Stand for Someone’s Rights Today

Last Updated (Friday, 09 December 2016 15:09)

Human Rights Day 2016

In various communities, majority of the vulnerable groups of women, migrants, youth, persons with disabilities, children, indigenous people, minority group or anyone are suffering from discrimination and violation of human rights. Worldwide, these marginalized sectors of the society form majority of those exposed to exploitation, faced to live in poverty, forced to work under arduous labor conditions, placed at greater risk in disasters and emergencies and excluded to make influences and decisions.

In the 2014 UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Report for example, a high proportion of women workers are said to be engaged in vulnerable employment than men. Accordingly, workers in such situations usually lack adequate social protection and suffer low income. In addition, the report states that 781 million adults and 126 million youth worldwide lacked basic reading and writing skills in 2012, with women accounting for more than 60 per cent of both the illiterate adult and youth. Also, in another UN Gender related report, it was stated that one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.

These manifestations of injustices are evidently a violation of the fundamental human rights. It counters, as expressed in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the global recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

The APAY Committees on Gender Equity and the Youth Participation and Leadership Development therefore call upon everyone to take a stand for human rights. As we join the United Nations’ commemoration of Human Rights Day on December 10, 2016 with the theme ‘Stand For Someone’s Rights Today”, we also call for all our members to step forward and defend someone’s rights today as this is likewise at the core of our Christian ideal of equality and justice for all of God’s creation.

As expressed in Challenge 21, each YMCA member is called to build a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation. We are called to specifically empower all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society; and to advocate for and promote the rights of women and upholding the rights of children.

To concretely support this call, everyone is invited to use the APAY HR Day Campaign Photo as your facebook cover photo on December 10-17, 2016. You can access the campaign photo through our APAY Website with this link: https://goo.gl/vGbNhD

By: Maria Cristina Miranda-Lastima, APAY Executive Secretary for Programs