From now until 23 February 2012, do something to urge the Prime Minister of India to immediately release Narayan Reddy and to ensure freedom of expression!

Who is Narayan Reddy?

Abhay Sahoo is the previous leader of the campaign and one of 11 others involved and facing false charges. Narayan Reddy has been leading the campaign since Sahoo's detention on 25 November 2011. ©Amnesty International

Narayan Reddy is the leader of a campaign that has been going on for seven years against the state from acquiring 1,600 hectares of land in five villages (the majority of which are common lands farmed by villagers) for a US$12 billion plant proposed by South Korean steel giant POSCO. He is also a leader of the Communist Party of India in the eastern state of Orissa.

What happened to Narayan Reddy?

On 23 December 2011, Reddy was detained after being charged with murder at a clash on 15 December 2011 between steel plant workers and local protesters against the steel plant – but we hear from our friends at AI that Reddy was not directly involved in this! In fact, AI believes that the charges are an attempt to silence Reddy’s ongoing campaign.

Got 3 seconds?

Send a letter to the Prime Minister just by adding your name below! We will deliver all the letters to Prime Minister Singh directly using this website.

Got 3 minutes?

Add your name AND copy and paste this link – http://bit.ly/xI4mpN - on Facebook and Twitter to share with your friends – can you challenge yourself to get 10 friends to take action?

Additional information:

Narayan Reddy is now in Samagol prison in Orissa state and his petition for release on bail has just been refused by the local courts but he will probably make further applications for bail again.

The planned steel plant is the biggest foreign direct investment project in India. However, for the last seven years, campaigners have blockaded the area, preventing the authorities and representatives of POSCO from gaining access to the area.

Narayan Reddy has been leading the campaign against the acquisition of the lands after Abhay Sahoo’s detention on 25 November 2011. Abhay Sahoo is also a leading member of the Communist Party of India in Orissa. The state has filed false charges against him and 10 other activists.

This is not the first case of human rights violations linked to land rights in Orissa or POSCO’s proposed steel plant:

• Tell the Chief Minister of Orissa to Stop Farmers from Being Kicked Out of Their Homes!
• Take Action NOW to Protect the Rights of Indigenous People in Orissa, India!

Join people all over the world to ask the French President to become a party to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to ensure that victims of all human rights abuses in France will have access to remedies!

Why should YOU(th) take action?

France holds the presidency of G20

France holds the presidency of G20 and the upcoming G20 summit in November in Cannes will be an opportunity France to show its leadership in promoting and protecting Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Voices from young people in Asia Pacific – especially those in G20 countries – will add pressure to the French government to lead as an example by becoming a party to the Optional Protocol to the International Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Got 3 seconds?
Add your name to the letter below! We will send your letters through our friends at AI by email with your full name and country as shown below.

Got 3 minutes?
Add your name to the letter below AND share this link – http://bit.ly/mTJRdy – with at least 10 of your friends ask them to do the same.

Got 3 hours?
Want to do more for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights? Add to the Under US$2.0 Recipes – YOU(th) on Hunger & Poverty in Asia Pacific cook book report that aims to highlight how serious hunger & poverty is in Asia Pacific. All you have to go is share a recipe that costs less than US$2.0 to make in your country! Click here to add to the cook book now!

Additional Information

What’s the Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights?

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is an international agreement, adopted by the UN, that commits its parties to work towards economics, social and cultural rights (such as; health, education and labour rights). The Optional Protocol was side agreement made to ensure that people whose economic, social and cultural rights are violated can seek justice on the international level.

What’s the G20?

The G20 is a group of Finance Ministers from the world’s 20 major economies, including Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Australia, and others. France holds the Presidency of the G20 this year so it’s really important we get them to sign up to the Protocol and make change happen.

Over 1,000 young people added to this Voice Bank in text, drawings, photos, and videos! Check out some of the highlights below (we will keep adding to this Voice Bank)!

YOU(th) can still take part in this – scroll down to add to the Voice Bank!

YOU(th) Voices from friends in Taiwan

YOU(th) Voices from friends in Singapore

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Here’s MORE from friends in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the rest of the world!

From Bangladesh

“Living in dignity means living independently. without being totally dependent on others.”

“Living in dignity is living with respect.”

“When a person is confident about what he is doing and honest, he can live in dignity.”

“When one is proud of what he or she is and what he/she have he can live in dignity.”

“Living in dignity is independence.”

From India

“Ability to voice concern and fight injustice and Availability of chance for economic mobility.”

From Indonesia

“Sesuai dengan fitrah umat manusia, manusia hidup penuh dengan kecintaan satu dengan yang lain. Saling menghargai dan menghormati merupakan kewajiban bagi setiap manusia. Kita tentu tak ingin diperlakukan tidak nyaman dan tidak fair oleh orang lain, maka lakukanlah hal serupa kepada orang sesuai apa yang kita harapkan. Dan sangat tidak asyik jika pada zaman ini masih ada diskriminasi dan pelanggaran hak asasi terhadap suatu individu atau kelompok.”

“Menurut saya konsep hidup yang bermartabat adalah hidup dengan semangat terjaga-terkendali dan pola pikir dewasa –yaitu menghormati diri sendiri dan selanjutnya orang lain. Melakukan perbuatan (to do) yang menjadikan (to be) sosok diri yang bernilai, memiliki arti, bermanfaat, bukan sekadar bagi dirinya, namun kepada orang lain, tanpa secuil pun dalam proses dan tujuannya merampas hak pihak lain.

Hidup bermartabat yang sejati, bukan sekedar memiliki akses untuk mendapatkan dan memiliki kemudahan dalam keseharian, melainkan lebih pada pola hidup yang menerapkan keberpihakkan terhadap nilai-nilai kebenaran dan kebersamaan. Mengapa? Karena kebenaran sesungguhnya ada. Kebersamaan, adalah mutlak adanya.

Akibatnya, indikator manusia sukses yaitu kepemilikan objek benda dan keberhasilan mengangkat derajat hidup dirinya (self glory) dalam suatu pranata sosial, hanya dapat diklaim wajar jika diraih tanpa merenggut hak pihak lain. Inilah kebenaran individu yang diharapkan terakumulasi menjadi kemanfaatan bersama.

Kendati tak dapat dipungkiri bahwa kondisi ketimpangan adalah suatu keniscayaan, namun melakukan usaha-usaha agar ketimpangan itu tergerus menjadi adil dan tepat dengan kemanusian merupakan tanggungjawab setiap insane. Melakukan usaha-usaha tersebut yang disebut hidup bermartabat. Usaha untuk menghindari diri terjebak pada kesimpangsiuran posisi antara manusia dengan manusia lainnya maupun manusia dengan objek benda yang dimilikinya, yang saat ini, tanpa disadari, mendorong manusia bertukar posisi menjadi objek dari apa yang telah dimilikinya dan menjadi budak ketakutan atas kehilangan objek tersebut.”

“I think it’s having the freedom to make your own decisions without the judgment of others burdening you because you know your self-worth will always conquer the opinions of people
around you.”

“I guess dignity means being happy in yourself.”

“To me, dignity means respecting yourself.”

“I think dignity means to live fully without sacrificing your integrity or identity.”

“Living with dignity means not having to compromise all the time, to live in peace, to be who I am.”

“Not doing wrong to others, living without ego but not living without none.”

“Dignity means more than pride or worthiness to me. It also includes self-respect and being able to be respected as who you are and your values. Treating others with dignity is treating others the way we would like to be treated, ex. caring about others; everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Dignity is also being able to be granted our fundamental rights as human beings and being granted freedom.”

“Dignity simply put, is the ability to live simply but also to simply inspire other’s awe to create a sense of self-worth.”

“To me living with dignity is when you live by practicing all good moral values, so that when you die people will talk about the amazing things that you have done in your lifetime.”

“Dignity means to be able to feel proud of whatever you have. Not going around boasting to others, but appreciating whatever you have and feeling satisfied with your life.”

“It means getting the respect that everyone deserves equally.”

“Dignity is the quality in a person that dictates how he carries himself.”

“I guess it’s pride.”

“Doing what is required.”

“Honor? Pride?”

“Well, dignity is something that everyone has, but depending on someone’s personality, their values are different. An arrogant person may have lots of dignity, and might not do anything stupid because it risks damaging their dignity, whereas a person like me, someone who doesn’t care much about dignity, will do something stupid because they don’t care.”

From Nepal

“For me it means the the equal access to every rights, services or privileges provided by the government to its citizens.”

“In short it is guarantee of social justice,respect of human rights  and forum to develop one’s potentiality.”

“I  think I will feel dignified if I get my basic human rights, can exercises the same privileges as my fellow colleagues and get opportunity according to my knowledge and skills.But I am cautious that when I seek dignity in my life I have to think about the dignity of others as well.”

“Dignity is all about equity, respect of basic human rights and fight against discrimination.”

“Its a respect of my inherent right to decide about myself.The way I behave and the way I live are my choices provided that I don’t interfere with the rights of others”

“For me, in simple terms, living a life of dignity means I get basic human rights to exercise,food to eat ,access to education and health and provision of job according to my skills.The society where my kids can laugh and play,the country where I don’t suffer  discrimination and the world where I can work independently can provide the dignity that I pursue in life.”

“Everybody deserves a human respect and I am not the exception. No body can be a exception just because he is financially weak, physically challenged or educationally underprivileged. Living with dignity means the guarantee of this human respect”

“If we have full control of our life and enable others to do so, a life of dignity will exist.”

“Its simple, work according to one’s skill and ability and payment according to one’s need.Its human dignity.”

From Pakistan

“Self Respect”

“To be respected for my beliefs, aspirations and hopes”

“To live a life where you have an adequate level of resources and rights. By resources, I mean that a person should be provided the basic necessicities of life like food, clothes, shelter and water. Also, one should have the fundamental rights he needs to survive in a society, like security, privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of movement etc.”

“Access to justice, basic necessities of life like health, education and housing facilities, and equal opportunities to grow.”

“It means having the freedom to live as you want to.”

“Being in Pakistan, living in dignity means getting 2 meals a day and a shelter to rest after all day struggle.”

“Meeting one’s basic social and economic needs and enjoying basic human rights.”

“Not bowing to the overpowering wrong.”

“To earn respect from others and being appreciated for it”

“Serving Pakistan and Islam without slacking in my required (and relevant) duties and also, without giving up the morals of unity, faith, discipline and truthfulness.”

“To have the freedom and means available to make the choice that i want to make.”

“Protection of your life and provision of your basic needs (electricity, health, education etc)  by the government.”

“Freedom to choose, freedom to decide. Respect for the choices”

“To me it is the ability to express my self and that people respect my opinion.”

“Living in dignity means not having to surrender your faith, life or assets to any human or non-human entity”

“Not having to constantly worry about somebody screwing me over just because I lack the financial resources to manipulate legal/bureaucratic processes to my own advantage.”

“Living with all the legitimate rights and freedoms.”

“To compete and  survive among the social elite.”

“Having the rights to education and decision making, unlike what happens in the patriarchal societies, is living in dignity.”

“Not having to put up with unwarranted crap from someone solely because they enjoy a better social/financial status. A basic right, sadly not afforded to many in our country.”

“Being content with your current lifestyle and fortune without being subject to derision from society being able to live with your head up; its about not being ashamed of who or what you are.”

“Being respected!”

“One may live in dignity by enjoying a lack of hindrace from the state or the society in the acquisition of basic necessities and privileges such as food, housing, knowledge and freedom of religious observance.”

“Dignity is the line between how others will treat you when things go bad.”

“Living in dignity is when you are judged by what you say and what you do instead of being judged by things that are beyond your control or influence.”

“Living in dignity is wen u can walk tall with respect knowin that ur fundamental necessities are bein fullfilled and tht u can practice ur basic rights (such as speech, religion, property and idelogy) with out the fear ov any external element\force takin it away you or interfering with them.”

“Having respect for yourself and respect for others.”

“Living in dignity is not having to depend on someone for your needs.”

“Living in dignity is all about respect regardless of the standard of living, sufferings and/or dominant circumstances.”

“Living in dignity is when you are respected by others and yourself.”

“Living in dignity means living without fear…fear of losing your life…fear of practising your religion…fear of wondering how you will pay for your next meal…fear of losing yourself…”

“Living with dignity means not having to depend on anyone other than God.”

“Taking control of one’s life and enabling others to do so by providing them with support.”

“Living with dignity means to live with a freedom which encompasses one’s heart, mind and soul.”

From the rest of the world

“Living in dignity means enabling people to live their lives and providing them with access to basic services so that they can provide for themselves”

ADD TO THE VOICE BANK NOW!

Food, water, work, health, education (and many more) are all basic rights that allow us to live in dignity.

We may not be able to feed everyone tomorrow, but as young people in Asia Pacific, YOU(th) can show the region that hunger & poverty are one of today’s biggest human rights violations and World Food Day (October 16)/International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (October 17) is your chance to do it!

More Human Rights = Less Poverty It may seem weird to put the two together but poverty is actually the largest human rights violation today! Food, water, work, health, education (and many more) are all basic rights that allow us to live in dignity. What’s worst is that people living in poverty are usually stripped of rights to freedom of expression and political participation so they are left voiceless. More Human Rights will empower them to break through barriers and escape poverty!

DO SOMETHING

We want the world to know how serious hunger & poverty is in Asia Pacific by putting together a report by YOU(th) called Under US$2.0 Recipes – YOU(th) on Hunger & Poverty in Asia Pacific and we’re asking all of YOU(th) to contribute!!!

Since YOUth (especially in Asia Pacific!) are super creative, this report is going to be in the form of a cook book or a cooking show! Send your recipes now!

Got 3 seconds? Add to our cook book!

If you only have 3 seconds, then just share the ingredients that can be bought for, or under US$2.0 and the cooking instructions. Please send us a photo of the final dish if you can!

If you facilitate at least 5 friends to each submit a recipe (and photo if possible), then you will receive a certificate for facilitating World Food Day/International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with APYN as long as you provide their names and emails for verification!

Got 30 minutes? Add to our cooking show!

If you’re feeling very creative, then put on your chef’s hat and take a video of yourself cooking! Your video will be featured on the APYN Cooking Show on YouTube!

Anyone who sends a video will also receive a certificate for facilitating World Food Day/International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with APYN!

A villager standing on land he once owned, beneath an unfinished conveyor belt designed to transport bauxite ore from the Niyamgiri hills to the Vedanta Alumina plant, Lanjigarh, Orissa, India, June 2008. © Sanjit Das

For years, the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) and and Sterlite Industries India (Sterlite), a subsidiary of UK-based Vedanta Resources (Vedanta) have been proposing plans for a bauxite mine in Niyamgiri Hills.

In 2009, the Indian Minister of Environment and Forests (MoEF) gave clearance for their proposal – which led to protests among Dongria Kondh.

The Dongria Kondh living in the Niyamgiri Hills in the eastern state of Orissa, India, consider their home as sacred and depend on it for water, food, and cultural values.  The proposed project would violate their rights as an indigenous community to water, food, health, work, and their cultural values and identity – not to mention that the Indian authorities didn’t ask the community for their consent or give them any information on the project!

Luckily, in 2010, the Indian MoEF rejected the proposal after finding out that the project would violate the rights of Dongria Kondh on the hills. BUT in April 2011, OMC filed a petition before the Indian Supreme Court, challenging the MoEF decision!

The Supreme Court is supposed to make a decision soon so we have a little time to do something to protect the rights of Dongria Kondh!

Got 3 seconds?

Send a letter to the Indian MoEF to take action to protect Dongria Kondh by adding your name below! We will add your names to AI’s petition and they will send the letters to the Minister.

Got 3 minutes?

Add your name AND copy and paste this link – http://bit.ly/rojwY1 - on Facebook and Twitter to share with your friends – can you challenge yourself to get 10 friends to take action?

Join young people all over Asia Pacific to celebrate what YOU(th) did this year! Let’s continue using YOU(th) voices to (((Demand Dignity)))! Pledge to celebrate this important day with APYN!

Simply answer this question: WHAT DOES LIVING IN DIGNITY MEAN TO YOU?

Get your friends together and organize a creative way to answer this question on 12 August 2011!

If you don’t have time to organize an activity, then you could send us your thoughts from now until 26 August 2011. Your voices will be shared with young people all over Asia Pacific and added to the voice bank with our friends at AI.

Here are some ideas:

• Answer the question on your Facebook status (remember to tag @Asia Pacific Youth Network!)
• Ask your friends to write on a piece of paper what living in dignity means and take photos of them holding their answers
• Interview your friends
• Design a poster
• Write a song
• Take photos that illustrate what living in dignity means to you
• Make a video clip of what living with dignity means to you
• Anything you can think of!!

Don’t miss this fun and meaningful opportunity! Sign up now!

If YOU(th) want to participate and add your voice, sign up here and we will contact you with more information on how to submit your contribution!

If you don’t have time, then you can also answer the question below.

BENGALI translation:

হে তরুণ, ১২ই অগাস্ট আন্তর্জাতিক তরুণ দিবস উদযাপন করো ! ১২ই অগাস্ট আন্তর্জাতিক যুব দিবসের সমাপ্তি, এশিয়া প্যাসিফিকের তরুণদের সাথে যোগ দিন । ((মর্যাদার চাহিদা))-য় তরুণ কণ্ঠ অব্যহত থাকুক । এ পি ওয়াই এনের সাথে এই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ দিবস উদযাপনের জন্য আহবান !

শুধু এই প্রশ্নের উত্তর দিন ঃ আপনার কাছে মর্যাদার সাথে বাঁচার অর্থ কি?

আপনার বন্ধুদের একত্রিত করুন এবং ১২ই অগাস্ট ২০১১ এ এই উত্তরের জন্য একটি সৃজনশীল পদ্ধতি সংঘটিত করুন ।

আপনার যদি কোন কার্যকলাপ সংঘটনের সময় না থাকে, তাহলে আপনি আপনার চিন্তা আমাদের কাছে পাঠাতে পারেন। আপনার কণ্ঠ এশিয়া প্যাসিফিকের অন্য তরুণদের সাথে যুক্ত হবে এবং আমাদের এ আই এর বন্ধুদের ভয়েস ব্যাংকে থেকে যাবে ।

এখানে কিছু ধারনা ঃ

• আপনার ফেসবুক স্ট্যাটাসে প্রশ্নের উত্তর দিতে পারেন (@Asia Pacific Youth Network ট্যাগ করতে ভুলবেন না ) ।
• আপনার বন্ধুদের সম্ভ্রমের সাথে বাঁচার ব্যাপারে অভিমত একটি কাগজে লিখতে বলুন এবং সেটি ধরে ছবি তুলতে বলুন ।
• বন্ধুদের সাক্ষাৎকার নিন ।
• পোস্টার ডিজাইন ।
• গান লিখন ।
• ছবি আকা/ তোলা যা সম্ভ্রমের সাথে বাঁচাকে প্রদর্শন করে ।
• ভিডিও চিত্র ধারন করা যা মর্যাদার সাথে বাঁচাকে নির্দেশ করে ।
• যে কোন কিছু আপনি করতে পারেন !

এই আনন্দবহ এবং অর্থবহ সুযোগ হারাবেন না । এখনই সাইন আপ করুন !

যদি আপনি অংশগ্রহন করতে চান এবং নিজের কণ্ঠ যুক্ত করতে চান, তাহলে এখানে সাইন আপ করুন এবং আমরা আপনার সাথে আপনার অবদানের ব্যাপারে আরও তথ্য নিয়ে যোগাযোগ করবো ।

INDONESIAN TRANSLATION:
12 Agustus menandakan akhir dari International Year of Youth – tapi ini adalah awal dari YOU(th)!!

Bergabunglah dengan semua pemuda se-Asia Pacific untuk merayakan apa yang YOU(th) lakukan pada tahun ini! Lanjutkan dengan menyuarakan YOU(th) voices untuk (((Demand Dignity)))! Berjanjilah untuk merayakan hari penting ini dengan APYN!

Sederhana saja, jawab pertanyaan ini : APA MAKNA “LIVING IN DIGNI…TY” BAGI KALIAN?

Kumpulkan teman-temanmu dan lakukan hal-hal kreatif untuk menjawab pertanyaan ini sebelum 12 Agustus 2011!

Jika kamu tidak memiliki waktu untuk melakukan aktivitas tersebut, kirimkan saja pendapatmu dari sekarang hingga 26 Agustus 2011. Suaramu akan disebarkan ke semua pemuda se-Asia Pacific dan ditambahkan ke bank suara oleh teman kami di Amnesty International.

Beberapa ide:
-Jawab pertanyaan ini di status Facebook mu (ingatlah untuk men tag @Asia Pacific Youth Network!)
-Minta temanmu untuk menulis di selembar kertas apa arti “living in dignity” dan berfoto dengan memegang jawaban mereka
-Wawancara beberapa temanmu
-Mendesain sebuah poster
-Menulis lagu
-Mengambil foto yang menggambarkan apa arti “living in dignity” bagimu
-Buat video clip tentang makna “living in dignity” bagimu

Atau apa saja yang kalian pikirkan!!

Jangan lewatkan kesempatan yang berarti dan menyenangkan ini! Daftar sekarang!

Jika YOU(th) ingin berpartisipasi dan menambahkan suaramu, daftar di sini dan kami akan menghubungi kamu dengan informasi lebih jauh bagaimana kamu dapat berkontribusi.

喂，年輕人，齊來慶祝8月12日的國際青年日吧！

8 月12日標誌著國際青年節的結束—-但這只是青年人(你)的開始！

與亞太區的年輕人共同慶祝你今天的成就！就讓我們一起用青年人的聲音去爭取尊嚴！承諾與亞太青年網絡慶祝這重要的一天！

你只需要回答這條問題：活得有尊嚴對你有什麼意義？

請和你的朋友一起以創新的方法在8 月12日回答這條問題吧！

如果你沒有時間去籌辦活動，你就可以從今天起截至8月26日，把你的所思所想以電郵形式傳過來。你的意見將會被亞太區的年輕人所看到，更會被我們儲存在國際特赦組織的意見庫裡。

以下是一些小建議：

• 在FACEBOOK狀態回答以上問題(請tag @Asia Pacific Youth Network)
• 邀請朋友們寫上”活得有尊嚴對你有什麼意義”並把他們的答案拍攝下來
• 訪問朋友
• 設計一張海報
• 創作一首歌
• 拍攝一張主題為活得有尊嚴之相片
• 拍攝一段主題為活得有尊嚴之短片
• 任何你想到的方式!

雖然國際青年節已經結束，你還可以加上你的意見！不要錯過這個機會! 立即參加吧!

What happened?

Over 140 young people Asia Pacific – Bangladesh, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam - facilitated a ‘Meet on MDGs’ with their friends (five or more!) to answer five simple questions on human rights and the MDGs. Young people who were unable to facilitate or join a ‘Meet on MDGs’ also shared their views with us.

What did YOU(th) say about the link between human rights and the MDGs?

Click here to download our findings!

What next?

The MDGs Youth Campaign Team has been expanded to cover other issues related to poverty and is now the Human Rights & Poverty Youth Campaign Team. Email apynactionn@gmail.com to volunteer!

Over a thousand young individuals across the Asia-Pacific region took took part in an APYN activity called APYN Meet on MDGS that aimed to tackle the link between the Millennium Development Goals and Human Rights last 17-19 September 2010.

Young activists from the region shared their views on MDGs and discussed with fellow youth why Human Rights need to be included in the MDGs and how to make sure Human Rights sit on the very core of one of the most important global plans to end poverty as they answered five important questions about the MDGs:

1. What can you buy with $US 1.25 (a day) in your hometown?
2. Please list the MDGs in order of importance to you
3. Which human rights in the UDHR are NOT covered by the MDGs
4. If you were the leader of your country, how would you include human rights in the MDGs?
5. What is one thing you can do to make the MDGs real?

The campaign also aimed to provide a tool which can be used by youth across the region to continue their human rights work for the realization of the MDGs. As such, the APYN proudly presents these two videos created by and for the youth: More Than One Twenty Five and Think About. These videos reflect youth views on MDGs and Human Rights solicited during the Meet on MDGs!

More Human Rights = Less Poverty!
For more info about the campaign, please see: http://bit.ly/lMJF6x or www.facebook.com/apyouth.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific development goals the world has ever agreed upon. These eight time-bound goals provide concrete, numerical benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions. They include goals and targets on income poverty, hunger, maternal and child mortality, disease, inadequate shelter, gender inequality, environmental degradation and the Global Partnership for Development.

Adopted by world leaders in the year 2000 and set to be achieved by 2015, the MDGs are both global and local, tailored by each country to suit specific development needs. They provide a framework for the entire international community to work together towards a common end – making sure that human development reaches everyone, everywhere. If these goals are achieved, world poverty will be cut by half, tens of millions of lives will be saved, and billions more people will have the opportunity to benefit from the global economy.

Taken from: United Nations Development Programme (http://www.undp.org/mdg/)

Why do the MDGs need to consider Human Rights?

The Millennium Development Goals are largely silent on human rights, and the targets they set are in some cases less than what states are already obligated to do under international law. For example, the MDGs contain no explicit requirement that states identify and address exclusion and discrimination. The targets and indicators for many of the goals do not acknowledge the variety of human rights factors that drive and deepen poverty.  Integrating international human rights standards into MDG efforts could lead to more meaningful progress on the MDGs in the next five years. This would require that governments review all MDG initiatives and efforts to ensure their consistency with human rights; address discrimination experienced by women and other groups; set appropriate national targets, both in terms of levels of progress that should be achieved on particular issues and those prioritized; fulfil the right to participation; and strengthen mechanisms for accountability.

Want more information?

Check in your library & search online!

How is your country progressing?

Other links:
Youth and the MDGs
Human Rights and the MDGs
Background information on the MDG

2010 updates:
Millennium Development Goals: 2010 Progress Chart
Millennium Development Goals update: Are we on target?