Reaffirming Human Rights for All

A Report on the Department of Public Information and
Non Governmental Organisations Conference

UNESCO — Paris, 3-5th September 2008

This was an event to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that was signed in Paris at the UNESCO building sixty years ago. There were 1399 representatives from 74 countries with 74 NGOs attending. The purpose of the conference was to share knowledge about how to promote and contribute to the development of vigilance, advocacy and action as part of our work in Susila Dharma.

The UDHR sets out the rights and freedoms for all people and societies. To reaffirm these rights means to establish the Declaration as part of daily life. It is a Magna Carta for all, a treasure to be guarded, nurtured and, even though there have been setbacks, it is still our only hope for achieving the improved Human Level of life to which Subud practice aspires. Through our Susila Dharma projects we have the opportunity to contribute to the realisation of several of these rights. As an NGO we are part of the community of grass roots' organisations, recognised by the UN, which are able to promote Human Rights, and provide a reliable picture of the abuses of these rights, in the lives of the poor and marginalised.

I want to outline how our projects are contributing to some of the UDHRs and how information about the others provides a context for the socio political environments in which our partners live.

It was pointed out by Rama Yada, French Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, that the massive participation in the conference shows the UDHR is still vital. Achievements have included thousands of child soldiers being released and womens' rights realised. She described the initiatives being set up by the French government to support Human Rights' defenders. The embassies are to be seen as houses of Human Rights and an HRs Academy will be set up for Human Rights' defenders to develop strategies and projects. We will know that Rights are Universal when:


Simone Weil reminded us that the UDHR arose out of the atrocities of the Second World War, in which she experienced both Auswitz and Belsen. Amongst other things, she witnessed a family of three Germans beheaded for writing critically of the regime.

''It is a fight against hatred, we all have a part to play. Today many states ignore the UDHRs. NGOs can give information that government departments cannot or do not know. The vocation of this work is to focus attention on the HRs of the forgotten.''

The Dream Project



The Dream Project is an educational leadership programme empowering children to create global solutions in realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The students are empowered to see themselves and one another as leaders and visionaries who embody global responsibility, compassion and the desire to use their talents and gifts in service of a better world.

I found this workshop very inspiring as it involved young people in being aware and active in the major problems in the world when most of the adults I know barely think about these issues.


A class of children from a deprived area of Los Angeles whose families were possibly existing on handouts, decided to provide toys and food to local people in need at Christmas: the effect on them was remarkable as they were transformed from victims to volunteer activists. They visited Honduras and had a meeting with the wife of the president to discuss the needs of the local children in schools and to give shoes and pencils. This positive experience contrasted to their lives of deprived hopelessness.

We also heard of a programme called Designmatters, at the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena. The Designmatters department is affiliated to the UN. The question that is pursued in all the activity is: Can design change the world?
Students are involved in social change in areas of Public policy, Global Healthcare, Sustainable Human Development and Social Entrepreneurship. There was an exhibition of powerful images inspired by the MDGs and on their website were many moving and powerful short films on the Millennium Development issues.

Education is a Human Right.

Making the Declaration of Human Rights Work

In order for the Declaration of Human Rights to be effective in changing the world it is necessary to ensure that:

1. Ongoing monitoring of the status of countries' HRs is maintained. This is the purpose of the new Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in which a Troika of three states representatives are randomly selected to examine and report on a specific country.
2. A variety of creative responses to follow up monitoring is used producing a rich range of responses from stakeholders.
3. The UPR has to be a transparent collaborative process between the state and civil societies. This has sometimes been carried out with a webcast.

There was some debate on the principle of treating all equally versus positive discrimination for those who start from a traditionally marginalised position (eg Dalits of India). It was also felt that any NGO could be party to the UPR and that it was time for accreditation for affiliation to the UN to be mandatory. It was suggested that, after sixty years of UDHRs, the element of 'Human Responsibilities' be included in the Declaration, such as the education of world citizens through Human Rights being taught in every school and institute of higher education. Also the protection of Human Rights' defenders is an essential responsibility as some states imprison these champions of the UDHRs.

Overcoming Discrimination to Realise Human Rights for All

Dr Eugene Brand said that the way to get HRs for all was to make visible the marginalised, the isolated and voiceless ones who have been hungry since they were born. These people must be acknowledge d and and asked what they think on a daily basis. Not simply getting an answer to a questionnaire. We need a dialogue for mutual understanding between poor and non poor; meeting spaces set up to talk between poor and non poor: knowledge is required to dissolve our fear of the other.

Rene Stockman talked of the severe discrimination against those with mental illness, especially in African countries where they are seen as 'possessed and kept in chains, in prison or large institutions or totally abandoned by their relations. He quoted one inmate, ''I am here for the rest of my life and I have done nothing wrong''. Step by step, attitudes and services can be changed. Many countries hide away their mentally ill people, this problem must be spoken about and dignity sought for these lost lives. The goal is to erase stigmas and break stereotypes.

Human Security of Human Rights

Diminished food security and increases in natural disasters threaten human security. Joanne Mariner of Human Rights Watch stated that when terrorism is threatened, Human Rights disappear and norms are bent by the State's agents. This is exacerbated by the absence of a clear definition of 'terrorist'. In light of this we need to become active, draw on international law, strengthen the Charter of HRs, referring to chapter six of the UDHR: ''Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.''

The monitoring of treaties is up to us, Civil Societies and NGOs. We heard about Civil Societies in Ethiopia united to challenge government by offering to become election monitors, three thousand in all. The State said that this could not happen unless it was written into the NGOs' byelaws, but there was a breakthrough decision from the court to monitor the elections. Following this decision however, attempts were made to discredit the HR defenders with trumped up charges, imprisonment and harassing families. They drew on support of the international network of human rights organisations and were eventually released. NGOs must test the system, question the morals, insisting on the right to engage in the democratic system.  Our SD projects' workers are all close to the local people and therefore are in a good situation to monitor the abuse of HRs.

NGOs and Universities for Human Rights.

Ingrid Srinath of CIVICUS (Civil Society Index), investigates and reports on the state of civil societies in countries associated to the UN. She seeks to establish whether there are ''spaces'' for civil society and how legal structures control NGOs. In Monteray University, Mexico, in the Public Policy School, human rights are integrated into the curriculum. Entrepreneurial skills are developed which involve sensitising the students to the HR issues through education and NGO projects. An essential skill is the measurement of progress in assessing impacts of Human Rights projects. 'First Class'' was a development learning project set up to twin a European school with an African school class.

Prevention of Violence against Children

This session was to launch the guide:


It states that prevention of abuse and violence is the responsibility of all.
The objective of the guide is to inspire and mobilise NGO and civil action to:

• Create a global culture of abuse and violence prevention Accelerate better preventative measures
• Focus and implement the framework provided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child: a global obligation for governments
• Follow up on the recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children.
• Empower, inform and facilitate the participation of young people in preventing abuse and violence against them

In South East Asia girls are especially subject to discrimination: before they are born they are more likely to be aborted as boys are preferred. Early marriages also work to oppress girls. Prevention involves providing obstacles to the abuse of the child and challenging social norms where they are seen to be in conflict with Human Rights. The guide is aimed at all citizens worldwide, all Civil society organisations, NGOs, educational settings, faith based organisations, the media and various networks dealing with child abuse and child development issues.

The Women's World Summit Foundation, who produced the guide, encourage the participation of children and young people as it is essential that their views are taken into consideration when formulating prevention and elimination policies. The launching of the guide is to mark the World Day for the prevention of Child Abuse -19 November, and the World Prevention Week 13-19 November. This will act as a focal point for many governmental and NGO bodies, institutions and networks, educators, experts and parents, to rally a collective stand for zero tolerance of abuse and violence against children. There are 925 organisations in 135 countries in the coalition. For more information http://www.woman.ch

It was a privilege for me to witness the integrity and epic efforts of so many people united to challenge and rectify the abuses of Human Rights. Subud's continuing participation in re-affirming Human Rights is a further step towards our maturity.