Human Rights, Politics and Black Lives Matter
Human rights and politics are directly correlated, regardless of whether it is an enforced
freedom from poverty as a human right or as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s explanation of the four
freedoms including freedom of speech and freedom from fear to more specific arguments
including wellbeing of women globally whether it be a repressive country such as
Afghanistan or Western countries such as Australia. Human rights also values equality
amongst the population, contemporary human rights issues such as Black Lives Matter can
be seen as a progressive movement to empower people who have been persecuted for
hundreds of years. Similarly, the Jewish community globally still sees anti-sematic issues
despite World War 2 being almost one hundred years ago. Progressive right-wing
nationalists still see Jewish people as a threat to nationalistic values. Alternatively in
countries such as South Sudan and the Congo Republic amongst others have seen terrible
humanitarian issues scoping to up to “19.6 million people in dire need to humanitarian
assistance” (Amnesty International. (n.d.). Africa 2020 Archives).”
In Thomas Pegge’s explanation of basic human rights, he explains “everyone has the right to
a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family
including food, clothing, housing and medical care” (Pogge, P. of P.S.T. and Pogge, T. (2007).
Freedom from Poverty as a Human Right: Who Owes what to the Very Poor?). Yet as a
standard there are many countries around the world who do not live up to these basic
standards were “very poor people lack the secure access to sufficient quantities of these
basic needs” Pogge, P. of P.S.T. and Pogge, T. (2007). Freedom from Poverty as a Human
Right: Who Owes what to the Very Poor?). Many third world countries such as multiple
countries in Africa including Congo Republic, South Sudan and many others do not meet
these standards and have issues with water supply and food. These issues can be attributed
to poor political regimes and rampant militia groups which threaten the livelihood of these
afflicted African countries. These countries are subject to human rights violations against
women who are mutilated, raped, and killed by these extremist groups alongside opposing
religious beliefs instead of progressing in wellbeing they are regressing.
Human rights in Australia “ensure that the human rights standards contained in
international treaties are observed and enforceable within Australia” (Australian Human
Rights Commission (2016). Human Rights in Australia | Australian Human Rights
Commission.). These treaties enforced in Australia attempt to maintain a benchmark of
human rights. Although these enforceable human rights laws are present in Australia, we
still have ongoing issues with human rights violations. These violations include the
introduction of refugees and the prominent racism expressed in parts of our culture which
creates a divide in our society. So, although our government implements and enforces these
human rights treaties, we still witness racism and frequent demoralizing behavior towards
people who are being integrated into society, who are also often escaping countries which
have severe human rights violations, war and conflicting political regimes who are often
oppressive.
Another form of race based human rights violations falling in America has caused a
contemporary human rights movement “Black Lives Matter” (BLM) who are “dedicated to
fighting racism and anti-Black violence, especially in the form of police brutality” (Britannica,
T. Editors of Encyclopedia (2022, February 27). Black Lives Matter. Encyclopedia Britannica)
focusing on empowering and bringing equality amongst long persecuted minorities, the
African Americans. African Americans were completely segregated from the white
population until it was outlawed in 1964, yet still experience segregation in communities.
Black communities still experience issues with poverty and gang violence, which is
attributed to inequalities and neglection from state and government. To solve some of these
issues, the American government needs to issue help amongst these communities and break
stigma. Therefore, contemporary human rights such as Black Lives Matter are so important
in achieving equality amongst minorities in the US.
Women’s rights and feminism have been present since the late 19th century, yet women do
not share equality with men. Women do not have equal pay and still experience sexual, and
physical abuse where “1 in 3 women (31.1%) has experienced physical and/or sexual
violence perpetrated by a man they know” (Our Watch, 2021, Quick Facts). Abuse against
women has become standardized amongst many cultures, whether it be domestic abuse
amongst women in Australia or “gender-based violence, including rape and other sexual
violence” (www.amnesty.org. (n.d.). Why it is important to speak out for women’s rights.)
and a continuation of cultural abuse such as “female genital mutilation, force marriage,
forced pregnancy, forced abortion, or forced sterilization” (www.amnesty.org. (n.d.). Why it
is important to speak out for women’s rights). Women’s rights in most first world countries
are ongoing and progressing, yet globally there are countries which are regressing such as
Afghanistan and the Taliban amongst other extremist Muslim countries such as Yemen,
Afghanistan, and Iran where women experience no education, forced marriages and public
humiliation. Issues with women’s rights and politics recently has been exhibited in America
where women can no longer have abortions and their bodies and rights are being dismissed.
The most prevalent cases of human rights violations and the correlation of politics occurs in
third world countries such as multiple African countries including the Democratic Republic
of Congo, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and South Sudan, where their issues are attributed to flawed
and corrupt political regimes. The consistent threat of civil war, rampant militant groups and
conflicted religious beliefs impact millions of people and their quality of life. Humanitarian
assistance is a necessity to “5 million people in Ethiopia, 19.6 million in DRC and 8.3 million
in South Sudan” (Amnesty International. (n.d.). Africa 2020 Archives) who are in dire need
for food and medicine. These human rights tragedies should not be prominent in the 21st
century but there are plenty more countries which are in a similar circumstance. These
countries are both poor and in need for a political regime which can support its citizens in
reaching adequate measures for basic quality of life.
A continuation of human rights violations which has been consistent for the last thousands
of years is anti-sematic culture. Jewish communities have been subject to human rights
violations such as World War two and the holocaust where approximately six million Jewish
lives were taken as one of the largest human rights violations in history. Despite
intervention after World War two there is a continuation of anti-sematic culture, especially
in alt-right movements. Integration of Jewish people into communities was introduced in
1789 where “France became the first country to emancipate the Jews and give them equal
citizenship” (Theholocaustexplained.org. (1924). Modern antisemitism – The Holocaust
Explained: Designed for schools). Despite equal citizenship would become more prevalent in
the following years, the growth of nationalist groups in various western countries would
show a threat against larger communities including and particularly Jewish ones as
nationalist groups believe this “threatens this unity, or anyone who is seen as not part of the
larger community” (Theholocaustexplained.org. (1924). Modern antisemitism – The
Holocaust Explained: Designed for schools).
Human rights should be a standard practice globally, yet it is not. Often these human rights
violations are perpetrated against minorities or in countries which are plagued with civil
war, religious conflict, or unstable government. Human rights activist groups such as
Amnesty and the UN provide help to these countries and their inhabitants, but ongoing
conflict is hard to resolve quickly. The regression of human rights in many countries is
ongoing such as the current issues in Afghanistan and the religious extremist group the
Taliban. This is not in contrast with western countries which have an ongoing progression of
human rights and equality amongst their people. This is prevalent especially with women’s
rights in all western countries and the rise of feminism but also minorities such as African
Americans in the US and Black Lives Matter.
Feminism is a movement which has gained traction over the last century. Issues with
women’s rights has been ongoing for centuries. The first feminist movement was in the late
19th century, and we still have not achieved equality. This show’s that equality has slow
progression, whether it be more severe and detrimental human rights violations such as
political unrest in the majority of Africa, religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Iran amongst others or minority movements in the west such as feminism and Black Lives
Matter. These issues change at a political and governmental level, enforcement of equality
and the dissolvement of racist persecution.
Bibliography
https://www.ourwatch.org.au/quick-facts/
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/anti-semitism/modern-anti-semitism/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/womensrights/#:~:text=These%20include%20the%20right%20to,basis%20of%20sex%20and%20gend
er.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/report-africa/
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/human-rights-australia
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1230395.shtml
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