Do we know our rights?

Format ImagePosted on by admin

People must be informed about their rights in order to be able to protect and defend them. Human rights education should start at an early age and be an important part of the school curriculum.This will give everyone the confidence early on to stand up for their opinions, speak openly about the needs of their community and unite with others so that they work together for the changes that are needed.

Authors: students from Montana

Reflection Questions:

  • Why is the study of human rights important? How would this change the life of the common man?
  • How can human rights education in schools be made more interesting and useful?

For clean environment

Format ImagePosted on by admin

We are part of nature and its conservation is linked to our development and well-being as humans. A clean natural environment is the most important condition for human health. Nature gives us breath, food and strength to live fully.

In August 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution unanimously recognizing that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right. Member States are urged to work together with their partners to put this newly recognized right into practice. At the same time, the resolution also focuses on the impact of human rights on climate change with the creation of a special rapporteur who will deal only with this issue.

Authors: Magdalena Georgieva; Ralitsa Pantova; Maria Zamfirova; Alexander Dimitrov, students from the Secondary school “Ivan Vasov”,  town of Varshets

Reflection Questions:

  • What measures does the Council of Europe take for a clean and sustainable environment? Read the information on the website of the Council of Europe and indicate the main points related to the obligation of states to provide their population with this basic human right.
  • What are the environmental problems and what needs to be done in your community to make the environment healthier and cleaner?

Love

Format ImagePosted on by admin

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “All men are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This means that people should be free to choose their partners and live with equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation.

But in Bulgaria, gay couples cannot adopt children, and the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria from 1991 defines marriage as “ union between a man and a woman’, thereby banning gay marriage.

Authors: Magdalena Georgieva; Ralitsa Pantova; Maria Zamfirova; Alexander Dimitrov, students from Secondary school “Ivan Vazov,  Varshets

Reflection Questions:

  • Which anti-discrimination laws in the country protect the rights of people from the LGBT community?
  • What difficulties do people from the LGBT community face?

Empty Homes

Format ImagePosted on by admin

Over development of buildings, but also empty homes and unused living areas and spaces. With so many homeless and migrating people, it is simply unacceptable to leave such buildings unused.

Author: Ivan Trantin, student, 10th grade, National High School of Humanities “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Blagoevgrad

Reflection Questions:

  • How does overcrowding affect housing policy in big cities?
  • What is the relationship between housing policy and human rights?

Construction and pollution

Format ImagePosted on by admin

The photo was taken in an area that will soon be built on the so-called “Promishlena” street on the outskirts of the city. This view will be blocked by a new residential building as well as by various factories. Despite the beautiful view now, the lack of green parks can be seen, and the smell of smoke from solid fuels such as coal and wood can be felt. You’re probably wondering what this has to do with human rights violations? Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. So what personal security does the over-construction and high level of pollution of the city provide me? What right to life do multiple lung conditions give me?

Author: David Stefanov, student from the Grammar High School  “Academic Ljudmil Koroljov” , Blagoevgrad

Reflection Questions:

  • What is the relationship between the environment and human rights?
  • How does the environment affect other human rights, such as the right to health and quality of life?

Is this where we have to play, mom?

Format ImagePosted on by admin

Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states:

1. State parties to the Convention recognize the child’s right to recreation and play, to participation in games and leisure activities appropriate for their age, and to free participation in cultural life and the arts.

2. State parties to the Convention respect and develop the child’s right to full participation in cultural and creative life and promote the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural and creative activity, recreation and leisure.

As you can see this is a children’s playhouse designed for little children, but how does it look like?

The vandals from the city are ruining everything, taking away the right of the little ones to indulge in plays, because of the dirty table and benches, the garbage that is collected daily by the hygienists of the kindergarten and the thousands of butts on the ground!

Author: Bozhidar Kapitanski, Blagoevgrad Municipal Youth Parliament at the Center for Children’s Personal and Creative Development, student from Professional High School of Construction, Architecture and Geodesy, “Vasil Levski” , town of Blagoevgrad

Reflection questions:

1/ How various cases of vandalism are abusing the rights of citizens, including children?

2/ What can be done to prevent vandalism and destruction of public spaces, play grounds and other shared areas?

 

The Beggar

Format ImagePosted on by admin
According Article 25 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

„Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Article 3 “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person.”

Article 5  “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The beggar who has lost her right to life. A right, the violations of which are quite well-known in Bulgaria, due to the high unemployment and lack of home and means for survival for many elderly people. The right to personal security, according to Article 3 of the Declaration, has been violated because the woman is not protected by anyone. Article 5 is violated because the woman is subjected to public humiliation in order to survive. Article 25 has been violated because she is not under protection and the necessary social care is not provided for her.

Author: Vensan Skenderov, students, XI grade, High School of Science and Mathematics, “Yane Sandanski”, Gotse Delchev

Reflection Questions:

  • How many rights have been violated in this case, e.g. the right to survival, the right to property or the right to work?
  • Look at the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and check which articles are related to the case of homeless people and those who straggle for survival with little or no means such as home and food?

Caring for Others

Format ImagePosted on by admin

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was ratified by a law adopted by the 41st National Assembly on 26.01.2012.

Article 9 of the Convention requires the provision of an accessible environment and to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate complete in all aspects of life. To this end, States Parties to this Convention shall take appropriate measures to ensure for persons with disabilities equal access to the physical environment of living, to transport, to information and communications, including information and communication systems and technologies and to all other amenities and services , open or intended for the general public, both in urban and rural areas. These measures should include identifying and removing any obstacles and barriers to accessibility.

It is not easy for people with disabilities to move around in wheelchairs in our cities due to the lack of ramps and suitable pavement.

I want to tell you about our meeting with a disabled school teacher in our new city park. While walking around to prepare a phеnological calendar and collecting herbarium material, we decided to make beautiful fall flowers from dry leaves. We saw  a a lady in recovery (probably a patient of the city’s Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital). She reacted to the word “ Mrs ” and we turned out to be right – she is a teacher. We spontaneously decided that she should receive a bouquet from us, which made her extremely happy. She burst into tears, apparently we reminded her of “her children”. And then we understood what it is to smile and with the smallest gesture to warm someone else’s day.

Author: Maria Zafirova, 8th grade student, “Ivan Vazov” School, Varshets

Reflection Questions:

  • What measures still need to be taken for people with disabilities to live a dignified life?
  • Do you have personal experience in communication and relationships with people with disabilities? What do you think they need?

We are Europeans but we are still not there

Format ImagePosted on by admin
According Article 25 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

„Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

After meeting and talking to the woman in the picture, we found that this right of hers was violated! She is an elderly pensioner and a widow living on the minimum pension and her money is not enough for heating. For this reason, the woman is forced to go out into the cold and walk around the city to collect boxes for her stove.

Authors: Svetoslava Choneva, XII grade, High School of Humanities and Social Science “St. St. Cyril and Methodius”, Blagoevgrad and

Desislava Taseva, 9th grade, High School of Science and mathematics “Acad. Sergey Korolev”, Blagoevgrad

Reflection Questions:

  • How can the state and the social system ensure the right to a dignified life for people of retirement age?
  • Which policies concern the elderly people’s care in our country?

(No) Freedom of Speech

Format ImagePosted on by admin

Although we live in the age of communications, our access to reliable information is limited. Our vision is blocked by fake news and those who have real information are silenced.

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

Article 19 states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Authors: Deyan Valentinov, Ivelina Tikhomirova (XI b grade) and Silvia Alexandrova (IXa grade) from the high school of Science and mathematics “St. Kliment Ohridski”, city of Montana.

Reflection Questions:

  • Which international human rights documents refer to freedom of expression?
  • How is freedom of expression defined in the European Convention on Human Rights (1950)?
  •  Freedom of expression includes the right to receive and share information without restriction. In what cases can freedom of expression be restricted?