In a country that ranks 154 on the children’s rights index, Youth for Human Rights believes Pakistani youth have the right to know about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On the eve of the 71st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, December 10, Pakistan’s youth lag behind most countries for education and other basic rights. According to the KidsRights Index, an annual global index that ranks how countries adhere to and are equipped to improve children’s rights, of 183 countries ranked, Pakistan was found at 154.

An article in the Daily Pakistan last year estimated “around 10 million Pakistani kids have to work to help their families at school-going age. Many are sold as domestic servants who are treated as slaves with no rights.” It also points out that the majority of Pakistani children have to toil in the agriculture sector without compensation while others work at workshops. They are denied an education that could improve their chances of becoming employed.

While the government is working to right these issues, the problem is systemic, driven by poverty and the huge proportion of the population comprised of children or young adults. Nearly a third of the country is younger than 15 and more than 50 percent under 25.

Youth for Human Rights believes that vital to improving conditions for children is educating those who are in school on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By understanding that the 30 rights enshrined in the document belong to all people, young and old, they will become advocates for programs that provide these rights to all segments of the population.

 

In one community, where most of the children work as laborers in the brick kilns, educating those attending school on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights resulted in 35 who were working in the kilns returning to school, as the students reached out to help their friends. That was just a start in one community, but it shows the power of making these rights known.

Youth for Human Rights International is the youth component of United for Human Rights (UHR), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at local, regional, national and international levels. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who are actively forwarding the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all Mankind.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. For more information visit the Scientology website or Scientology.tv.

Watch 30 Rights Brought to Life on the Scientology Network.