We celebrate International Human Rights Day 2021 under the theme Equality: That “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This takes place on Dec. 10, to commemorate the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 73 years ago.
The declaration consists of a wide range of human rights and fundamental freedoms that we are all entitled to enjoy wherever we are in the world. The declaration guarantees our rights without any discrimination based on nationality, place of residence, sex, ethnic origin, religion, language or any other status.
Over the years, the declaration has been accepted as a contract between governments and their people. Almost all countries have accepted it.
The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization considers that education, culture, and science are among the most important rights to be shared among people, because every individual has the right to study, learn, and enjoy culture and the arts so that peoples progress towards a bright future.
ALECSO is keen to make all possible efforts to contribute to the development of the best educational and scientific programs in the belief that science and learning are the cornerstones of the development and prosperity of peoples.
The question now is: Can an economy based on human rights provide the necessary needs for human beings?
The biggest global challenge facing our time, especially in the Arab world, is the lack of basic human needs. Addressing this challenge effectively requires measures rooted in human rights, a renewed political commitment, and the involvement of all stakeholders.
Sustainable economics based on justice, human rights and the right to sustainable development in its three aspects: economic, social and environment, are essential to building a new society, economy and environment based on human rights, and this supports societies in a better, more equitable and sustainable manner for the generations of today and tomorrow. Therefore, an economy based on human rights must form the basis of the new social contract.
We are richer now in terms of “sustainable social development” because we are currently living in a geopolitical transition period. We are going through successive financial and health crises that have long-term and multidimensional effects, especially on millions of young people.
Unless their rights are protected, including decent jobs and social protection, the COVID-19 generation is at risk of falling prey to the harmful effects of deepening inequality and poverty.
This also shows the importance of sustainable environmental development, as environmental degradation, especially climate change, pollution, and the destruction of nature, greatly affect individuals, groups and peoples who live in fragile conditions and lack a clean and healthy environment.
These effects exacerbate pre-existing inequalities and negatively impact the human rights of today and tomorrow’s generations.
I am now talking about human rights in the Arab world in light of the spread of the pandemic and other disasters.
In July 2021, United Nations reports on the impact of the crisis on the countries of the Arab world stated that the region, in which about 436 million people live, initially maintained rates of infection and death rates below the global average, but things soon became “a cause for concern,” due to the inadequate primary healthcare in many countries.
The pandemic has also exacerbated decades-old challenges, such as violence and conflict, inequality, unemployment, poverty, inadequate social safety nets, and inadequately responsive systems. The double shock of the pandemic and low oil prices prompted the International Monetary Fund to cut its economic forecast for East and North Africa to its lowest level in 50 years.
The number of poor people is expected to reach 115 million, which represents a quarter of the region’s population.
The International Monetary Fund says that many of the new poor are mainly from the middle classes. If the poverty rate persists for a long time, political and social stability will be threatened. Especially since many countries in the region have taken exceptional measures to confront the pandemic but have often used the pandemic as an excuse to impose excessive restrictions.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing more appropriate than human rights to prevent conflicts, violence and disturbances, and to build resilience through equality, inclusion and non-discrimination.
Human rights have the power to address the root causes of conflicts and crises, by addressing grievances, eliminating inequality and exclusion, and allowing people to participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
Societies that protect and promote human rights for all are more robust and resilient societies and are better prepared through human rights to manage disasters, including from the consequences of global warming, and to respond to unexpected crises such as the pandemic.
Equality, inclusion, and non-discrimination are central to sustainable development. Realizing human rights for all ensures that people receive the human rights benefits of development, but, when certain people or groups of people are excluded or face discrimination, inequality inevitably leads to a cycle of conflict and crisis.
I ask God that the celebration of Human Rights Day 2021 will be an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in rebuilding the world we want, and the need for global solidarity, our interdependence, and our common humanity.
