You Can’t Write Human Without U in it!
A fundamental part of us being different from other animals is the ability of ours to socialise in a civil manner. But at the very same time, people try to resist things or changes they don’t understand. Things that they may not come across everyday. And things that don’t come under a person’s regular purview tend to be overlooked.
Millions of people suffer on a daily basis
Did you know that 40 million children below the age of 15 suffer from neglect and abuse and more than 300,000 children under the age of 18 are being exploited as child soldiers in armed conflicts worldwide? Millions of people are displaced in regions like Darfur where ethnic cleansing and violent conflict occurs. The displaced are forced to rely on humanitarian relief. Humanitarian workers are often kidnapped and attacked, and relief trucks are looted.
The problem is evident, but inaccessible to people who actually want to help. And when people try to help, the ones in positions of power are the ones who stop this kind of aid for their personal benefit. Human rights violations have been committed against children, women, people with different ethnicity and sexual preferences. And the only people who seem to be able to actually do something about it, is us, the Youth.
Why is the Human Rights Day of 2019 important?
Thus, the theme for Human Rights Day 2019 (celebrated on 10 December every year) is Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. The question “why” is essential here. It is important to understand the contribution that young people have towards sustainable development for all. What this means is that we are the ones who are going to actively participate in public life. We are the ones who are going to make that kind of change which is required to influence decisions.
The youth also plays a crucial role in creating positive change. We have always been major drivers of economic, political and social reform and it is time to put that on the spotlight. We have the ability to mobilize positive change from the grassroots level. The ability to bring fresh ideas and solutions for a better tomorrow and no one can take that away from us.
But such is not the case with the entire Youth population
But more importantly, the theme for 2019 is focused on young people, because there is a need to empower the youth to better know and claim their rights. People in many parts of the world are still oppressed and it is essential that they can rise against the powers which try to restrict their freedoms. This creates a culture which benefits the entire world.
It is only at a point at which we understand that unless each one of us can actively speak up against everything that is wrong with the world, will we be able to give every single person their rights. No one, no one, is too young to change the world. We need to stand up for our rights and the rights of others to make a positive impact in the world. Start your journey of impact right now at aiesec.org.
