As a human, we all have our own inherent rights, which are really basic to living life. Still, numerous people have always been deprived of their rights due to several reasons. At the same time, to ensure the rights of the helpless and minority, countless individuals have raised their voices and stood against injustice. They are the role models who left their blueprints as guidance for us. Their actions have always been a source of strength to us.
To do human rights advocacy is not an easy task at all; it requires a very powerful spirit. People who have been fighting for human rights from the start often face challenges in their lives. But those impediments couldn’t hold them from being a hero. Stories of some of such defenders of human rights are briefly given here:
International Icons:
Nelson Mandela (A lifetime of struggle against apartheid):
The first Black president established South Africa’s first Black law practice and launched campaigns of defiance against South Africa’s pass laws (nonwhites were required to carry documents authorizing their presence in areas that the government deemed “restricted”). His 27 years of imprisonment was one of the several challenges that came throughout his course because of his anti-apartheid activism. His journey fueled the black people with the spirit of resistance and reconciliation.
Ai Weiwei (Art as activism)
Ai Weiwei is a globally known Chinese artist, activist, and documentarian who portrayed human rights issues through his creativity. Two of his most laudable works that influenced millions of people are the installation Sunflower Seeds and the documentary Human Flow. Although he faced various repressions from Chinese authorities, he continued human rights advocacy through his creativity.
Rosa Parks (The mother of the civil rights movement):
The fight of Rosa Parks primarily started in 1955 through the refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. A simple ‘NO’ of hers inspired the whole Black community. Following her, a trend of boycotting the Montgomery bus was initiated that lasted more than a year. Since then her courage has become the symbol of dignity and strength against racism.
Malala Yousafzai (The Voice of Education):
When in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, girls were not getting access to education; a 15-year-old girl showed her courage and started advocating for girls’ rights to learn. She was brutally attacked at such a young age for her activism; however, the incident couldn’t break her down. She continued striving for educational equity.
Shirin Ebadi (A legal pioneer for justice)
Shirin Ebadi was Iran’s first female judge who tirelessly advocated for the legal status of children and women. After dismissal from judicial roles in 1979, she established a private legal practice where she defended those who were oppressed and silenced by the state. Her unwavering fight for justice depicts the power of resilience and integrity.
National Icons:
Shahidul Alam (Documenting truth through photography):
Shahidul Alam is an internationally renowned Bangladeshi photographer who basically advocates for human rights by capturing the stories of social inequality, human rights violations, and the struggles of the helpless and minority. Because of his activism, he had to deal with detention and persecution, but these obstacles couldn’t stop him from his objective.
Begum Rokeya (The voice for feminist awakening):
Begum Rokeya shattered the chain of oppression towards women in colonial Bengal. When women were not getting their legal rights to education and freedom she stood for them and started advocating for women’s education and emancipation. Her writings, like Sultana’s Dream and her established girl’s school, empowered women to challenge societal norms, especially Bengali women. Her work laid the foundation for gender equality in South Asia.
Jahanara Imam (The mother of martyrs):
Jahanara Imam is known as shaheed janani and the coordinator of the Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee. She played a pivotal role during Bangladesh’s fight for independence by seeking justice for war crimes. Her writing Ekattorer Dinguli (The Days of 1971) was immensely praised as it depicts her experiences of the liberation war.
Dr. Mohammad Yunus (The banker to the poor)
The Nobel Laureate Dr. Mohammad Yunus fought against poverty through microfinance. He founded Grameen Bank with a view to empowering the underprivileged people and achieving economic independence, especially women. He was quite successful in fulfilling the goal of his initiative.
Only a few names from the prolonged list of the defenders of human rights are mentioned here. There are a lot more courageous individuals who dedicated their lives to ensuring and upholding human rights.
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Writer
Kazi Mirana Mainuddin
Intern,
Content Writing Department
YSSE.