International Human Rights Day is celebrated around the world on 10 December; we in South Africa have our own Human Rights Day which we commemorate on 21 March.
It started with Sharpeville
South Africa’s Human Rights Day is directly linked to the Sharpeville massacre that took place on 21 March 1960. This event exposed the apartheid government’s violation of human rights to the world, when 69 people were killed and 180 wounded when police fired on a peaceful crowd protesting the pass laws.
South Africans have marked Human Rights Day for 25 years
When Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, after the first democratic elections, 21 March was declared Human Rights Day and a national holiday in South Africa. Not only does the day mark the iconic Sharpeville massacre event, but it also encourages South Africans to reflect on their human rights.
Human rights are the cornerstone of our democracy
Broadly speaking, our Bill of Rights espouses the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom and requires that the state respect, protect, promote and fulfill the rights within this Bill.
Our Bill of Rights is one of the most progressive in the world
Not just the most progressive and liberal, but it is famously the first to openly protect the rights of the LGBT community, and is touted to offer protection from racial and religious discrimination and hatred for all South Africans.
Human rights in South Africa are diverse
In terms of our Bill of Rights, all South Africans have the right to citizenship and security. We are also entitled to freedom of assembly and association, as well as freedom of belief, opinion and expression. Included in the Bill is the right to demonstrate, picket and petition. Plus, everyone has the right to be free of forced labour, servitude and slavery.
Stated in the Bill is that all South Africans have a right to privacy and to exercise political rights, as well as the right to access information. Everyone has rights when they are arrested, detained and accused, and everyone must have access to the courts. Also included is the right to freedom of movement and residence, as well as of trade, occupation and profession.
In the workplace, everyone has a right to engage in trade unions and labour movements, and citizens have the right to purchase property anywhere. Basic education is also a right, as is language, culture and community. Freedom of religion and belief is included in the South African Bill of Rights. It’s a long list of positives that also come with responsibility.
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