187 THE PURPOSE OF FREEDOM FROM WANT IS TO CREATE IT FOR OTHERS.
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. (M. Gandhi) 1. In a ‘sick’ country, every step towards…
186 INTERNATIONAL NGOs DEMAND MORE FUNDS FROM DONORS BUT, WITH THOSE FUNDS, THEY OFTEN DO NOT ADDRESS CRUCIAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THOSE RELATED TO DEPLORABLE LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS.
1. Because poverty is not only about income, but also about the lack of services, a deteriorating and unhealthy environment, inadequate living conditions, human rights violations and scant opportunities, development…
185 WHEN WE STAND NAKED BEFORE THE UNVARNISHED MIRROR OF TRUTH, WHAT WE SEE IS WHAT WE REALLY ARE. OFTEN WHAT WE ARE IS WHAT WE CIVILIZE OURSELVES TO DISGUISE (OR WHAT WE CHOOSE NOT TO BE OUTSPOKEN ABOUT).
Variations on a theme by Salman Rushdie. Inspired, plagiarized and paraphrased from his novel “Fury”, Vintage Books, Random House, London, 2002. What makes the world go round should not be…
184 IN HUMAN RIGHTS WORK, WE CANNOT WAIT FOR POLITICAL WILL –WE NEED TO GENERATE IT! (P. Engberg)
Human Rights in the development discourse have reached a stage-of-no-return with the climate for the adoption and application of human rights principles and obligations slowly, but steadily increasing. (W.Barth-Eide) 1.…
183 CLARIFYING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IS AT THE CENTER OF THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CLAIM HOLDERS AND DUTY BEARERS.
1. Since most scholarly articles on human rights (HR) fall, without making much of a sound either in the academic forest or in the real world, actively establishing HR responsibilities…
182 WE DO NOT NEED MORE PHILANTHROPY AND PATRIARCHY; WE NEED MORE EMPHASIS ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
Rich countries still think the West is the center of the world and that salvation must (patriarchically) come from that quarter. 1. Can we muster the power of conviction and…
181 IN THE DEVELOPMENT DEBATE, THE PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE RENDERED POOR AS PEOPLE IN NEED RATHER THAN AS PEOPLE WITH LEGITIMATE RIGHTS PUTS THEM TOTALLY OUT OF STEP WITH THE RIGHTS-BASED FRAMEWORK.
Together with Dennis Kucinich, the ex-US presidential candidate, we see poverty as a weapon of mass destruction. 1. Is poverty reduction per-se an independent, stand-alone goal in the human rights-based…
180 SOCIAL PROGRESS HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED ON PUBLIC PRESSURE.
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…
179 WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO WIDER PUBLIC DEBATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS?
1. The more well-known human rights, like the freedom of speech or the freedom of assembly protect individuals from assault by the state. Economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR), on…
178 OF CLAIM HOLDERS, DUTY BEARERS AND AGENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
Human rights are indeed a very powerful framework for bringing change to the unequal power structures and relationships that perpetuate poverty and its accompanying HR violations provided the proper accountability…