Closing the Dignity Gap! – eradicating poverty

Learning & Integrating the Meaning of Human Rights in Our Lives for the Future of Humanity - Closing the Dignity Gap! – eradicating poverty

            Closing the gap of unfulfilled dignity is the most important initiative/challenge for the 21st century, for all women and men, youth and children, to learn, know and own human rights as a way of life so as to plan and carry out their lives guided by the holistic, comprehensive, interconnected and interrelated world view of human rights.   In a way, human rights are a secular “religion”, gives strength and richness to all cultures and religions… to all human hopes and aspirations...-- to break through the vicious cycle of humiliation.  --Away from POVERTY, POWER, FEAR and GREED. -- We must make human rights a counter-power to achieve full equality for all without any discrimination; to arrive at meaningful economic and social transformations; adopting positive creative choices.                                                                                                            

 With such knowledge as mentors, women stand to give real power to human rights; learning to identify the difference between symptoms and causes of inequality .—creating new realities.                                                                                                                  

Guided by the extraordinary vision and practical roadmap suggested by the human rights framework and applying it to our own ways of life, women –as mentors and organizers will gain real and meaningful equality!!  Shining the light on the new journey we should first  embark on  eradicating poverty, We as women, nurturing a new future by re-imagining, re-casting and re-defining the ultimate meaning our lives.                       

   Indeed, the most important challenge for humanity in the 21st Century is the learning and integration of the promise and dream of human rights as a way of life.. --belonging in society, in dignity and in community with others. We must recognize the humanity of others as our own. We must recognize women as full human beings with undeniable human rights, and for women to lead the discussions.                                         

    We must redirect our ways to effectively move horizontally to reach new horizons, achieving new dreams, new hopes, using an altogether new language, knowing that food, education, housing, healthcare and work at liveable wages are our inalienable human rights.  No one can take it away from us!!                                                                                                                                                                                   

           

            The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is indeed the most important promise for the 21st century; we must learn and mentor others to live by it de-facto, celebrating our dignity and genuine equality wherever and whoever we are. We must never again exchange our equality for survival and abide by the injustices some call ‘justice, to belong in dignity, in community with others, women and men alike. --whatever life form we choose  to abide by...--whatever historic memories guide our desires...--whatever culture gives us a sense of security and belonging!!.                                                                              

   Human rights close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity. Human rights are about inclusion; they extricate exclusion and provide a meaningful way to overcome poverty by and for the people who learn to claim irrevocably their human rights...-- knowing that poverty is an unacceptable, egregious human rights violation.   .                                      Learning about human rights as a relevant to our daily lives is the most important initiative for the multitudes in the 21st century. For millions to own, act and plan guided by the human rights framework is the way to go. This calls for an intense and ongoing process of learning for moving from charity to dignity .Whoever we are, we must build trust and respect and design a new future with full equality is at its center.                                         

    We have no other option!!                                                                              

                Human rights learning must become a never ending ongoing process. People  analyze how their own lives affect the lives of others and work to close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity.  In this process we reinvent our lives as we choose it to be. --Adding a new link to our past and to our historic memory. --Raising human rights to the level of a true way of life and self empowerment. .                                                                                    

                 No one should be left behind. We women --half of humanity --an acknowledged source of moral authority—need to assume the day-to-day mentoring of others towards integrating the holistic vision and practical mission of human rights as a world view, the absolute truth to guide to life. A covenant must be made, one that assures that the sanctity of life will never be desecrated or stepped on.                                              

            This step-by-step process of women mentoring communities is a sure way to acknowledge and achieve equality!!  --women and men learning to participate as equals in the decisions that determine our future, guided by human rights as a way of life.

            It is indeed the most forward-looking initiative of the 21st century.

            Join us in this effort. The future is in our hands! .

                                                                                                                                              Shulamith Koenig – Founding President 

                                                                                                                             PDHRE, 

People’s Movement for Human Rights Learning                                                   pdhre@igc.org  ; www.pdhre.org