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Thursday, March 04, 2010

Human Rights laws vs Education

I'm looking up graduate programs in human rights. Finding some good programs... Harvard has a human rights focused law program, ASU has a social justice and human rights masters program. Good options. These would focus more on advocacy- how to change laws in order to protect people's rights. It makes sense. I just wonder about the effectiveness of a changed laws when you're facing a culture that has decades of tradition that goes against a human right (ie. child brides). You can make laws and try to enforce them but I've been thinking about the usefulness of community outreach and education as a form of human rights activism that may be more effective than changing laws.
It's the difference between telling people "You can't do this. Do it, and these are the legal consequences: jail time, fines...." And "You shouldn't do this because when you do this is what happens to your community and this is how you keep yourself and your family from prospering."
When goodness comes from an understanding of the communal harm of your specific actions, I believe it is so much more wide-spread and effective in the long run than good actions coming from a fear of the legal consequences. That said, maybe laws often lead to the understanding and educating of perpetrators. Maybe they go hand in hand. Slavery in the US- the acceptance of slavery and the racism have lasted long after the introduction of the abolition laws that ended slavery. But we needed the laws, for sure. But there needed to be a community movement, a personal change to actually bring about freedom for the black population. It was in the US culture and the population needed to only a new law, but to be re-educated.

Ah. I guess I'm just becoming such a believer in education. Maybe that's why I'm considering this teaching position in Brazil. And why I applied for Teach for America. There's something about freeing the mind through education that helps people dream and be able to tap into a creativity of thinking that moves them to fight for their own rights and pursue a better life. Maybe then what I mean by community development/education being more effective than changing laws is that maybe through educating those being oppressed, they will be moved to change the laws themselves. Instead of us moving to change the laws FOR them.

I guess I'm trying to find a way to improve the lives of my fellow human beings while respecting their dignity and the sovereignty of their countries. Shunning the "white savior" message that is reflected with so much of the well-intentioned aid work that comes from the west while still offering to share what I have been so graciously blessed with. To share the knowledge in my mind (creative,right thinking about self worth, inherent rights, better business practices, better farming practices, health... whatever) and the hope in my heart (courage through Jesus) to help them help themselves. And at the same time being so honest about how I AM BLESSED when I "help" them. We only help others because it is good for our souls- we understand that we have the element of community and common humanity in our beings that bids us to reach out and when we do, it gives us life.

I guess I understand when it is governments that are oppressing people, then laws need to change. But so often the oppression that is going on is cultural, and I just keep going back to the need for the empowerment of the oppressed and the education of those who oppress. With the issue of child brides that would mean educating the girls on how they can resist marriage and how they can be wise about keeping safe from rape, and educating the men about the harm of marrying children and the awesome potential for community growth and his own prosperity when a woman is educated.
Empowerment is equipping people to help themselves. And education is the best form of empowerment.

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