human rights meditations: week 7

Welcome to Week 7 of Human Rights Meditations. Each week we’re looking at an Article in the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Learn more about the series here. This series is way more about the time that you spend reflecting, and engaging in the discussion via comments below & twitter (hash tag #hrmlak) than it is about my own opinion.

This week we’re looking at Article 7 of the UDHR.

Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Read over the article above a few times and let it sink in (this is a long one, so you may want to break it up as you reflect). As you reflect, consider the following:

·          What's the first picture that came to your mind?

·          How did you respond to what you read?

·          Reflect how you feel about yourself in comparison to others.

·          Reflect on how you perceive others in your world. 

·          Reflect on your understanding of global issues.

Write the article down and stick it somewhere where you know you'll see it throughout the week. This will prompt you to keep the thinking going! Alternatively, write down something that has stood out to you throughout this meditation.  

Now, get talking! Let's talk openly about our thoughts on each article, what we're learning about ourselves and some of the actions we're taking to live more in line with the Declaration. Don't forget that as well as chatting via the comments below, you can get talking via twitter by including this tag: #hrmlak

I'll go first:

• I'm thinking civil rights movement, freedom walks in the US and the right to vote (women's and Indigenous Australian's right to vote in Australia wasn't originally in our constitution... it came in via changes to law much later) 
• It's got me thinking about how laws in many developed countries still discriminate. In Australia, this is relevant to the Marriage Act. We also see it in court cases where women who have been raped are blamed due to the way they are perceived, land rights, and we also see it in the much higher rate of Indigenous youth in jail compared to the general youth population. 

Kate xx


PS... No pic today... I forgot to organise one for this post... Woops!