While we here in the first world live surrounded by advanced technology, people in third world countries still struggle to find clean water to drink. Even with the current debate raging over health care in this country, we are still lucky enough to have hospitals that will help those who can’t pay. Many people in developing countries have no way of getting any health care at all, even if they could afford it.
To shine the spotlight on this disparity, the people behind Blog Action Day have decided that this year’s global blog topic should be that of human rights.
Blog Action Day was founded in 2007. This annual event unites bloggers from all around the world, asking them all to blog about one single important topic on the same day. Today, October 16, 2013, is Blog Action Day 2013.
In honor of this year’s theme, it’s appropriate to take a look at the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration was created in 1948, at the end of World War II, and proclaims the rights that every single human being on this planet in endowed with, no matter where they live, simply by virtue of their birth.
For many, the rights included in this document are still unattainable. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are things we take for granted, as Americans. But in some countries, that progress has yet to be made.
And that’s why one article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stands out in particular, as being important to those of us privileged to live in freedom: Article 29, which states, “Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.”
That’s something that, all too often, we forget about. Yes, we have human rights. But we also have human responsibilities.
Enjoying our own rights is not enough. It is our duty, as part of this global community, to work towards establishing a world in which everyone, no matter where they live, can enjoy those same rights.
We here at Marketing Zen are passionate about helping our community thrive, and so we often take on pro bono work for local organizations that we believe are truly making a difference. One such organization is Heroes of Discovery, a North Texas-based nonprofit dedicated to educating and inspiring children to succeed in the realms of math, science, engineering, and technology.
As the Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 26, “Everyone has the right to an education.” The good people at Heroes of Discovery are devoted to making sure that children in underserved populations have access to their educational programs, in order to give them the same opportunities that their more privileged peers already enjoy. And Marketing Zen is proud to support their efforts.
In this small way, we hope to have a positive impact on our community, and fulfill at least part of our responsibility as human beings to furthering the human rights of others. What will you do today to make a difference in your community?
Blog Action Day 2013: Human Rights…and Human Responsibilities
