“Volunteering for Empowerment”

 

The training is organized for 27 youth workers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Its aim is to train youth leaders and project coordinators to improve organizational competences in managing both local and international volunteering projects. The training is based on non – formal education methodology which includes discussions, debates, workshops, role plays etc.

The first day focused on the presentation of the training program and it also provided the participants with the opportunity to define their own expectations which will be reflected upon at the end of the training. Through debates, discussions and activities, we not only had the chance to get to know each other but to also get to know the culture and the local community. Through the Intercultural Night, we learned a lot about the different cultures of the participants.

The second day of the training was devoted to the concepts of Europe and (European) citizenship. After the first exercise, it became clear that everyone had a different version of Europe. Should Russia, Turkey and / or Azerbaijan be included in Europe? And what is the real essence of Europe? It is very difficult to really define European citizenship and the essence of the European Union as everyone has their own perspective on what it should be. The different dimensions of citizenship are leading to many forms and motivations of volunteering.

The next two days of the training were focused on the concept of volunteering and the motivation of people to become volunteers. First everyone had the chance to reflect on their own experiences as a volunteer and how volunteering was defined in their own country, which showed that being a volunteer in one country could mean something completely different than being a volunteer in another. For example, volunteering in the United Kingdom is often a requirement to graduate from university whereas in Azerbaijani volunteering literally means “with the heart.”

 

Even though there are so many interpretations of the concept of volunteering, there are several common aspects. Volunteering is often seen as a desire to help others, showing good will and make a change in society. It was agreed upon that volunteering is also working for free or an absence of salary. However, you also get a lot in return. Among many other rewards, it brings you personal development, professional experience and gratitude.

Through case studies, different problems of volunteer management were highlighted and the importance of setting up your own needs and expectations as a volunteer was clearly illustrated. The management of volunteers is a continuing supporting process which starts before the beginning of the activity and continues after the projects.

The last few days were spend with debating and reflections on the reason why people are volunteering. Next to the training, we also had great moments exploring the city, learning from the other participants and we had a wonderful boat trip on the Volga River and a BBQ at the beach.

All in all, the training in Russia was a great experience; I learned a lot and hopefully GHRD will benefit from the newly gained knowledge.

Focus on Human Rights, Part 2: Women's Rights, NGOs, Second Dimension

Have a look at the second installment of the video series Focus on Human Rights, which addresses the second dimension of the Human Rights System: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Additionally, it introduces women's rights and explains how NGOs in the Human Rights sector work.

If you missed the first video in the series, check it out here. 

Again, for this project, we thank WissensWerte and Edeos for making these videos creative commons, thus serving to raise human rights awareness for a wider audience, enabling the acquisition of knowledge for the public and promoting relevant discourse.

In the voice of Antara Roy, India: The right to live, not survive

                                                                                                                        By Antara Roy

Dalit House
Source: Vipingoyal; wikimedia commons

On 15 August 2013, India completes 65 years of independence. The face of India shows many tell-tale signs of development. However, the mood quickly gets sombre when you dig deeper. Once the initial dazzling brilliance of change is settled, the truth of the raging inequalities gives cause to shock most tourists. Yet, as Indians, we seem to accept this reality as the way of life. We like to justify these social structures as parallel worlds that are in perfect harmony with each other. Sadly, we ignore the fact that the inequalities are not just based on financial status. We have a far worse enemy dragging us back for each step taken forward. It is based on social rank decided at birth, a rigid system that restricts progress on merit.

A friend of mine recently asked me to write an article on the Indian caste system¹. That was when I got thinking about the existing unforgiving hierarchy which has been ingrained into us and is part of our social system. Despite all our achievements in science and technology we are a land of the blind. Yet this topic of discussion is huge. In this article, I would like to bring focus on a section of the Indian society. This section of the population does not get to enjoy the benefits of free India. With the tide of time, people are trying to fight the injustice. This article is in appreciation of them and to help forward their cause.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Source: wikimedia commons by અનિલ કંટારિયા

The most evident tragedy is the way we treat this section of our society called ‘Dalits’. They were the ‘Untouchables’. The Indian constitution presently forbids the use of the word ‘untouchability’, but little was done to change the bias grounded into our minds. The caste system itself still being legal, and authority mainly being represented by the upper classes, the Dalits often find themselves helpless in spite of the laws present to protect the citizens.. 

Interestingly, the menacing roots of this differentiation go deeper than religion.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar writes in his essay ‘Waiting for a Visa’ how Dalits were scorned by other religious communities. He was a Barrister-at-law and upon independence was invited to serve as the nation's first law minister. He was also appointed Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee and responsible for drafting India's new Constitution.. Yet, he could not touch a can of water: his touch would pollute the water².

The situation has not changed much. A simple, quick internet search on current news relating to atrocities committed against Dalits is all it takes to provide one with good understanding.

A right to live

Dalit denied Narmada water⁴– The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has admitted a complaint that Dalits are not being given access to water from Narmada River, although the upper caste farmers responsible for this injustice have personal borewells and do not depend on the river water for consumption. More interesting is the fact that the water sump³ constructed for supplying drinking water to Dalits was not connected to Narmada river water pipelines.

Fight for acceptance

Orissa villagers stop midday meal cooked by Dalits⁵– The state Woman and Child Welfare Department had ordered the preferable employment of women from Dalit and tribal community for cooking mid-day meals in primary schools. However, the Village Education Committee (VEC) members ordered the Dalit cooks to stop work. The reasoning was that Dalits have no right to cook at a school that accommodates upper-caste children.

Fight for increased awareness

Long walk to Delhi by Dalit youths⁶– Four youths of Mysore city's Ashokpuram area took on the journey to create awareness and to draw the attention of authorities and politicians.

Abused Dalit community, Pune India, 2009
Source: GHRD files from the investigation 

Today India still comfortably trudges the path of hierarchical oppression. A friend from Europe indicated that parts of India reside in the Stone Age. At the time, this comment hurt my nationalistic sentiments deeply; however, while writing this article I begin to agree with the idea. It is not just the physical growth that reflects the development of a country and proves civilized living. This growth should be in the minds of every single individual so as not be ignorant to judge each other based on caste, gender, religion, and colour.

The journey of researching for this article has been rather unsettling, and created in me a sense of guilt. I have come to a personal realization that there is much greatness in our past, but when we find ourselves oppressing others in the name of tradition, we need to step back and question ourselves. There is definite progress and an increased awareness, but we need to try harder and end this atrocity once and for all.

                           One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself

Antara Roy is a young woman from Calcutta, India, currently living and working in the Netherlands

Links and References

        1.    A brief introduction to the caste system providing a helpful understanding of the topic. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~epandit/page3.html

2    2.     The essay Waiting for a Visa by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_waiting.html

3     3.   A small space to collect water. Maybe used as a reservoir in India.

4     4. The complete news: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Dalits-denied-Narmada-water-Plaint-reaches-NHRC/articleshow/20093729.cms

5     5.  The complete news: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/orissa-villagers-stop-midday-meal-cooked-by-dalits/570249/

6     6.  The complete news: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-26/mysore/36563321_1_dalit-youths-end-atrocities-kms

Focus on Human Rights, Part 1: An Overview

Hey everyone!
This week we present to you the first part of a four-part video series on human rights. We at GHRD are very excited about this series as it manages to be both concise as well as very informative, and  - dare we say it? - also fun to watch.  And while not everything can be covered in the 8 minute segments of this series, we believe that they are a very powerful tool for knowledge. This first video is an overview clip, presenting the history of human rights development, the role of NGOs and some of the controversies that are associated with the field. The three parts that will follow cover the three dimensions of human rights, specifically 1) Civil & Political Rights, 2) Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, and 3) Collective Rights, so look forward to those in future posts. For now, without further ado, an overview of human rights and their history:

For this project, we thank WissensWerte and Edeos for making these videos creative commons, thus serving to raise human rights awareness for a wider audience, enabling the acquisition of knowledge for the public and promoting relevant discourse.

In the voice of Durba Islam, Bangladesh – The cost of earning a living

                                                                                                                by Durba Islam

Durba Islam writes to GHRD about the skewed distribution of blame regarding the Rana Plaza tragedy in the media, informs us about the practices that put human lives in danger and discusses the future of the Bangladeshi industry.

The Rana Plaza in Savar, pre-collapse
Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45204581

Since the collapse of the eight-story Rana Plaza building in Savar on the 24^th of April, 2013, Bangladesh has been in the attention of the global media. The accident is said to have been the most devastating one in the history of the country’s RMG sector, having claimed the lives of 1127 people so far and leaving around 1943 wounded and injured.

Upon finding cracks in the building, authorities had ordered the building to be shut down, but on the 24^th of April, garment workers were forced into the building, with threats of an entire month’s salary cut, even though the owners were fully aware of the potentially dangerous situation. Around 9:00 am, the building collapsed, leaving thousands of people trapped in there, both dead and alive. 

 

Over the next 20 days, survivors were rescued and dead bodies were salvaged from the site of the accident. In many cases, survivors have had their limbs cut off, in order to be rescued alive. The army, fire brigade and countless volunteers worked under grueling conditions to ensure that survivors and the dead bodies were pulled out.

Victims in the rubble
Source: Flickr: Dhaka Savar Building Collapse

On 13^th May, at 6:00 pm, the rescue effort came to a close. The accident has not only left 1127 people dead, but among the 2438 people that have been rescued alive, many have lost an arm, or a leg, if not more than one limb. Many bodies have not yet been identified due to advanced stages of decomposition. These bodies have been sent for DNA tests in order to enable identification.

Over these twenty days, some channels have broadcasted live reports from the site, as rescue work was underway. They also showed people who were waiting for some news of their loved ones. There was no knowing whether they would be lucky enough to come out alive, or dead, or if their bodies would even be found at all. It has been a common scene to see people holding pictures of missing family members or friends, and crying and asking for them to be found, for some news to be given about them. Families have been robbed of mothers, fathers and children. Children have been left mother/fatherless. 

It has been very difficult to watch the broadcasts without feeling even a tinge of guilt about the state of the safety of the garment workers in Bangladesh, who are working so hard to fuel the country’s economy. Is this the price they have to pay in order for Bangladesh to deserve global attention, or to proceed towards becoming a developed nation?

After having read countless articles online about the accident, having seen the live footage broadcasted on TV, and the pictures circulating around the web of survivors and those who died, a question appears: How can we, as a nation, build our future and hopes of progress on the lives of those who work day in and day out without any guarantee of their own safety, in order for us to achieve that status? After twenty days of being a mere spectator of this incident, I cannot even begin to imagine how painful it must be for those who have actually lost their loved ones in this tragedy. As the twentieth day draws to a close, and along with it the rescue effort comes to an end, it’s high time to focus on what can be done on various levels to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

Following this incident, many protests and efforts by trade unions and activists has led to a few positive steps being taken by big companies, such as the recent event of global brands like H&M, Tesco, C&A Inditex and a few others agreeing to support the fire and building safety agreement initiated by the ILO, in order to ensure better, safer working environments for Bangladeshi garment workers.

While this is an excellent step, the bigger problem and solution might lie closer to home than it might appear. A lot of blame has been placed on foreign buyers and their ability to ensure safer working environments for the workers, but in doing so, one risks overlooking the people who are responsible for the garment industry in Bangladesh – the factory owners, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exports Association (BGMEA) and the government.

The Rana Plaza post-collapse
Source: Flickr: Dhaka Savar Building Collapse

It is first and foremost the duty of the owners to ensure safe and secure working environments for their employees, which would mean legally constructed buildings which follow all the correct construction protocols, safe machinery, and healthier working environments in terms of space, lighting and ventilation. The BGMEA should be actively involved in detailed inspections to ensure that the owners adhere to all the rules that are set down, and the government should be actively involved in enacting stricter laws and making sure they are being followed without any sort of partial treatment, no matter what someone’s social/political connections may be.

That would be, from my point of view, the ideal solution, and are steps that should be taken locally in order to ensure that buyers do not have to pull out production from the country, since that will eventually affect the economy negatively. If the people involved in the RMG sector in Bangladesh could honestly guarantee the buyers that they have no safety threats to worry about, wouldn’t it make a better impression? Surely it might mean that some, or even many buyers would pull out because of the higher production cost, but then, in the long run, it would help to create a responsible and dependable image for our RMG sector. 

But of course the solution is not as easy as it sounds. The RMG sector, not unlike almost all sectors in Bangladesh, is full of corruption. Owners may use their connections and political backing to get away with setting up and conducting businesses without having to follow proper protocols, or making ridiculous amounts of profits through improper means, and if there is any doubt of foul play involved, things are somehow always smoothed out, again, thanks to connections and bribes. The authorities at the BGMEA turn a blind eye when it comes to these issues, as long as they can keep the cash flow coming in. With both incidents of the fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory and the collapse of Rana Plaza, the BGMEA have not been actively involved in any sort of reform work that might indicate a desire or effort to create safer working conditions.

There are of course many factory owners who are doing their jobs well, and making profits while doing it ethically. But it is always the terrible stories that get the most coverage, and this creates an image that most factory owners are ruthless businessmen. But however we may look at it, it is very common in Bangladesh that profits come before the safety of workers or business ethics.

In relation to the human rights of garment workers, the labor law states that monetary compensation for one death is 200,000 BDT. But it is unheard of so far that upon the death of any worker, the owner has compensated the family with that amount. They are barely given enough to be kept quiet and out of the way, so that business can go on as usual. And due to a lack of education and finances, these people are unable to assert their rights in situations like that. Even in death, these hard working people’s effort and the hardships they face on a daily basis remain unacknowledged. Out of all the people who have died, and those who have been injured in the Rana Plaza incident, it remains to be seen how many of them will be compensated by the factory owners, BGMEA or the government.

If the death of over a thousand workers does not come as a wake-up call for the responsible people, to take necessary action, it is hard to say how many more lives need to be lost. With the retail giants finally focusing on helping to improve working conditions, it’s time for the people involved in the RMG sector in Bangladesh to pitch in and do their bit to ensure that tragedies like the fire at Tazreen or the building collapse at Savar does not happen again. A human life is not something one can quantify with a sum of money, and no financial compensation will ever make up for a lost life. So, instead of thinking about how to pay off people for dead family members, the authorities involved should begin to ensure that no lives are lost to begin with.

Durba Islam is a young woman from Bangladesh, living in Dhaka and working as an English teacher at the Australian International School 

Freedom of Religion at the Dutch Parliament: A Debate

Freedom of Religion Debate, Dutch Parliament
16 May, 2013

GHRD attended a Foreign Affairs Committee debate on freedom of religion yesterday at the Dutch Parliament. Representatives from most of the major political parties in the Netherlands where in participation, actively setting forth questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans. While party representatives were in agreement on many accounts – such as the fact that at this very moment the fundamental right of freedom of religion is under more threat than it has been in years – the debate quickly became antagonistic when thoughts turned to appropriate actions and policies to tackle this problem.

Specifically, the point of contention was whether to address violations with regard to specific minority groups, or whether policies should target all minority groups at the same time. As expected, the representatives from the three Christian parties expressed a strong wish for individual attention, while the remaining representatives expressed strong convictions that policies that truly defend freedom of religion must address all minorities equally.

Han ten Broeke
Source: Martijn ten Broeke via Wikimedia Commons

“In order to be effective, any interventions or policies must target all minority groups at the same time” - Han ten Broeke (VVD)

In his response to the Committee, Foreign Affairs Minister Timmermans begun by acknowledging the contributions of the parliamentary representatives, and enthusiastically reiterated the point by SP party representative Harry van Bommel, that it is important to remember that socio-economic variables must not be overlooked when we are looking at the phenomenon of minority prosecution. Retorting to the request made by the Christian party representatives for individual attention for separate minority groups, Mr. Timmermans pointed out a considerable determinant for his own disagreement with such an approach:

“If we pay too much attention to Christians in countries such as Pakistan, we might actually be placing them in even more danger because they might then be seen as agents of the West in their own countries” – Frans Timmermans

Shockingly, however, Mr. Timmermans also clearly stated that stopping trade relations with countries with extremely high rates of human rights violations such as Saudi Arabia was out of the question, as he did not see the point of worsening the Dutch economy on top of everything else.

In the voice of Sara Urooj, Pakistan - "Pakistan: The land of opportunities?"

By Sara Urooj

“READY OR NOT HERE I COME”

ELECTION IN PAKISTAN 2013

Slogans, banners, pamphlets, stickers and rallies have painted each city of Pakistan with color - and why not? - The elections are just around the corner. Every citizen is eagerly anticipating the moment of truth.

But behind all the colors lurks a darker side to the elections, casting a shadow over the great expectations. According to a recent newspaper report, almost every other area of Karachi city is becoming a no go area. Every day the city faces another blast. It is certain that there are some forces which would want to see the Elections being delayed. Additionally, the parties themselves are facing serious security concerns.

One has to wonder thus: Has the situation come to this simply because the extremists want to ensure the election of a government of their choice or is it also possible that certain political parties are conspiring to take over each others voters? According to Mr. Najeeb, an officer of the election commission of the Sindh province,

“Considering the security and safety concerns nationwide, it still remains a possibility that the elections may be delayed. Let us wait and see what the Agencies have say, but in any event, we are up to date with our preparation.”

Which party will take the ground? This is a compelling question, as these elections hold great importance, not only for Pakistan, but internationally. A European Union delegation has been called for the election monitoring mission, and several NGOs are also actively engaged in the monitoring process. The violations that can be expected to take place on Election Day are related to security (and as such, posing danger to the fundamental Right to Life), Rigging, and Prejudice against women and other minorities.

In previous elections, and specifically in some parts of interior Sindh and KPK, women were banned from casting their votes and political parties collaborated with orthodox elements. To a large extent, this meant that the votes of religious minorities and women were not registered. But some political parties are beginning to focus on female voters and as such tapping into a hitherto unutilized resource - one that is certainly a force to be reckoned with as far as numbers go, considering that in Pakistan women make up approximately 52 % of the population. It is also expected that the Election Commission will take appropriate action if women are barred from casting their votes in the forthcoming elections.

As I am writing this, political parties themselves are anxiously waiting for the moment of truth. From the look of things, there are two parties that appear to be leading the race nationally, PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF and MUSLIM LEAGUE (N), with party manifestos full of promises for a better Pakistan and their only slogan READY OR NOT HERE I COME...

Sara Urooj is a young woman and human rights activist living in Karachi, Pakistan