual economic empowerment. Professor Yunus is a member of the board of the
United Nations Foundation and the recipient of numerous international awards for his
humanitarian endeavors.

“Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of

dollars in various programs, and I could see it wasn’t billions of dollars people needed
right away.”
 —Muhammad Yunus

9. JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA (b. 1949)

President of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Laureate José Ramos-Horta has spent
most of his adult life fighting for freedom from oppression for his homeland. When he
was 18, Ramos-Horta was exiled from Timor-Leste—then a Portuguese colony under a
military dictatorship—to Mozambique for his outspoken criticism of the government’s
failure to deal with underdevelopment and widespread poverty. He later returned briefly
to Timor-Leste, but was exiled once again from 1970 to 1971 for speaking out against
Portuguese military rule.

In 1974, Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal, followed shortly

thereafter by an invasion from Indonesia, beginning another brutal occupation. Having
left Timor-Leste three days before the invasion, Ramos-Horta, then age 25, spent the
next twenty-four years in exile, bringing the plight of Timor-Leste to the attention of the
world.

He became the youngest person to address the United Nations, and convinced
UN representatives to pass a resolution supporting the independence of Timor-Leste.
Despite this victory, Indonesia continued its occupation, and so he persisted in urging
the UN and other world leaders to convince Indonesia to grant Timor-Leste its freedom.
In 1996, along with his fellow countryman, Bishop Ximenes Belo, Ramos-Horta was
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Largely through Ramos-Horta’s efforts, in 2002 Timor-Leste did ultimately win its
independence, and in 2006 he was appointed the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, and
then elected its President in 2007.

“If those in power, wherever we are, whichever country but also at whatever
level in society that we are leaders, began working together—we would eliminate abject
poverty and ensure that poverty becomes history in twenty years from now. It’s a
moral duty of any of us as human beings.”

—José Ramos-
Horta
https://www.humanrights.com/voices-for-human-rights/mahatma-gandhi.html#:~:text=Champions%20of%20Human%20Rights
%20Mahatma%20Gandhi%20%281869%E2%80%931948%29%20Mohandas,the%20twentieth%20century%E2%80%99s
%20greatest%20political%20and%20spiritual%20leaders.

Activity No. 5

1. Name a person that you know that you can consider a human rights advocate.
Why do you consider him/her an advocate? What would you do help him or her
in his/her advocacy?

2. If you will be given the opportunity to become a human rights champion in your
community, what human right/s would you fight for?

Email your answer to jankristypastor@yahoo.com