Introduction: Human Rights for All -
No Exceptions
… to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small …
More than sixty years ago, in proclaiming the Charter of the United Nations, governments were clear. They firmly believed that protecting fundamental human rights was a cornerstone for peace and security in the world. Women and men, small and large nations: the message was straightforward but profound - human rights are essential and belong to one and all. “Promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion” is one of the primary purposes of the United Nations.
Six decades of further development of international human rights laws have reinforced this message. No one’s rights matter more or less than anyone else’s and they apply to everyone, regardless of gender or wealth; age or ethnicity; political views or sexual orientation; nationality or religious beliefs. Nothing conveys this message more clearly than the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 which explicitly lays out the “equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.”
Governments had it right. They committed themselves to a tremendous vision of equal rights for all, but they have fallen far short. They promised that there would be no exceptions, but ever since, human rights protection has, sadly, been full of exceptions. Human rights are protected: except for women; except for Indigenous peoples; except when security concerns arise; except for refugees; except when trade and investment is on the line. Far too often, human rights protection has been more about the exception than the rule.
Canada has played an important role in both developing and strengthening the international human rights system and backed that up with important laws and institutions for the protection of human rights within Canada. But there is more that Canada must do to ensure that when it comes to human rights protection, there are no exceptions.
Amnesty International’s 2006 Human Rights Agenda for Canada lays out a range of vital recommendations for action by governments in Canada, across a wide variety of areas:
- women’s human rights
- the rights of Indigenous peoples
- counter-terrorism
- refugee protection
- human rights and the economy
- strengthening the international human rights system.
The Agenda draws attention to pressing human rights challenges in Canada and around the world where Canada can and should make a difference. It is time for Canada to demonstrate that when it comes to human rights, there are no exceptions.
Posted: 14 December 2006