Human rights are rights that every human being has because they are human beings. They include political and economic rights aimed at the dignity of the mind and the character that a person deserves.
The head of the Senegalese Society for the Study of Human Rights (RESEDHU) formed by EQUITAS Africa with roots in Canada and founded in 2008, Frederik Diouf Philippe from Senegal, had an interview with a Rebero.rw journalist to explain to him which rights are being violated and how they can be protected.
He says that it is difficult to respect human rights based on religion, culture and economy but that is the job of a human rights activist.
“It is not easy but one of our first responsibilities in our work is to promote and explain to everyone so that they know their rights and fight for them. We must know the obstacles to the struggle for human rights to help us know how to find ways to remove them”. He said
He added that everyone is a pillar of support in the struggle and protection of human rights so that they are not violated, where it is necessary for those who have learned the importance of relying on organizations that can reach far, have the capacity, speak and be heard in major countries so that the struggle for human rights has a strong meaning and everyone understands their role in achieving it.
The head of the Senegalese Society for the Study of Human Rights (RESEDHU) Frederik Diouf Philippe
It was in a ten (10) day training organized by the Association of Human Rights Defenders (STRADH), where they trained one of the organizations that defend human rights and the media, made by lawyers in Rwanda, as well as international human rights teachers from EQUITAS Canada.
Diouf Philippe explains that the struggle for human rights began long ago, where it appears in religious books and churches in the time of Jesus there were conflicts and wars, where some killed their neighbors and yet no one should kill their neighbor and it is also evident in the Bible, many taught saying: do not kill, you should not take the life of your neighbor.
“But today, based on the history written after the Second World War, 1948 was the year when an international declaration was issued calling on all countries to fight for human rights.” He said
He added that as the years pass since the 1948 Universal Declaration, there has been a huge change in the progress in fighting for human rights.
“Although it is still difficult because there are many people who have not yet understood their rights, while others violate them intentionally, to this day there is a visible change and there is still a long way to go until everyone understands the importance of respecting each other’s opinions, so that human rights are not violated again“. He said
He said that there is a visible step forward in fighting for human rights, where he points out that women are increasingly being given a voice in various development activities, and even the United Nations (UN) has established a mechanism to assess whether the agreements signed by member states are actually respecting them properly, while previously countries did what they wanted and were not monitored.
He says that everyone’s role is needed, especially the media and human rights organizations, so that no one is left behind in the development of human rights.
He adds that African countries have risen up and come together to ensure that the Principles of the Rule of Law of Mali in the 13th century strengthen African unity in the fight for human rights on the continent, because they often use what is available elsewhere.
African countries say that they have established the African Charter on Human Rights, so that everyone can find themselves in it because when they talk about human rights, there are those who do not find themselves in it and live like in the jungle, like those left behind by history and others, and yet they also deserve to be valued as human beings.
He concludes by asking human rights organizations not to compete with the government as if they are appearing together, but to work closely with the government in finding better ways and pooling their efforts to fight for these rights.
@Rebero.rw
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