“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. [...] Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."
As the World observed the Human Rights Day on December 10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the lines are attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, the First lady of the United States of America from 1933 to 1945, and first Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights who played an instrumental role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UHDR), still rings loud, with added urgency.
The United Nations General Assembly adoption of the UHDR on December 10, 1948 is considered a pivotal step in strengthening the international human rights movement across the globe.
The crux of the Declaration are rooted in Article 1, stating that, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights...” and Article 2 stipulating that every individual is “entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
It was drafted as ‘a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations' spelling out for the first time the basic civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all human beings should enjoy.
It is in this context, a careful reading of the whole Declaration is pertinent for the Nagas, confronting, among other things, protracted political issues.
As noted by a journalist on the eve of Human Rights Day observed that Nagas seems to be yet to fully comprehend most fundamental concepts of human rights (apart from human rights issues related to AFSPA. (The Morung Express, December 10)
Particularly, Article 7 and from 21-26 are essential ingredients, which need to be introspected, discussed and highlighted,
The former deals with equality before the law and are “entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.” As understood, apart from the established legal norms, societal norm and practice can be covered under this ambit.
Crucial to Nagas are the right to take part in the “government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives”; equal access to public service; and ‘will of the people’ as the basis of the authority of government “expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.” (Art 21).
Article 22-25 can be considered as dealing with economic and social security rights each individual is entitled for ‘dignity and the free development of one’s personality.’ It includes, among others, rights to - just and favourable conditions of work and protection against unemployment; equal pay for equal work’; just and favourable remuneration; and form and join trade unions. The right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, too are enshrined as basic human rights.
The issue of access to health care and a basic standard of living as well as special care and assistance to motherhood and childhood are given under Article 25. The crucial need of the right to education at the elementary and fundamental stages is under Article 26.
Whether these rights are enjoyed by the citizens of the State does not need further elaboration but can be ascertained by looking at the electoral practices – both in the political and societal sphere; social security and economic opportunities; and most importantly, the access to healthcare and education in Government institutions.
As Naga prepare for the post-COVID-19 world and a possible shift in political paradigm, it is to be understood that human histories have unequivocally attested that simply securing political rights do not ensure a life of free and equal in dignity and rights. It is time for the Nagas to comprehend and practice human rights simply not as political rights but encompassing all rights to ensure and secure all aspects of human rights.
