The declaration

The Raising Peace Campaign 2015 was launched with the background of a raising peace logoDeclaration on the Situation on Human Rights and Peace by the representatives of the main networks of International Voluntary Service organisations. This declaration expresses the position of the IVS movement,gives political content to the actions we conduct in this respect, and will be used for advocacy with institutions and CSOs. On the other hand, the launched declaration is a starting point for a debate with partners, activists and volunteers, so that after a participatory process, a final Declaration, with a Report on Human Rights and IVS will be discussed in October and presented at the end of 2015.

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UNDERSTANDING THE DECLARATION:

The declaration, on its approved version May 2015 has the following parts:

  • Preamble and values: Explains the origin, the context and the aim of the declaration. Some extracts:

We, the representatives of (…) agree to take a stand regarding the situation of human rights worldwide, and the need for common strategies and cooperation for their guarantee and protection.(…) The IVS movement was born in 1920, after conflicts that devastated the world. The final aim of IVS is to promote a culture of Peace and to cooperate to build peace in fair, participative and diverse societies.(…) The situations of oppression, poverty and wars throughout the world, and the renewed rise of totalitarian parties, racist and hate speech in politics,(…) At the core of the values and methodology of IVS stands the right of every human being to participate in the development of their community, using and promoting the universal right to education, to freedom of association, of thought and speech. Having as the highest goal the right to life in peace, equality and dignity, we affirm that diversity and interculturality constitute the richnesses of humanity living together.

  • Thematic blocks: Develops 3 thematic blocks of the campaign. Extracts:

The rights to a healthy life, environment, foo, water and housing: “(…) We call for the guarantee of access for every block 4individual to adequate healthcare, nutritious food and a healthy habitat and dwelling ; and for the collective and community conditions such as food sovereignty, sustainable social and productive systems, biodiversity and human-shaped urbanism that allows the full development of these basic rights.(…)

The rights related to gender, sexuality and decision over the own body: “(…)It is unacceptable therefore any existing block 3discrimination regarding the gender of a person, their sexual orientation and choices, and any action that violates the person’s autonomy and integrity over the own body (…)Within the IVS movement, the practice of living together in diversity and respect in international workcamps is a powerful educative tool to bring changes in this topic(…)

The rights of migrant people, refugees and to citizenship: “(…)The right to non discrimination regarding any origin or block 2personal condition that opens the UDHR, together with the rights of every person to participate in the construction of their society recognised in the declaration on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, or that of Emerging rights (…)".Hence,we call for the shared responsibility of international and national institutions, to address international conflicts in a non-violent and participative approach which avoids the consequences of massive displacements and related crisis. It is also the role of citizen movements and organisations to empower and promote a culture of peace and participation. We also call key blackinstitutions to assume their responsibility to guarantee basic human rights of displaced and migrant people, recognising also their rights to an equal participation in a fair society.

  • Conclusions and call to common action: Closes the declaration proposing common action for real changes. Extracts:

(…)We organisations and institutions involved in the promotion of Peace and Human Rights have the responsibility to act against the causes of their violations, to build fair models of relationships and to promote communication and education for human rights and equality. We call (…) to keep on organising volunteering, (…) at strengthening partnerships with civil society organisations, at advocating together with institutions(…) citizen’s participation so that a dramatic change can be brought about, that will increase peace, the guarantee of universal human rights and of a life with dignity and freedom for every person in the world

How can you participate or support? This section explains the different ways to give a contribution with the Declaration, either if you are an IVS organisation, a volunteer, an individual or an NGO or institution. Click here to discover how to participate.

 

FIND HERE BELOW THE WHOLE TEXT OF THE DECLARATION

Declaration regarding the present situation of Human Rights and Peace in the world,

by networks representatives of the International Voluntary Service movement

Preamble

We, the representatives of International Voluntary Service (IVS) networks, representing hundreds of IVS organisations all over the world, agree to take a stand regarding the situation of human rights worldwide, and the need for common strategies and cooperation for their guarantee and protection.

The IVS movement was born in 1920, after conflicts that devastated the world. The final aim of IVS is to promote a culture of Peace and to cooperate to build peace in fair, participative and diverse societies. The United Nations and regional institutions such as the Council of Europe were also created to promote and guarantee Peace and Human Rights for every person. However, more than 65 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) the IVS movement points out the violations of the basic Human Rights, failing to accomplish the commitments adopted in various declarations, conventions and national constitutions.

The situations of oppression, poverty and wars throughout the world, and the renewed rise of totalitarian parties, racist and hate speech in politics, highlight the fragility and insufficiency of the action of our institutions; governments and civil society have the responsibility to act against the root causes, and protect every person and community from their threats and consequences.

The IVS movement recognises to be an actor in such reality, and through this declaration commits itself to build strategies and actions with volunteers, organisations, communities and networks that strengthen a culture of peace in a fair world where human rights are guaranteed for every person and community.

Values of this declaration and the IVS action

The IVS movement joins the International Declaration of Emerging Rights (Monterrey, 2008) to affirm the interdependency of new human rights arising in the 21st century, and the need of the participation of citizens and civil society organisations (CSOs) in defining the agenda and in the protection of new human rights.

At the core of the values and methodology of IVS stands the right of every human being to participate in the development of their community, using and promoting the universal right to education, to freedom of association, of thought and speech. Having as the highest goal the right to life in peace, equality and dignity, we affirm that diversity and interculturality constitute the richnesses of humanity living together.

The IVS movement is committed to defend these rights and to promote them with its regular actions and with specific campaigns. Thousands of volunteering projects are organised every year all over the globe, supporting local initiatives with international volunteers. The Coordination Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) launches the Raising Peace Campaign: Human Rights NOW! as an umbrella campaign for the IVS movement, focussing (after the participatory demand of participants in former campaigns) on blocks of fundamental rights: the rights of every person to a healthy life, food and housing, as basic life conditions for everyone; the universal rights regarding gender, sexuality and the use of the own body; the rights of Migrant people and Refugees, and in general the universal right to citizenship with no discrimination.

The right to a healthy life, environment, food, water and housing

The right to life is the basis of any Human Rights, and its protection and guarantee must be at the top of the priorities of the international community and of any national government, as recognised in international declarations and treaties. The right to life implies the right to dignity, a healthy nutrition and dwelling with access to clean water and effective sanitation.

In contrast, unsustainable practices among which the lack of food sovereignty of communities worldwide, landgrabbing, land or real estate speculation, the unequal distribution of resources, uncontrolled greenhouse emissions leading to climate change, are causes of dramatic violations of such human rights. Over 25.000 people die every day from hunger or related causes, and global and interregional institutions cannot ignore their responsibility in global food production and trade. With the present global financial and social crisis, there has been a notable increase in the number of people who don’t have their right to life guaranteed, who suffer hunger, evictions, lack of housing, energy poverty or who live in unhealthy conditions.

We call for the guarantee of access for every individual to adequate healthcare, nutritious food and a healthy habitat and dwelling ; and for the collective and community conditions such as food sovereignty, sustainable social and productive systems, biodiversity and human-shaped urbanism that allows the full development of these basic rights. Special measures must be implemented for peoples who have been denied such rights, whose traditions and cultural practices have been destroyed by colonial and invasive practices putting in jeopardy a healthy sustainable lifestyle.

The IVS movement is actively promoting such rights through thousands of international workcamps and long term volunteering (with community work, environmental and housing projects, and awareness raising activities) and through global initiatives promoted by international networks.

The rights related to Gender, Sexuality and to decision over the own Body

The first article of the UDHR recognises that every human being is equal: and therefore we affirm that no discrimination should be inflicted to any human being. It is unacceptable therefore any existing discrimination regarding the gender of a person, their sexual orientation and choices, and any action that violates the person’s autonomy and integrity over the own body.

We state that the human body is not an object and cannot be objectualised for trade or political arguments. We believe that everyone has the right to decide about their own body and also about biological sex, sexual expression, identity and orientation.

Even if the situation concerning gender issues, sexual expression and sexual education varies from country to country, laws and policies are necessary everywhere to prevent and act against any gender discrimination on an economic or other basis, against hate crimes, gender and domestic violence and the violation of privacy. Education and communication are fundamental tools, and actions by every citizen, every organisation and institution are crucial to bring about equality and erradicate gender-based discrimination.

As many countries and cultures are struggling with accepting a freedom of choosing a partner, forming a family and adopting children, we also bring this issue to public attention, as both the right to non discrimination and to form a family are part of the U.D.H.R.

Within the IVS movement, the practice of living together in diversity and respect in international workcamps is a powerful educative tool to bring changes in this topic, while also international and national trainings on gender and related human rights are being implemented by networks and partners.

The rights of migrant people, refugees and to citizenship everywhere in the world

The right to non discrimination regarding any origin or personal condition that opens the UDHR, together with the rights of every person to participate in the construction of their society recognised in the declaration on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, or that of Emerging rights; empower us to underline the access to equal rights and to citizenship of any person regardless of their origin. The UDHR (art.13) states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

However, the critical situation of refugee camps from countries as Syria, Palestine or South Sudan, due to wars and unresolved conflicts with international intervention, questions the implementation of such rights. As well, at the borders of Europe, dozens of thousands of persons are suffering from the discrimination and violation of their essential rights, while at the same time such violations generate a social tension that makes these people double victims, when citizens in those areas blame them for a situation of unsustainability that institutions are not addressing appropriately.

Legal, bureaucratic and political barriers create restrictions such as visa barriers, chaotic conditions for refugees and asylum seekers, inequality and discrimination between migrants and citizens. Such barriers also impede people to choose where to live, to study, to work and to experience cultural difference and feel a sense of unity and brotherhood in humanity. Organizations dealing with volunteering and social mobility face such problem in terms of bureaucratic barriers for the organisation of international social projects and obtaining visas for volunteers.

Hence, we call for the shared responsibility of international and national institutions, to address international conflicts in a non-violent and participative approach which avoids the consequences of massive displacements and related crisis. It is also the role of citizen movements and organisations to empower and promote a culture of peace and participation. We also call institutions to assume their responsibility to guarantee basic human rights of displaced and migrant people, recognising also their rights to an equal participation in a fair society.

The IVS movement organises volunteering projects to support specialised organisations to promote and defend the rights of refugees and migrants, and conducts campaigns, such as the Freedom of Movement Campaign and Raising Peace to promote the rights of people to move and have equal rights all over the world.

Conclusions and call for common action

The IVS movement calls citizens, civil society and institutions to cooperate on long term strategies, actions and advocacy that allow to guarantee the above stated fundamental rights, present in the diverse international declarations.

As well, it calls citizens, CSOs and public institutions to take responsibility in stopping the raise of totalitarian movements, which are regaining power. Combatting inequality and poverty, together with policies and programmes that promote intercultural learning, conflict resolution, solidarity and active citizenship are key to build a world without violence and respectful of everyone’s rights.

We organisations and institutions involved in the promotion of Peace and Human Rights have the responsibility to act against the causes of their violations, to build fair models of relationships and to promote communication and education for human rights and equality.

We call IVS organisations to keep on organising volunteering, educative and networking projects for the ultimate purpose to raise peace and human rights. And we encourage and aim at strengthening partnerships with civil society organisations, at advocating together with institutions that hold responsibility, and at enhancing citizen’s participation so that a dramatic change can be brought about, that will increase peace, the guarantee of universal human rights and of a life with dignity and freedom for every person in the world.

Signed:

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