Picture of Human Rights Day protest in Mannar courtesy TamilGuardian
Yesterday (December 10) was Human Rights Day. The theme this year, according to the UN was ‘Our Rights, Our Freedoms. Always.’
Since human rights covers many different fields and issues, Groundviews decided to facilitate a discussion between different organisations and individuals, anchored to the global theme.
Using the hashtag #HRDaySL, we asked people to tell us what freedom meant to them. Organisations such as Verite Research, the Women and Media Collective, Equal Ground, the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) and One Billion Rising Sri Lanka all contributed to the conversation.
Topics raised included the right to access public space, hate speech, migrant rights, the right to economic mobility, equal political representation, rape and domestic violence, the issues faced by female headed households and LGBTIQ rights.
#HRDaySL @cepasl Right to the city means democratic control over the city with the right to access, occupy and use the urban spaces equally.
— KUMI (@kkumima) December 10, 2015
#DomesticWorker rights are #HumanRights #HRDaySL #lka #DWRights
— Verité Research (@VeriteResearch) December 10, 2015
Freedom is not being labeled a criminal because of your sexual orientation or gender identity! #HRDaySL #LGBTIQRIGHTSAREHUMANRIGHTS
— EQUAL GROUND (@_EQUALGROUND_) December 10, 2015
Women's migration &labour rights are inextricably tied together, b/c a woman's employmnt opps depend heavily on her ability to move #HRDaySL
— OBR Sri Lanka (@OBRSriLanka) December 10, 2015
????????? ???????? ????????????! https://t.co/hjKlu1qAZc #lka #srilanka #HumanRightsDay #HRDaySL pic.twitter.com/Ia9kEU6Mbs
— ??????? (@MaatramSL) December 11, 2015
MT @mkphilips "The stoning of this…housemaid stand as a symbol of our world’s moral failing" https://t.co/o1z0W5rKQh … #HRDaySL @cepaSL
— CEPA (@cepaSL) December 10, 2015
Women have a right to enjoy equality with men in political and public life #16days #sl16days #HRdaySL #lka #srilanka pic.twitter.com/ktCTRKdMVz
— Women&MediaCollectiv (@womenandmedia) December 10, 2015
Panel on challenges and opportunities in addressing needs of #WHH @viluthuSL conference #HRDaySL @cepaSL pic.twitter.com/ZmVRB68qhR
— Yajna Sanguhan (@y_sangu) December 10, 2015
Freedom is being able to be who we are without prejudice! #HRDaySL #LGBTIQRIGHTSAREHUMANRIGHTS pic.twitter.com/C8AtJnC0ae
— EQUAL GROUND (@_EQUALGROUND_) December 10, 2015
Current topics discussed included the death sentence by stoning of the domestic worker in Saudi Arabia:
MT @mkphilips "The stoning of this…housemaid stand as a symbol of our world’s moral failing" https://t.co/o1z0W5rKQh … #HRDaySL @cepaSL
— CEPA (@cepaSL) December 10, 2015
The recent Prevention of Domestic Violence Act was also discussed
Domestic Violence inhibits a woman’s right to be as an equal within the family https://t.co/Wy8afi3iZx #HRDaySL #lka #srilanka
— Women&MediaCollectiv (@womenandmedia) December 10, 2015
Sister paper Vikalpa called attention to a hunger strike in Jaffna:
?????? ‘?????‘ ????? ??? ??? ????? ??.????????? ???? ?????? ??????? #lka #HRDaySL #HumanRightsDay #Jaffna https://t.co/JUaorOxO7u
— Vikalpa (@vikalpavoices) December 10, 2015
There was cause for celebration as it was announced that Sri Lanka had signed an International Convention on enforced disappearances:
Happy international Human Rights day!!! #lka #SriLanka #SLDisappearancesCom pic.twitter.com/prQ29dNBCE
— ThyagiRuwanpathirana (@ThyagiR) December 10, 2015
Others were more cynical about Sri Lanka’s situation:
Hoping (cynically?) for future policy gen. processes 2 hv underpinnings grounded in Human rights https://t.co/vxAQ87A2H2 #HRDaySL @cepasl
— Jay (@sijjay) December 10, 2015
The #HRDaySL twitter campaign highlighted the diversity of opinion on what constitutes freedom. Furthermore, though there was debate around its relative merits, it was an encouraging sign that Sri Lanka signed an International Convention making enforced disappearances a ‘crime against humanity’ – an important step forward as the country transitions towards peace. However, yesterday’s conversation on social media made it clear that there is a long way to go before Sri Lanka’s citizens can truly call themselves free.