Dimapur, Dec. 10 (EMN): Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) observed ‘International Human Rights Day’ on December 10 at the state capital, Kohima, on the theme “Dignity, freedom and justice for all.”
An update from NVCO media cell stated that ‘International Human Rights Day’ is observed every year on December 10 to create awareness and mobilise political will to promote respect for the rights and freedom enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
While emphasising on the theme, NVCO president, Kezhokhoto Savi, informed that both the Declaration and WHO’s Constitution asserted health as a fundamental human right for all people. The right to health, according to him, means leaving no one behind and that all persons should have access to health services without discrimination and related health inequities including integrating human rights, equity, gender responsive and intercultural approaches to guide public health policies and ensure that communities experiencing racial discrimination have access to comprehensive, culturally appropriate and quality health services.
Savi added that there can be no dignity, freedom and justice without health for all. He, therefore, stated that the right to health is about ensuring everyone has access to affordable and quality healthcare. It also included gender equality and the realisation of other human rights such as food, education, housing as well as safe water and sanitation.
Savi stated that the observation of ‘Human Rights Day’ in the year 2021 was very different as peoples of the state were in mourning over the loss of several precious innocent lives, who were gunned down by the para-military security forces on December 4 in Oting village under Mon district. He has termed the incident as a total violation of human rights in the highest degree which human beings could not even imagine in a democratic country like India, who is a signatory to Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Stating that human rights is fundamental to every citizen, he lamented that Nagaland could not constitute a State Human Rights Commission till date.
“To protect human rights is to ensure that people receive some degree of decent, human treatment. Slavery, poverty, physical torture, destruction of property, rape, killing, hunger, sex exploitation, forced labour, child labour, commercial sex exploitation, illiteracy etc. are against human rights,” Savi said.
Savi pointed out that one of the main problems faced by the citizens of the state is the existence of the central government imposed Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 and amended in 1972, which is widely seen as ‘draconian.’ As knowledge about human rights is not popular among the citizens of Nagaland, Savi stated that violation of human rights is so common in Nagaland that the purpose of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is defeated a considerable number of times.
He further claimed that Nagaland is being shown to the world as an example of a slaughter house of human rights.
In a related programme, All Nagaland Domestic Workers’ Union (ANDWU) commemorated ‘International Human Rights Day’ coinciding with its annual general body meeting on December 10 at Assisi ground.
Sr. Pramila, coordinator of NDWM Nagaland region and director of ACID, highlighted on the importance of the day and explained that human rights is about living a life free from fear, harassment or discrimination. She added that human rights are entitled to every human being regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language etc.
Altogether, 268 participants attended the programme.