Faisalabad [Pakistan], December 10 (ANI): Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) organized a Human Rights Day event on December 10, 2024, at Vision Hall, Faisalabad, an official statement said.
The special event carries the theme of the United Nations: “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.” It emphasizes that the time to secure human rights is not tomorrow or someday in the future but right now. Civil society representatives, lawyers, religious leaders, political leaders, women leaders, youth, students, and representatives of different fields actively participated in this program, as per the statement.
Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) recalled the increasing violations of human rights and minority rights in Pakistan. He highlighted that again this year there have been increasing numbers of cases of false charges of blasphemy against minorities that are ruining the lives of innocent people. He added that recent incidents of persecutions, brutal violence, imprisonments, attacks on Christians and abduction of Christian and Hindu girls are alarming.
Naveed Walter said, the United Nations (UN) theme “Our rights, our future, right now,” focuses to bring human rights on a pathway for the solutions of challenges. These are possible if stakeholders play a vital role in promoting, protecting, and implementing human rights and acting as agents of change in resolving issues, he added, as per the statement.
Naveed Walter said that they would start with the ideas of struggle to bring the forces together with a single agenda of protecting against abuses, violations based on religion, gender, race and colour. He added: “We emphasize the need to build a society where everyone can live in freedom, respect and dignity.”
James Lal expressed recognition of the urgency of addressing long-standing injustices, inequalities, and rights violations, while looking forward to building a more inclusive and equitable global society. He showed also a grief-stricken by the recent violations against women, children, and minorities, as per the statement.
John Victor said discrimination against students and dishonesty in the implementation of the 5 per cent employment quota for minorities was dragging young people into the worst form of neglect. He added that minority students still lack student exchange programs and international opportunities, as per the statement.
Manzoor Anthony said the world still faces challenges that threaten the ideals enshrined in the declaration. Poverty, climate change, armed conflict, gender inequality and systemic discrimination continue to violate rights and limit opportunities for millions of people, the statement quoted him as saying.
Participants from different fields including Bushra Younas, Sadaf Shadman, Nida Naeem, Mushtaq Masih, and Aroosa Bibi also spoke, shared their stories and experiences.
HRFP’s even speakers at the event called on everyone to contribute so that these rights can play a role in shaping a sustainable and inclusive tomorrow! Universality of human rights and how people can take responsibility to defend the rights of the vulnerable and take care of new generations for their rights and future. Particularly, it’s also a need of time to make the changes in education systems that’s promote peace and tolerance among students and younger generations to avoid these incidents, speakers added.
Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) raised on Human Rights Day that the minorities are being subjected to physical violence, false accusations for trapping them in the workplaces and murders in personal vendettas. HRFP urged that the increasing cases of discrimination with domestic workers, expelling them from jobs, false allegations of theft, physical violence, sexual abuses, force conversions, and force marriages of minority girls, should be stopped. These challenges include hate speech, addressing misinformation, and combating disinformation to reshape public opinion. Right now, is a time to spark actions and reignite a global movement in support of human rights, HRFP added.
Shadman John (HRFP Program Coordinator) and Hamdosh Samuel (Field Coordinator) thanked the participants and distributed relevant material, which outlined the vision of driving social change and empowering marginalized groups so that they can raise their own voices against injustice.
Later on, the participants recorded a protest demonstration by chanting the slogans through play cards and banners demanding “human rights, equality, and religious liberty for all” and highlighting minorities’ various issues to “Stop abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages of minority girls,” “Yes to Human Rights-No to Violations”, “Repeal Blasphemy Laws,” “End harassing minorities at workplaces”, “Reform Curriculum- Develop Nation,” “End discrimination on religion based,” ” Lets struggle to ensure Freedom, Equality and Justice for All” and “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.” (ANI)
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