(MintPress) – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brother,” reads the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yesterday in 1948, the members of the United Nations signed the declaration in the ashes of World War II to declare an end to the war and bloodshed that consumed 60 million lives.
Millions across the globe gathered to celebrate the declaration Monday, in an annual demonstration called “International Human Rights Day.” However, decades after the signing of this unparalleled document, no country on earth has successfully fulfilled all articles of the 1948 declaration. The prevailing militarism and internal repression of citizen rights has created considerable setbacks in the complete, universal adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The significance of International Human Rights Day
Although the mere adoption of the declaration has not significantly improved the state of global human rights, it has provided a critical framework for understanding the process by which peace can be achieved. Peace and stability can only exist if democracy and human rights are guaranteed universally for all citizens.
International Human Rights Day, a holiday marking the declaration’s adoption, will have special significance for millions who struggle daily for basic human rights, including democracy and free assembly.
In Egypt, for example, hundreds of thousands of citizens continue to demonstrate against President Muhammad Morsi following his recent unilateral decree granting himself virtually unlimited powers. After calling for a constitutional referendum last week, the main opposition groups vowed to continue street protests.
“The National Salvation Front announces its total rejection of the referendum and will not legitimize this referendum which will definitely lead to more strife,” said Sameh Ashour, a spokesman for the coalition of Egypt’s opposition parties.
In Syria, more than 40,000 have died in an armed struggle to overthrow Bashar Assad, a dictator who threatens to draw NATO into a regional war with talk of chemical weapons use.
Although there continue to be grave, constant violation of human rights in Syria, Egypt and many other countries, others have worked constructively to reduce militarism while expanding citizen freedoms, offering a picture of what may be a rubric for future activists and governments to follow.
Human rights and peace indices
There are many measures human rights advocates use to assess a government’s commitments to the tenants of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including, most notably, the Global Peace Index, a comprehensive study of countries’ commitments to peace, respect for international law and human rights.
For the year 2012, Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand ranked as the top three “most peaceful nations” for their high levels of regional integration and respect for human rights at home and abroad.
Conversely, the United States ranked 88 out of 158 countries surveyed for the project. An ongoing war in Afghanistan along with indiscriminate drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia contributed to the low U.S. ranking as a state with little respect for international law and human rights.
One key factor identified in contributions to overall peace was the protection of human rights and relatively small prison populations. In the top three countries, military expenditures are low compared to overall GDP, and the numbers in jail are low compared to other countries. Iceland boasted a mere 47 people in prison per 100,000, signalling both a high level of citizen satisfaction and little state repression of political assembly.
Conversely, the U.S. has the highest prison population of any country on earth despite being labeled as a bastion of freedom and democracy for the developing world to emulate. The U.S. incarcerates 743 citizens per 100,000 and has more than 2 million citizens behind bars, the highest numbers of any country in the world.
These findings correspond to other more specific assessments of human rights, including the Maplecroft annual human rights survey. Of the 197 countries surveyed for the Maplecroft 2012 study, 48 percent of the nations are at “extreme” or “high” risk of human rights violations.
Overall there was a worsening human rights assessment globally, especially in countries where there is little room for free speech and assembly and religious minorities are persecuted.
One major factor in the overall “worsening” of human rights is the ongoing crackdown against protesters struggling to protect hard fought gains during the Arab Spring while pushing for further reforms.
Models for multilateral cooperation, neutrality and demilitarization
Some countries have taken the unprecedented step toward full demilitarization and non-aggression. Costa Rica, for example has all but eliminated its standing army and has become an almost completely pacified nation on earth. Although there are still high levels of crime internally, the model of reduced military spending will lead to greater global stability.
In the wake of WWII, Japan declared its army only for defensive purposes and cannot engage in any preemptive warfare. Similarly, Switzerland has a large standing army but has consistently remained “neutral,” choosing not to get embroiled in major international conflicts.
Reforming through dissent
“This is a moment when people all over the world pause to reflect on those being denied their rights. Whether being held in prison, denied religious rights or discriminated at work. It is a moment when people come together to talk about these issues,” said Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Amnesty International in a recent MintPress statement.
Because it is not merely enough to assess the state of human rights, citizens play a crucial role in advocating for reform.
Rights organizations have an important role to play in advancing human rights and forcing governments to pay attention to pressing issues. Amnesty International, one of the leading human rights organizations, has launched a global “Write for Rights” campaign in an attempt to free several prisoners of conscience, detained simply for their political beliefs.
By writing to high level diplomats and politicians en masse, activists hope to create enough political pressure to secure the release of dissidents.
Two members of the Russian Punk Band “Pussy Riot” remain in prison for “hooliganism” after a February performance critical of President Vladimir Putin drew a severe response from authorities.
Similarly, Nabeel Rajab, the director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, has been charged with a three-year sentence for organizing and participating in illegal gatherings. Nabeel is guilty of nothing more than organizing non-violent protests calling for democratic reforms. He will be appealing his sentence today in a hearing. Like the members of Pussy Riot, Amnesty International has called for his immediate unconditional release.