Maria Dimouli *HUMAN RIGHTS*

Hello Everyone! I have received a fantastic blog post by a dear friend of mine and wanted to share it with you all.. Enjoy

Human rights is not something that everyone understands but it is something that everyone needs. Knowing the words "human" and "right" is not enough! You have to know the value of these two words and then realise their meaning. People studying human rights, like me and my friends, have gone beyond this point and realised the necessity for a change. There are some common characteristics among these people like passion and fairness, will to help and altrouism, compassion and responsibility.

I feel that I am one of these people so, let me explain how I really feel about human rights. "To see the change you got to be the change" said Mahatma Ghandi so, I got to be part of the change I want to see in the world out there. And there are a lot of things that need to be changed. Studying human rights os the first step to gain knowledge on human rights issues and get worried about them. When worried, it's more likely to try for and get involved in change. First it's knowledge. then will and then you start searching for the ideal opportunity to actually get involved. So, I studied human rights to help the world and, as a graduate, I feel that the world does not help me help them!

Now that crisis is here people are worried more for material goods and less for concepts such as freedom, dignity and empowerment in life. They tend to focus on money and they strive to pay debts and buy food, and they forget the values and what really matters in life. I'm not saying it's right or wrong...but, for me, everything is relevant and interacting. In some countries, there are babies dying and children exploited; women raped or treated like objects and men working for a dollar per day. In other countries, there are spoiled children, women worried because they cannot afford to buy THE bag, and men who spend their life in an office to get the promotion and satisfy their ego.

Human rights made me re-consider and evaluate what I have. It's okay if you don't get a hundred toys/THE bag/the job/the promotion because what matters is that you are here and you have your life, your dignity, your family and friends, people around you who appreciate you and love you. You are free to think, to choose, to speak, to risk, to try, to fail, to be. So you have to be happy because, even if you have nothing, you still have a lot...and you know what?It is okay,too, if I don't get a job very soon or I don't travel around this year because I am living my life as I want and I have my family and friends supporting me!

Going back to the basics is something that our community needs to do!Forget about economic recession and think of a real crisis when a baby dies from famine or a woman is punished to death or a man is treated like a slave with no dignity. Think of homosexual who cannot express what he is and he is not free to choose the way of life he wants to live. Think of people living in the streets. Think of diseases which can be curred and situations that can get better. Think and worry, and then get involved!

I think, I worry and I am involved. I care about people who enjoy less rights than I do. I volunteer and help in charities to make their lives easier and better. I discuss my views with friends and I spread the two words, highlighting their true meaning.