Think Centre: International Human Rights Day Message

Posted by Sinapan Samydorai under Breaking News on 10 December 2003

Think Centre invite all Members of Parliament to read, understand, respect, and practice the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in daily life. All citizens must be capable of knowing and defending their own rights, thus human rights education be initiated, to live with dignity in a globalized world.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR] was adopted 55 years ago, this week, on December 10, 1948. The UDHR was drawn to specify the general obligations of the United Nations Charter. All UN member states have the obligation to respect human rights.

The Singapore government must understand that material well-being to the individual is only a basic precondition in the search for security, freedom, cultural and self-expression. To promote human rights is not necessarily the pre-cursor to debilitating acts of confrontation or dissent.

It is more to protect individual rights and represent their collective interest in potential unequal and unfair positions where they seek remedies from discrimination and abuses.

Civil society organizations [CSO] are partners of the government to promote peace, justice, and development. The government needs to work in partnership with civil society. The government must put people at the centre of everything it does.

Civil society and the government should encourage and promote the value of freedom of expression, association and assembly. CSOs give life to the pledge "We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation".

Think Centre calls on the government to:

1. remove old and outdated OB markers, policies, laws and restrictions on public speech, assembly, and the ISA. If the ISA is to continue to exist, it should only be applied under a state of emergency and approved by the parliament.

2. fulfill its responsibilities to ensure that workers have a decent and just living wage and sufficient time for meaningful participation. The government bears the primary responsibility to ensure workers are not mere digits of economic growth. They are human beings with dignity.

3. respect and promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR]. Public education through media of the UDHR and to introduce training on human rights protection to civil servants, law enforcement, judicial officials and political leaders.

4. implement compulsory school education on human rights starting with the UDHR and fundamental values to live with dignity in a globalized world. All citizens must be capable of knowing and defending their own rights, thus human rights education be initiated.

CALL TO ACT

We invite all Members of Parliament to read, understand, respect, and practice the Declaration in daily life.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights [Simplified format]

  • Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal.
  • Article 2: Everyone is entitled to the same rights without discrimination.
  • Article 3: The right to life, liberty and security of person.
  • Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
  • Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture.
  • Article 6: The right to be recognized as a person before the law.
  • Article 7: The right to the protection of the law.
  • Article 8: The right to justice.
  • Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
  • Article 10: The rights to a fair trial.
  • Article 11: The right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
  • Article 12: The right to privacy.
  • Article 13: The right to freedom of movement.
  • Article 14: The right to seek asylum from persecution.
  • Article 15: The right to a nationality.
  • Article 16: The right to marry and found a family.
  • Article 17: The right to own property.
  • Article 18: The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
  • Article 19: The right to freedom of opinion and expression.
  • Article 20: The right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
  • Article 21: The right to take part in government.
  • Article 22: The right to social security and the shared benefits of society's progress.
  • Article 23: The right to work, to a fair wage, and to join a trade union.
  • Article 24: The right to rest and leisure.
  • Article 25: The right to a decent standard of living, adequate for health and well being.
  • Article 26: The right to education.
  • Article 27: The right to freely participate in the cultural life of a community.
  • Article 28: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which these rights can be fully realized.
  • Article 29: Everyone has duties to the community.
  • Article 30: No person has the right to destroy any of these rights and freedoms.

    Sources and Relevant Links:

    ".... the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"

    The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

    All UN Member States have pledged themselves to achieve the Universal Declaration of Human Rights promoting universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    The International Bill of Human Rights.

    The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols.

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