Since there needs to be a push for an international paradigm shift among top decision-makers/duty-bearers, do we really have a choice not to take political sides?
1. Democracy and the respect for human rights are not simply about elections at sub-national and national level, but also about democracy at the global level. Democracy and human rights (HR) are interdependent. Both ultimately depend on individuals and institutions (the press included) that keep national governments and their elected officials, as well as global governance officers (elected or not) in check.
2. Our present age is characterized by massive national and global institutional failure –mainly in the social and economic areas– as well as by utter insensitivity to HR violations.
3. For a moment, let’s shine the spotlight just on:
• Health systems: they are not only overburdened and underfunded, but one-sidedly geared towards the treatment of illnesses instead of their prevention and promotion;
• Educational systems: they are literally breaking down, are also underfunded and/or are imparting outdated knowledge through rigid curricula.
4. We just have to come-up with, and forcefully-demand, new solutions!
5. Today, decision-makers in high positions feel overwhelmed in the face of such huge challenges. But the HR perspective of these problems is unfortunately not perceived by them –not even by far.
6. This Reader contends that justice will not be done to the complexity of the matters at hand unless leaders with innovative, HR-based approaches, genuinely partner with civil society (and directly with those whose dignity is being denied) to address these matters frontally and collectively. This is where we have to apply a good part of our public pressure.
7. For this to happen, nothing less than a global paradigm shift will do, one that has the HR-perception-thought-and-action adopted by the existing local, national and global leadership (…or by a new leadership if so needed for this to happen). The crucial bottom-line need is to change their perspective to one rooted in the HR-based framework.
8. Testing and implementing new measures in the HR realm more quickly is thus badly needed –and is now the main thrust of several UN agencies. Among other, this requires leaders:
• to meet face to face with marginalized people, i.e., making sure a first-hand contact actually happens with the people whose rights are being violated;
• to more intuitively and boldly identify new perspectives and solutions, not only using statistical information, but rather inner reflection (…and study of the HR-based framework!);
• to open these new avenues they come-up-with and to launch the corresponding new measures (even if they may seem radical at first).
9. Here, we remain adamant: we will achieve the desired HR goals faster, the earlier we learn from successes (primarily), from failures and from mistakes, when –together with the affected population– we pursue sincere and transparent new avenues within the HR framework.
Here is a call to get started, to try out new options, to gain first-hand practical experience, to test, to reject, to modify…
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
cschuftan@phmovement.org