Press for Peace Human Rights Programme is to promote the awareness, understanding, respect for and enjoyment of human rights. To accomplish this, the program undertakes educational and promotional activities involving the public, educators, non-governmental organizations, government departments and others. This includes providing a selected number of grants and contributions to eligible organizations and distributing human rights publications upon request.The main criterion for successful protection and enjoyment of human rights can be judged from following nine indicators:
- Political freedom
- Right to life
- Judiciary and administration of justice
- Status and effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions
- Freedom of Press
- Violence against women (VAW)
- Violation of the rights of child
- Violation of the rights of minorities and indigenous/tribal peoples
- Repression on human rights defenders
Ironically, from this perspectives, the region of South Asia is characterized by worst track-record of human rights violations particularly Pakistan. At the hands of low literacy rate, large number of population is bound to lead deplorable socio-economic life. Low literacy rate and untrained human resource are the main factors of under-development of the region. Education and economic stability are two strong prerequisites for the successful working of democracy.
Democracy can give positive results only when the people are conscious and aware of their rights and duties, because only an enlightened citizen can make a good state, and state can be able to pursue higher socio-economic ideals when its people are educated and aware of their role in political process.
In this context, the PFP concentrates to raise Human Rights Awareness among citizens. The PFP believes that all kind of human rights violations and discrimination in our society pose threats for global peace and security. We are aware from the fact that Human Rights Awareness Program demands coherent planning which may spans over whole life process days in a month. All activities in this section are conducted with the collaboration of other human rights organizations of the region.
Our Activities
PFP has been arranging different seminars, walks, consultations, trainings on socio-politico and civic issues, whereas it has also created debates among intellectual on electronic and print media in order to guide general public. The PFP has also highlighting the issues of various marginalized nations, communities, groups of the region and has been struggling against all kinds of human rights violations committed by state and none state actors.
In future PFP aim at launching the programs with the view to achieve the aims:
Ensuring access of education for all children. It will mould people views towards religion, cultural values, genders etc. PFP believes that Human Rights Education (HRE) can prove to promote the rights of children especially female children. It will shed the view that seeking education is not only the right of male child, but female child as well; and that they deserve equal treatment in all aspects of life.
Pakistan is signatory to International Convention on Rights of Child (ICRC), but has done a little guarantee full implementation of child protection laws; so much of the impetus for advancing children rights continues to rest with the NGOs; HRE program will supplement this human rights phenomenon.
Human rights and environment has deep link. The poor and marginal suffer the brunt of the environmental pollution; because rights of the poor to have political voice receive least protection, lacking the protection of national norms and institutions on environment, poor communities are left either to suffer or fight for environmental rights. In urban areas, people are some conscious about this aspect, but in rural areas, people don’t bother about environment pollution. According to government statistics of 2008, in Pakistan an estimated 54 percent of the population has access to sanitary latrines (86 percent urban and 30 percent rural), means people in rural areas don’t have latrines. The reason is not financial constraints, but according to a social survey, it’s a poverty of mind. The HRAP will motivate the rural communities towards protection of environment.
PFP believes that there should be a link between interfaith organizations and initiatives and wider human rights, even if the majority are secular non-religious groups. Interfaith activities based on non-violence promote human rights in every society. Under this program, minorities groups will be one of beneficiaries as it will discourage forced marriage, conversions, and sectarian killing etc, thus promoting unity in diversity.
Even women with minor education will benefit from HRE as women political involvement is very low in rural communities, it will motivate them to participate in the political process of the community and to present the solution of their problems like gender based violence and domestic violence etc. Most of the people in rural communities in many developing countries don’t give importance to casting their vote, resultantly; vote turn-out remains low. The reason is their unawareness, political unconsciousness. HRE will empower the intellectual capacity of the communities in terms of political education.
Outcome:
The PFP believes that our HR Awareness Program will put positive imprints upon society. The people will get to know their basic civic role in political process along with getting awareness of education, rights and duties. It will also help in creating cooperative and liberal atmosphere. When people will become aware of their rights and duties, the society will become non-opposing giving rise to such political culture in which development of human personality will be an easy process. The HR Awareness Program also prove helpful in removing conventional approach of the people towards long standing issues like honor killings, and creating awareness of the health issue like HIV/AIDS etc. The areas demand high degree of public awareness, and the same can be realized, to the great extent, through HR Awareness Program
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