Amnesty International Day (May 28th)
To Deny People Their Human Rights Is To Challenge Their Very Humanity.
Nelson Mandela
Human rights have been a hot topic in local and international Politics since the 1960’s. Whether fighting for the right to marry the person of our choice or to end abuses like child labor all over the globe, Amnesty International has been in the trenches trying to make the world a better place. Amnesty International Day works to promote human rights and raise awareness of their abuses and how our choices affect them every day.
Learn about Amnesty International Day
This event calls upon everyone – no matter their nationality, culture, or race – to rise up and get involved in a number of different events that are going on around the world to protect human rights. Amnesty’s involved in a whole host of issues concerning the likes of torture, reproductive and sexual freedom, international justice, disappearances, and armed coNFLict. Through the research and campaigning of this organization, it plays a huge role in helping to free those who have been unfairly jailed, bring perPetrators to justice, and help fight all types of abuse.
The importance of human rights
Understanding the importance of Amnesty International Day is essentially about understanding the importance of human rights. Human rights represent key fundamental freedoms that belong to all of us. In WW2, it was shown that basic rights are not always guaranteed. Because of this, the former US first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the United Nations came together in 1948 to tackle this issue.
Their collaboration resulted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is this declaration that Amnesty International works to implement and protect, and therefore, it is really this declaration that is at the heart of what Amnesty International Day is all about. These statutes are critical because they are based on necessities such as respect, dignity, equality, and fairness. These are basic things that every human should be entitled to. Sadly, though, there human rights abuses that happen around the world on a daily basis. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and this is why a day like Amnesty International Day is so critical.
History of Amnesty International Day
Amnesty International was first established in the month of July 1961 in London. Peter Benenson, an English labor lawyer was inspired to establish this organization after learning of two Portuguese students being imprisoned for seven years after “having drunk a toast to liberty.” Together with Eric Baker of the Religious Society of Friends, and numerous other intelligentsia, including academics, writers, and lawyers, they composed an article called “The Forgotten Prisoners” that would see publication in The Observer in May of 1961. This led to an appeal which quickly grew into an organization that would work to change the world and see that everyone would be entitled to a set of basic human rights.
The tireless efforts of this organization have since been central to revealing violations of human rights and working to change government policy as relates to their protection. Their work wasn’t always popular, with its members being accused of everything from espionage (1980’s Russia) to protectors of the criminal element (the Moroccan Government). In truth, they are champions of the downtrodden and the oppressed and work every day to alleviate the struggles of people everywhere facing famine, the trials of war, and those seeking asylum.
Why Amnesty International is vital
Amnesty International works hard to protect children, women, and men across the world in cases whereby their truth, dignity, and justice are denied. The organization investigates and exposes cases whereby resources, people, and power have been abused. You can look into a lot of the cases that they have worked on. This is a global movement, involving more than seven million people across the world, making it the biggest grassroots, human rights organization across the globe. The organization is imperative in creating a safer world and transforming societies that need help.
How to celebrate Amnesty International Day
The best way to celebrate Amnesty International Day is to help raise awareness among your friends and family about the struggles of the world’s downtrodden. The place to start would be with educating yourself by learning about the places in the world where Civil Liberties are most at risk. You can also seek out events sponsored by Amnesty International, including benefit concerts and fundraisers seeking to keep the organization going and to help support its efforts. Amnesty International has done a great deal of good work over the years, but the challenges it faces are never-ending, and new allies are needed with every passing year. So get out there and work to help make the world a better place!
Another way to mark Amnesty International Day is to spend some time reading up on the different cases that the organization has helped with. For example, some of the recent successes that they have had include changing the law in Morocco so that victims of rape no longer have to marry their abusers. They also played a monumental role in seeking justice for Angel Colon, a torture survivor in Mexico, as well as controlling the sale of weapons. You can also head to their website to read about the different cases that are going on at the moment as well. There is also a Petition that you can sign to pledge your allegiance, should you wish to do so. You may even want to spare a few hours of your time by volunteering in one of the offices that they have around the world.
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