Call to make human rights everyday essentials in Eswatini

Held in Mbabane under the theme: “Human Rights, our everyday essentials”, the key message for the day was the call to make human rights everyday essentials for all Emaswati.

Speakers were in agreement that human rights can be made everyday essentials for citizens through continuous collaborations by partners and the inclusion of the youth and marginalised groups in decision-making processes at all levels including traditional settings.

Also speaking at this event, EU Ambassador to Eswatini, Karsten Mecklenburg, reminded everyone present that human rights were the foundation of peace and stability. He said respect for dignity and equality fosters harmony and resilience in societies.

“When human rights are sustained, individuals can reach their full potential, contributing to stronger economies, innovation and social progress,” said the Ambassador.

EU in Eswatini

He said Human Rights Day prompts everyone to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead in pursuit of human dignity, equality and justice for all.

The Ambassador added that there were legal frameworks, at different levels, that are fundamental pillars to enable and protect human rights, some of which being the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1986) and the 2005 Constitution of Eswatini.

“Since their adoption, human rights have advanced, but we must recognise that inequality persists, discrimination prevails and freedoms are threatened in many parts of the world including Eswatini. It is our duty to confront these challenges head-on, to speak out against injustice and to hold ourselves and the leaders accountable. By fostering an environment where dialogue and cooperation flourish, we strengthen the foundation upon which human rights rest,” said Ambassador Mecklenburg.

He noted that in Eswatini there were challenges in the implementation of the Bill of Rights as well as the protection of fundamental freedoms such as freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.

To this extent, the Ambassador concluded by saying the EU, under the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, will help address some of these challenges with a new project on human rights awareness and multi-stakeholder dialogue that will be implemented in collaboration with the Human Rights Commission and civil society organisations.