FEATURE | Human Rights Day: Roaring for Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All

Freedom. Equality. Justice for All — human rights must be defended at all costs.

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"The Universal Declaration shows the way to common values and approaches that can help resolve tensions and create the security and stability our world craves." 

- UN Secretary-General António Guterres 

The overarching subject of one of the world's most groundbreaking worldwide pledges, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 75th anniversary, is "Protecting Human Lives, Uplifting Human Dignity, Advancing People's Progress!". This historic document safeguards the inherent rights to which all human beings are entitled, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, language, political or other viewpoint, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. This aims to commemorate advances in human rights, promote constructive relationships, and organize support for the ongoing growth of collective social justice. 

In this day and age where there is openness and people power, the release of former Senator Leila de Lima from detention, albeit temporarily on bail, provides human rights supporters with a special and meaningful cause to mark International Human Rights Day on December 10. While de Lima was imprisoned for nearly seven years, international human rights organizations, UN experts, and several world leaders and lawmakers urged the Philippine government to release her. Leila De Lima, 64, has long maintained that the charges were false or even more misleading and that she was a victim of political vendetta. Before being elected to the Senate in 2016, de Lima worked as an election lawyer and chaired the Commission on Elections.  I quoted, violating human rights is an abuse of the nation. 

Ours is a history of forefront fight for social diseases, national liberation, justice, equality, and peace against all forms of oppression. The parallel quest for freedom and respect for human rights motivated our collective spirit to build a nation proud of our heritage and diverse culture. Today, we reinvigorate that revolutionary spirit in our fight against globalization's harmful impacts, such as debt burden, environmental degradation, social inequality, and poverty. As a result, we prioritize human and people's rights. We must remember that human rights bind us all together employing shared rights and responsibilities. People's ability to exercise their human rights is dependent on the actions of those who respect these rights. Human rights necessitate accountability and duty toward other people and the entire community. People are held responsible for using their rights in a way that respects the rights of others. For example, if someone exercises their right to free expression, they must do so without infringing on another person's right to privacy. 

Human rights have been perpetually the core of the Philippine constitutional order from its inception as Asia's first republic. Promoting social justice and human dignity is a state policy established in all iterations of the Philippine Constitution, and it manifests itself in laws, policy frameworks, and activities. It's like a shield: it guards you; it's like rules because it instructs you how to act in a manner; and it's like judges because you can appeal to them. They are abstract, similar to feelings, and, like feelings, they belong to everyone and exist regardless of what happens. It is similar to nature in that it can be harmed, but it is unlike the spirit in that it cannot be destroyed. They treat everyone the same, rich and poor, old and young, white and black, tall and short. They give us respect and task us with treating others with respect. We may argue on how to define goodness, truth, and justice, but we know them when we come across them. 

Many people should remember that human rights are unassailable, which means they cannot be taken away since they are inescapably linked to the reality of human existence; they are inherent in all human beings. Some, but not all, may be suspended or restricted in certain circumstances. These are also indivisible, interdependent, and interlinked, which indicates that distinct human rights are inextricably linked and cannot be understood separately. The exercise of one right is dependent on the exercise of many other rights, and no one right is more vital than the others. Finally, human rights are universal, which means they apply equally to all individuals anywhere in the entire world, without regard to time. Every person has the right to exercise his or her human rights regardless of "race" or ethnic background, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, political or other viewpoint, national or social origin, birth, or other position. It is important to stress that the universality of human rights does not jeopardize the rich diversity of persons or civilizations. Uniformity is not identical with universality. Diversity necessitates a world in which everyone is equal and deserving of respect. Human rights are minimal criteria that apply to all people; each state and society can create and implement higher and more specific norms. 

Freedom. Equality. Justice for All — human rights and freedom must be defended at all costs. It is harmful to human lives if they are stripped of them. A country's political needs may dictate its rights, but they should not completely distort them. Bureaucratic regimentation, exploitation, and oppression are crimes against humanity and must be opposed by everybody. Human ideals, freedoms, and rights must be protected and upheld as precious. In the event of a breach of human rights, the affected individuals must be fairly compensated, and the same violations must not be repeated in the future. After all, everyone has the right to live with respect and decency. Break the chains, human rights remain!