To highlight the centrality of human rights in recovering from the pandemic and calamities, this year’s theme is dubbed: “Karapatan at Pagbangon sa Lahat ng Panahon: Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights.”
In his message CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon underscored that the right to health and life must be at the front and center of our approach to the pandemic.
“The obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights, especially the right to life and right to health, is more pressing than ever amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There must be functioning public health and health-care facilities, goods and services, as well as programs, have to be available in sufficient quantity and of good quality for the right to health to be fulfilled,” he said.
In addition, Chairperson Gascon stressed the importance of accessibility of all medical services and goods, including the upcoming vaccine, without discrimination and with due sensitivity to the circumstances of diverse people especially the most vulnerable.
For her part, CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit delivered a message of hope, in line with the spirit of the season, despite the multiple challenges that the year has brought. She stressed that things can get better while impressing that it is incumbent upon the duty-bearers to take responsibility in making this happen.
“It is our responsibility to make things better. It is our responsibility to keep in mind that there are matters that we should not keep silent about. Specifically, it is our duty to uphold human rights in these times of crisis,” she exhorted.
Each partner agency and organization also delivered their message of commitment and presented their human rights programs in line with their mandate.
The national committee is chaired by the CHR and co-chaired by the Civil Service Commission. The member agencies include: the Department of Education; Department of Justice; Department of National Defense; Department of the Interior and Local Government; Department of Foreign Affairs; Armed Forces of the Philippines; Philippine National Police, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Three civil society organizations are also part of the national namely Women in Development Foundation; Legal Network for Truthful Elections; and the International Visitor Leadership Program.
Health safety protocols were strictly observed during the ceremony.
Celebrating human rights amid the pandemic
The National Human Rights Consciousness Week is observed every 4-10 December 2019 as declared in Republic Act No. 9201. The celebration aims to make the people aware of their basic human rights in relation to the functions and services offered by various government agencies and instrumentalities.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), partner agencies, and organizations are set to hold various activities to promote awareness and understanding on human rights. Among the activities include the showing of “To Be Human: A Human Rights Film Special” by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the European Union Delegation to the Philippines in cooperation with the CHR and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation; Ugnayang Bayan on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the Presidential Human Rights Committee with the National Commission on Disability Affairs; Orientation on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law by CHR and the Navy Human Rights Office, and more.
Among the highlight of the celebrations is the Declamation, Extemporaneous Speech, Spoken Word Poetry, and TikTok for Human Rights contest by the CHR, which aim to promote human rights through arts. The Alab ng Puso Human Rights Concert and Convergence will culminate the celebration. Visit the CHR’s official facebook page for the full calendar of activities.
In closing the kick-off program, CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia urged the officials of partner agencies and organizations to exemplify in their daily undertaking their messages of commitment.
“As public servants, we have voluntarily taken the duty to put the rights of others before us. We expect everyone’s commitment in ensuring that their messages not merely remain as words, that it should resonate with us and live with us,” she said.
