This week marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a real opportunity for all of us to reflect on Eleanor Roosevelt's legacy and the future of human rights in an international context (Roosevelt took the lead on getting the declaration written and ratified). See Ann's post yesterday for starters.
With Zimbabwe dissolving, Sudan still embroiled in violent chaos, Guantanamo, the trafficking of women and children all over the world, rape still rampantly used as a war crime, and so many other human rights abuses worldwide, we must explore the issues within the declaration more than ever.
Mary Robinson, remarkable leader and humanitarian (formerly Ireland's president), has a piece over at the Women's Media Center on the anniversary. Here's an excerpt where she advocates women-led grassroots initiatives to challenge human rights abuses:
In many conflict areas, gender based violence and the abuse of women's rights are endemic. And the suffering of victims of gender based violence in particular goes well beyond their immediate trauma. Survivors' rights are further abused in the aftermath of rape and other violence due to inadequate medical and psychosocial care; entrenched impunity for perpetrators of gender based violence, incapacitated judicial systems, and often abandonment by husbands, families or communities.Investing in women and their grassroots initiatives is perhaps the most cost-effective form of conflict prevention.
Anyone have a favorite initiatives they'd like to shout out in comments? Might be instructive for anyone looking to do humanitarian work and/or trying to decide where to give money this year (tithe time and income if you can folks). Let's make Eleanor proud.
And finally, my favorite Eleanor quotation:
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
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Also:
"When I believe, after weighing the evidence, that what I am doing is right I go ahead and try as hard as I can to dismiss from my mind the attitude of those who are hostile. I don't see how else one can live" -Eleanor Roosevelt.
In terms of amazing people doing amazing things internationally, Visthar is an amazing NGO based outside of Bangalore. They do a whole lot, but they have this amazing program called Bandhavi, a residential program where they provide girls at risk of being dedicated as devadasi with "the necessary support and guidance to build a life and livelihood for herself"
They have a eco-friendly paper-making program where you can buy the products they make in order to support the Bandhavi program. They are, of course, other ways to help out too!
My boyfriend has been there studying social justice and development for the last 4 months, and I guess the people there are just the most amazing people he's ever met.
Yay, Eleanor Roosevelt, one of my favorite people.
If your local PBS station happens to show a rerun of the "American Experience" documentary about her, set your TiVo to record (or netflix). She's a fascinating character. Truly inspirational.
Or read the transcript online:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/filmmore/transcript/transcript1.html
While she was doing civil rights work in the 1950s, the KKK had a $25,000 bounty on her head - and they're not messing around, they want her dead. I love the part where she flies into Nashville without FBI protection to give a workshop at a small school in the mountains. She's met at the airport by a lone 71-year-old woman. They get into a car with a loaded gun in the front seat, and drive through the KKK-infested mountains to get to this school where she teaches the students how to do civil disobedience. Guts of steel.
Thank you Eleanor!
Truly one of the greatest people to ever live in the White House.
Here's a really cool graphic interpretation of the UDHR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTlrSYbCbHE
No one can make you feel inferior... unless you are put in an internment camp by Roosevelt.
I know she's not her husband. And, funny enough, I got my BA in Social Justice (minor Gender studies) from Roosevelt University in Chicago. But it always rubbed me the wrong way, the human rights quotes and celebration of FDR, when there is this in his presidency too, that no one seems to really talk about much. If I were a Japanese American, I'm sure this would really piss me off.
But I do agree, Eleanor was a great lady. It's just this one thing that really bothers me about the whole Roosevelt praise thing...
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Oh yes, they can. Without demeaning her many accomplishments and capabilities, Mrs. Roosevelt doesn't appear to have understood very much about victimization. I'm reading about the trafficing of women from former Soviet countries right now and how they are broken in for business. Pithy statements like the one above are insulting to those women and to anyone else who has undergone violent indoctrinazation and intimidation.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
"Oh yes, they can. Without demeaning her many accomplishments and capabilities, Mrs. Roosevelt doesn't appear to have understood very much about victimization..."
Thanks for the pointing that out, seriously. I totally agree.
Exactly. I've noticed that a lot of the feel good, "empowering sayings" (for lack of a better term) that people throw around really only apply to those with a fairly high level of privilege. You can do anything! As long as someone doesn't come along and beat/rape/kill/maim/starve/forcefully remove you first!
One of my own favorite ER quotes:
When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.
It reminds me that if I wanna have any sort of real satisfaction in this lifetime, to remember that I have bigger obligations than just myself and my own *selfish* needs.