Environmental defenders call for an end to mining activities in Guapinol. Photo: Tess Sison/CJI
On International Human Rights Day, December 10, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) expresses its solidarity with, and unwavering support for, its Jesuit partners and people around the world who are defending and safeguarding human rights.
CJI highlights the work of its Jesuit partners who promote human rights, civic participation and peacebuilding in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.
In Honduras, ERIC-Radio Progreso supports local NGOs and communities in advocating for human rights, Indigenous rights, food security, gender equality, and more. Hondurans face high rates of violence, land disputes and displacement due to extractive industries, some of which have links to Canadian mining companies. ERIC-Radio Progreso empowers poor and marginalized communities through reflection, research, and communication. Radio Progreso is a rare, independent voice in Honduras, where most media outlets are controlled by the government and powerful interests.
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) helps to educate Zambians in advocating for accountability, transparency, and servant leadership at various government levels. It conducts awareness training workshops on citizen participation and good governance. It puts them into practice by organizing dialogues between government officials and their constituents on issues that are top of mind in their communities.
The theme for this year’s observance of human rights is “Our Everyday Essentials,” encouraging people worldwide to view human rights t the lens of their personal lives. “The abstract becomes real when we realize that everyday actions – spending time with family, reading the news, walking freely, drinking clean water, or enjoying a meal – are made possible by human rights in practice.”
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, in his statement for Human Rights Day, emphasizes the need for more solidarity and commitment to human rights. “Inequalities are rising, conflicts are raging, the climate emergency is mounting, and some are creating and trying to deepen divisions within societies and between countries. But we must not give up,” he said.
