International Women’s Day Event Promotes Human Rights
(PRWEB) April 01, 2015 -- An International Women’s Day workshop on women’s rights at Fitzroy House in London was conducted March 7 by Youth for Human Rights International President Mary Shuttleworth. The program brought together representatives of the city’s Iranian, Turkish and Kurdish communities, directors of local charities, educators, the coordinator of Youth for Human Rights South Asia and Youth for Human Rights members from across the UK.
Tremendous strides have been made in women’s rights over the last century—when the first International Women’s Day was declared in Copenhagen in 1910, women were virtually chattel, legally barred in most nations from voting or owning property. However, many women are denied their rights today, according to Amnesty International, which reports that one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. The Global Report on Trafficking notes that the most common form of human trafficking (79%) is sexual exploitation, the victims of which are primarily women and girls.
“Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations more than 60 years ago, human rights issues abound,” says Shuttleworth, who believes that human rights education is the key to tolerance and peace. “When we began Youth for Human Rights International in 2001, 90 percent of those surveyed were unable to name more than three of the 30 rights of the Declaration.”
The Youth for Human Rights Educator’s kit contains every component needed to bring human rights to life for young people and help them grasp the 30 articles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Shuttleworth emphasized that these materials make it possible for anyone to teach human rights to others and build a bridge to positive social change.
Fitzroy House, where the program was held, is an original 1791 building—a classic example of Georgian period architecture. It served as the London home and office of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s and today it houses a museum dedicated to Mr. Hubbard’s life and work.
Youth for Human Rights is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a generation of human rights advocates by educating youth on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Church of Scientology supports United for Human Rights (UHR) and its program for young people, Youth for Human Rights. United for Human Rights has provided educational materials in 17 languages to more than 150 nations. Some 21,000 schools have used its human rights materials.
To make United for Human Rights and the other humanitarian and social betterment initiatives it supports even more broadly available, the Church of Scientology has published a brochure, Voice for Humanity—Real Help, Real Results.
Inspired by the words of L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of the Scientology religion, that “a being is only as valuable as he can serve others,” Scientologists wholeheartedly support these programs. Participation and collaboration in these initiatives is invited and welcomed from all who seek to improve conditions for themselves and others.
For more information, visit the Scientology website at http://www.Scientology.org/how-we-help/voice-for-humanity.
Luis Gonzalez, Church of Scientology International, http://www.scientology.org/, +1 (323) 960-3500, [email protected]
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