Will you take the call to protect Human Rights? [1]
Will you take the call to protect Human Rights [3]?
Sometimes it’s the call that isn’t picked up that makes all the difference.
This was the concept behind an international Human Rights Day [4] street action organised by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), with support from UNMIK, in Pristina on Saturday. A phone rang continuously for an hour as young volunteers gathered to share information on human rights and contact details for institutions.
The call to action was uncomfortable for many, according to 17-year-old volunteer Rita, who said the youngsters hoped to inspire others to take action when needed.
“The majority of people passing through are saying “just pick up” and it is interesting that as an action it is created to make you feel uncomfortable. The situations we hear about and the cases that are happening are not comfortable and are very tragic.”
She said harassment was a major human rights concern and most young women she knew had experienced some form of harassment; while fellow volunteer Alisan, who is from the Roma community, explained that discrimination towards minority communities was still common and many felt they had nowhere to turn.
UNMIK SRSG Caroline Ziadeh attended the event and spoke to youth activists about the importance of protecting human rights in different ways, including through the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the earliest UN documents.
YIHR legal researcher and coordinator Blende Pira said the action was also a reminder to institutions of their obligations and accountability:
“I call on all citizens to advocate as strongly as they can for their rights, and especially for the rights of the most marginalised groups in Kosovo.”
Check out a short video of the day’s events and hear voices of young human rights activists here:
Human Rights Day Street Action - Reel [5] Video of Human Rights Day Street Action - Reel