Fighting Poverty - A Matter of Obligation, Not Charity | Human Rights Day - December 10

[Sapphire Blue]

“Whenever we lift one soul from a life of poverty, we are defending human rights.

And whenever we fail in this mission, we are failing human rights.”

-- Kofi Annan

http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2006/calendar.shtml

HUMAN RIGHTS AND POVERTY

Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is.

By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime...Poverty eradication is an achievable goal.

- Louise Arbour
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Poverty is a cause and a product of human rights violations. It is this double edge that makes poverty probably the gravest human rights challenge in the world. The links between human rights and poverty should be obvious : People whose rights are denied -- victims of discrimination or persecution, for example -- are more likely to be poor. Generally they find it harder or impossible to participate in the labour market and have little or no access to basic services and resources. Meanwhile, the poor in many societies cannot enjoy their rights to education, health and housing simply because they cannot afford them. And poverty affects all human rights: for example, low income can prevent people from accessing education -- an “economic and social” right -- which in turn inhibits their participation in public life -- a “civil and political” right -- and their ability to influence policies affecting them.

Yet, poverty is still rarely seen thought the lens of human rights. Rather it is often perceived as tragic but inevitable, and even as the responsibility of those who suffer it. At best those living in poverty -- countries and individuals -- are portrayed as unfortunate, at worst as lazy and undeserving.

The reality is different. Many ingredients go into making poverty, but factors like discrimination, unequal access to resources, and social and cultural stigmatization have always characterized it. These “factors” have another name: the denial of human rights and human dignity. What's more, these are factors governments and those in a position of authority can, indeed are obliged to, do something about. They have committed to it by overwhelmingly accepting a number of human rights treaties and by signing on to the international consensus to make poverty history, through the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals, as well as most recently the 2005 World Summit Outcome. The realization of human rights – including the fight against poverty -- is a duty, not a mere aspiration.

More information on the link between poverty eradication and human rights in the Secretary-General's Report {A/61/308} (5 September 2006)

http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2006 /

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 25:

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

From a thread by flamingyouth (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=184x10502)...

94 deaths of homeless people highlight lack of care

If you're homeless in King County, you'll likely live about 30 fewer years than other people in the country.

You're also about eight times more likely to commit suicide, compared with U.S. averages. You're about twice as likely to die in an accident. And you have 13 times the chance of being murdered.

That's based on a report on homeless deaths released Monday by Public Health — Seattle & King County, which studied nearly 100 King County residents who died without a home last year.

"It's very disturbing," said Janna Wilson, director of the county's Healthcare for the Homeless Network. "These people have a lot of barriers to early and preventive health care."



http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003462264_homeless05m.html

[ulysses]

1. thank you for this.

And how did I not know that Human Rights Day was on my birthday?

[Sapphire Blue]

3. You're welcome, ulysses.

:hi: and Happy Birthday! :party:

[EFerrari]

9. ulyssses! Me, too! Happy birtrhday to us and everybody else!

:hi:

How could I not know that at my age -- which will still be 39 on Sunday? :)

[bobbolink]

13. Happy Birthday, ulysses and sfexpat200-!!

:party: :bounce: :party:

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[ulysses]

27. thanks, bobbolink

:hi:

[ulysses]

25. hey!

I'll be 38, so I'm gaining on you! :toast:

[EFerrari]

26. 38 is a GREAT year.

I hope you enjoy it.

:toast:

[Solly Mack]

2. I don't know how anyone couldn't see that poverty is a

human rights issue.

How prejudices and ignorant attitudes contribute to (and create) poverty - directly.

Denial of opportunity based on race, gender, disability...a host of other factors.

[Sapphire Blue]

4. Perhaps they might not want to see, don't want to look at their prejudices...

... and ignorant attitudes. It makes it so much easier to blame victims.

[EFerrari]

24. At bottom, imho, most people are afraid.

Afraid whatever small gestur they make will be IT as far as their own survival goes.

The legion of benefits of fraternity seem so dim to that part of our brains.

That's okay. We're learning animals.

lol

:kick:

[EFerrari]

5. So on the 10th, I'll celebrate my birthday AND Human Rights Day.

Extra coolness.

Thank you! Happy Birthday to me and to EVERYBODY else, too.

(As Howard Zinn said, "Why not "God bless EVERYONE?")

:)

K&R

[bobbolink]

6. "God Bless The Whole World. No Exceptions!"

My favorite bumpersticker! :)

Second fave: "The Meek Are Getting Ready".

:hi:

[EFerrari]

8. LOL! "The Meek are Getting Ready"

:rofl:

Oh man. I want one.

:hi:

[bobbolink]

10. Yeah. My pastor told me about that one.

Gotta love it, yeah?

Except that, I keep wondering, if we're getting ready, are we still meek?

Technically? :)

As much as I'm kicking clergy butt, I'm not sure I'm still listed in the "meek" column, either.

But getting a few results, so that's kewl.

[EFerrari]

15. Excellent. And extremely good timing for maximum effect, too.

As to meekness, maybe it's one of those context things.
lol lol lol

[Sapphire Blue]

11. Happy Birthday to you, too! The 10th is also ulysses' birthday - see post #1)

May God / Allah / Jehovah / YHWH / the Creator / Waheguru / the One bless us all, awaken our souls and restore humanity.

[calimary]

7. Just a REALLY great thread.

I'll kick this, gladly!

People REALLY DO need to see this. And to be reminded.

Don't forget what Michael Moore said - "you need a permission slip from the poor to get into Heaven." I was certainly taught that.

[EFerrari]

12. I wasn't -- we were the poor but my family didn't want to scare me

by cluing me in. lol

[Sapphire Blue]

16. People also need to see & be reminded of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25.

[EFerrari]

19. When I attended the "Healthcare for the Homeless" conference

in 2001 or 2, they had these GREAT buttons that they pinned on us all -- "Housing Is Healthcare".

And I remember, there was some friction about the honchos or their reps that came to sit in the front row -- as if the buttons were frickin' subversive in some way. And *that* is the mentality we're dealing with.

And we can.

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

22. Yes, we can!

[coffeenap]

14. kick for sfexpat2000 and everyone!

[EFerrari]

17. Thanks, coffeenap!

Sapphire Blue posts such great threads. Stuff I can't believe I don't know. Those are the best. :)

[bobbolink]

18. Pleeeez, also kick and recommend this thead in GD, too!

Lots of people need to see this.

Thanks!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2875399&mesg_id=2875399

[EFerrari]

20. Thanks! I'm on really slow dial up and couldn't find. Done. n/t

[bobbolink]

21. Bet my dial up is slwer than your dial up.

:rofl:

Mucho megalo mahalo! :hi: :hippie:

[EFerrari]

23. LOL! Well . . .

I dunno. ATT isn't all that discriminating.

Yesterday, they shut me off because I'm in the middle of an uncoupling even though I've paid this bill (somehow) for the life of the account.

But, I sounded like a woman so, you know, there were hoops to leap through.

I'm just lucky thought to call PG&E today and that they don't routinely discriminate against women or I'd be doing something else right now.

Geeze. You think Madelaine Albright would go through this? :)

[bobbolink]

45. Of *course* Madeleine Albright goes through this shit!!

:rofl:

I'm just all out of fight...

Good luck with PG&E.... GAK!

[merh]

28. K&R

:kick:

[EFerrari]

29. Thank you, merh

:hug:

Not that the hitman would have been a bad choice. :)

[Gormy Cuss]

30. K & R

:kick:

[bridgit]

31. k&r'd...

:hi: :kick:

[EFerrari]

32. Thank you, my friend.

We hang together or you know what.

:kick:

[calimary]

33. Kick!

:thumbsup:

[xchrom]

34. kick!

[Karenina]

35. And another

:kick:

[goclark]

36. Thanks Sapphire for Teaching Us To Care K

[bobbolink]

46. She does that well, doesn't she???!!!

There is so little here at DU about poverty, especially poverty right here in the US, and it's very depresssing to those of us who feel so invisible.

Thanks for responding to this thread! :hi:

[merh]

37. kick

:kick:

[I Have A Dream]

38. Kicked & recommended. n/t

[ismnotwasm]

39. Kick

I see it everyday, and the worst thing about it all is that it's unnecessary. And preventable

[mdmc]

40. a birthday kick

:kick:

[flamingyouth]

41. A birthday kick for you

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

42. Thank you for your contribution to the OP!

:hug:

[calimary]

43. Kicking again.

n/t

[EFerrari]

44. And anoddah

:kick: