What do you think about the news on TV and Radio? You experience the load-shedding, the growing violence, the rise in prices, the strikes and the closure of businesses and schools.
Is all under control and are we moving to plan on human rights for all? The truth is, as we increase our working hours per day to meet our targets, we are in actuality moving 3 steps backward.
Why, you may ask, is that? Take an example of a boat steering its way through the storm. It can have all the crew working hard and yet the storm is so strong that the efforts of the crew yield little result.
The situation today in our society requires manpower and resources to improve. It requires people being able to think for themselves. It requires good quality education and literacy levels rising. It requires removing corruption and helping the individual become able to live independently. The time taken to resolve this situation depends on the number of individuals who will work with us. This is a hard fact. If each and every individual participates, we can bring change within the year. If a few people stand up to help, we will certainly make progress, but not at the rate we all want to see change occur.
During my talks on Human Rights in Pakistan one person stood up to say that he had a terrible life. In spite of getting an education, there was no one who had offered him a job. He had been jobless for over a year. He mentioned Human Right Number 23 – Workers Rights: Every grown up has a right to do a job and to a fair wage for their work. So where was this right for him, he asked.
It is true that every person should have a job and have all the 30 basic rights. However, the truth is most people do not have these rights in life. That is why organisations like ours wish to place the greatest emphasis on Human Rights in society. Individual rights should be valued and all organisations should implement these rights as their code of conduct.
What should this boy do who does not have a job? Even though without a job, he is still in control of making decisions on what he should do daily. He could choose to sleep late, watch TV, look for a job, go out with friends, complain about no job or chat on the internet and end his day. Or he could constructively search for jobs and try to find one and do some volunteer work to boost his CV and contribute to the society he lives in.
I was assured by this young man that he had in earnest been looking for jobs, but without success. While I thought about how to answer this young man’s question, a colleague stood up and said to him “ Sir, you have not found a job in one year and the way you are going, you will not find a job in the next 5 years.” He then gave his own example. He said, “I was in a similar situation with no job and I joined an organisation whose goals and purposes were the same as mine. I told them I would work voluntarily and to allow me to serve and help”. The boss was very appreciative of his gesture and allowed him to work on a voluntary basis. After working for one year with no pay, the boss offered him a permanent position. Today this man enjoys a very good salary, promotions and self respect.
I am of the view that one should help and serve those around one. When one puts out efforts to help others, inevitably this results in something positive coming back your way.
A society is as strong as the people who care for others in the community. Doing a couple of hours work weekly to assist In getting basic Rights to others is our humanitarian duty.
Groups can start in all towns and villages to do volunteer work and we can post their work on Facebook. All it needs is the intention to do, and the leadership to organise.
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