 Aloha, I'm Joshua Cooper and welcome to Cooper Union, what's happening with human rights around our world on Think Tech Live, broadcasting from our downtown studio in Honolulu, Hawaii in Moana, New A.K.A. Today's episode focuses on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and You, Article 30, Rights and Freedoms for All. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights serves as a global agreement for us all focusing on fundamental freedoms, everywhere on Earth. The UDHR demands dignity for every person and diplomacy for the way we live together for a transformative future. UDHR Article 30 ensures nothing in the UDHR may be interpreted as implying for any states, group or person, any right to engage in activity or to perform any act aimed at destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth here on. The UDHR insists individuals strive in solidarity to serve humanity and to contribute to the culture of rights and resilience. Today we're joined by four, three amazing advocates to share with us their experience about why the UDHR is so important and how they're taking action. Amy, thank you so much for joining us. And could you share with us why this issue is so important in international law and what inspired you to care about this issue in some first campaigns you might have been involved in? Absolutely, thanks for having me. My name's Amy, my pronouns are they, them and theirs. And I am a regional representative for the National Council, UNA, USA. I am very passionate about LGBTQI plus rights. I am an advocate and also a proud member of that community. I first joined UNA, USA, because I was interested in advancing human rights with a focus on intersectionality. So right now what's going on in the world, unfortunately, there's been a backlash concerted efforts to erode LGBTQ rights and even criminalize sexual orientation and gender identity. We're seeing that abroad, but also at home as well. So LGBTQ rights are human rights. And I've been doing a lot of academic work with that community for quite some time. I'm really interested in it, not just because I'm a member of that community. There's all kinds of intersectionalism with that. So it crosses gender, class, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, country of origin, everything. So it really encompasses a lot of issues that people are facing. Thank you so much. Tatjana, can you share with us why the issue's so important in international human rights law and what inspired you to first be involved? Sure, thank you so much, Joshua. Similarly to Amy, I have many passions and reasons why I joined UNA, USA, but just starting off, my background is in criminal justice and human rights. And from a very young age, I witnessed how the criminal justice system here in the United States has deeply impacted a lot of people within the Black and Brown communities. And the reason being that is why I wanted to join UNA, USA to really learn a little bit more about human rights and get a little bit more involved, more locally within my community. When you look at international law and we look at the article 30 of the UNHDR, it really makes sure and to hold states accountable. It's used to hold them accountable to ensure that they are protecting human rights defenders and to ensure that they are protecting people that are impacted by these issues. So when I think about my community, who are a bit far removed from these conversations, I wanna ensure that their voices are heard as well because some of us have more privilege and more access to these spaces, but we are also talking about issues that are impacting those at the local level. So I think that when we think of these broader topics and we think about these particular laws and institutions, we have to incorporate those voices that are not only heard. So that's a bit about my story and what led me to this particular work. Thank you so much. As we move now to our final speaker, maybe you could share with us a bit how this right is central and core to the global arena and why it's so important in international human rights law, Bettina, and what inspired you as well? Thank you so much, Joshua, for having me and happy to see Tatjana and Amy, my colleagues here at the UNA National Council. I'm Bettina Hausmann and I'm the chapter chair of the San Diego chapter of the UNA San Diego. And I got involved in 1993, actually, and that goes to your question, Joshua, in terms of international. As you may recall, the Bosnian War started in 1992. And 1993, the UN pro-form, which was particularly established to protect and secure peace during the settlement agreement for peace. And for me, it became really apparent that this settlement in the peacekeeping itself hasn't, it's not going anywhere really in terms of just because the conflict really went out of hand. And for me, this article 28 really spoke to me in terms of peace, the right to peace. And that really was the first thing that for me became that point of getting particularly involved with the UNHR and really upholding it. Then furthermore, as the reports came out of the Bosnian War on violence of women, really from how their suffer mostly on the conflict and during the conflict, way lots of children, you name it, for me it became really focused on article four, where it's about that no state or the state should really protect women. And so that really then became my focal point, specifically when I was really thrilled in 2000, when the UN Security Council put the resolution 1325 into place that a particular speaks on participation of women after the conflict. And also that the gender perspective, the brain agenda perspective into the negotiations, the peace negotiations and the state building. And so we as a background in international relations in particular really growing up behind the iron curtain, social justice, the collective memory of war in general really that speaks to me and social justice is just really front and center. So, and with the UNHR, we really have something that relates to all of us, no matter where you live, what your background is and to uphold this memory really, as I said thrilled to have two really strong women here as well that work in a different or have a different focal point. However, I think the 30, right? You know, 30 brings it all together. It's beautiful. Thanks for having me. Thank you so much. As we look at the rich history, we can really see that human rights is a blueprint and the UNHR shows us a way to a better world. Amy, you can share this a bit. How do you actualize the article and what actions are you involved with to promote and protect human rights and share maybe some champions that we know we can uphold and show for their amazing activities to create a culture of human rights? Sure, yeah. So, something that I've been working on, I got my master's of social work recently and my Calstone project was about the SDGs and how they are being applied to the LGBTQ community globally and ways in which we can improve their implementation. LGBTQ people have unique needs. And like I said, intersectionalism before is such a huge piece of that. Another thing that I have been doing is I submitted a call for input about colonialism and its ongoing impact on attitudes towards LGBTQI people. And there is a strong correlation between areas that have been formerly colonized and extremely negative attitudes towards LGBTQ people. A lot of this comes from the penal laws of criminalized homosexuality, gender expression that was outside of the Western world's definition of what was acceptable and unacceptable. A lot of these laws have not been repealed. It's been sort of a piecemeal response. So one way to, I just like to clarify that. So a lot of these laws, the foundations are still there, but there have been other laws sort of placed on top of that. So it's sort of like a jigsaw puzzle, if you will, in order to positively impact this community we really need to start looking at these laws and using the STGs and then using the universal declaration of human rights in order to craft these laws to make sure that discrimination is eradicated and to make sure that everybody has equal rights under the law. Again, I keep saying this, it's an international issue and it's also a national issue. So we're also seeing these same attitudes here in the United States because we are a colony and we mustn't forget that. All around the world, especially in the United States, indigenous peoples had a variety of gender identities and expressions. One of the most well-known ones is two spirit people. So they have both the masculine feminine energies, they identify as both, and they were venerated in their societies as spiritual leaders, caregivers, elders. I feel like we need to go back to that and make sure these people have a seat at the table to be able to take these laws and use the universal declaration of human rights as a blueprint and the STGs as well. Thank you so much and I know, Tatiana, you really do care a lot about STG, I believe 16. And you can maybe share with us a bit how you actualize the article of the UDHR but also make sure that we strive to achieve the 2030 agenda and promote and protect human rights. Sure, thank you so much, Joshua. And before I get there, because I do wanna amplify the work that my chapter is doing as well so I can encompass some of both of those things. So I do serve as a chapter president of the Bronx of United Nations Association based in New York City. And a lot of the work that we do is really trying to amplify the voices of community-based organizations that are doing this work similarly, but may not be using the same language that is incorporated within the STGs. And we realize that the work is so important to speaking to all of these different issues. Now, as Joshua has mentioned, yes, I served as the former Global Goals Ambassador for STG 16. And during that time, I really wanted to also amplify the voices of organizations that are working on issues related to STG 16 based in the community. On a personal level, I did a lot of volunteer work with multiple organizations and more locally I was working to provide free legal services to my community. If you think about the Bronx in itself, we have people that are facing homelessness, facing hunger, being infected from their homes, just major issues that we can think of that more globally and locally as well. And that's one of the main things that is taught in UNA USA. We think globally and we act locally. Or think globally and act locally. And I think that speaks so through to the work that I do with my chapter and also on a personal level. So as a Global Goals Ambassador and a champion for the STGs, I ensure that I am helping my community in those ways. And oftentimes you're not even aware of the traumas that they're facing because you can have a simple conversation with them and they tell you, oh yeah, I was almost evicted from my home or having eaten anything for the past few weeks. And social services is not normally there to support and the resources are always there. So in that time, I was really able to really provide them with the resources they need to ensure that they are getting their basic human rights, right? Because everyone has access to something. It is your human right to have these particular things. So I think that's pretty much how I've been actualizing it. And I think also, you know, amplifying the voices of young people, we need them at the table. We need them to continue to uplift their voices in some way because they are the ones that know that the resources, they have the solution. So please continue to lean on your young people in this time. Wonderful to bring in the youth voice and also to make sure that we focus on our chapters and how the chapters can contribute to the community as well. Bettina, can you share a bit how you actualize the article and some of the actions you're involved with promoting and protecting human rights? Yeah, thank you. And building on really what Tatiana and Amy had shared in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals, right? The 17. For me, Amy Sandiva specifically, working on SIDA and that is the Convention on the Elimination of Forms of Discrimination Against Women. And we put forward an ordinance to our San Diego County to introduce that because the U.S. is one of the only Western countries actually that hasn't signed on to this law. And given that particular in the Volunteer Sphere, the majority of volunteers are women or individuals really identified as women. So with that also comes a higher chance of being discriminated against and also violence against women. So SIDA for us is a major focal point in San Diego specifically and also in California, I know our UNA USA or National is really working on the cities per SIDA that the cities within the U.S. are aligning and also pushing for the signing of the SIDA Convention. And so we're really working on that specifically. And I think that really sets the tone for everything else as we know women are bearing the majority of caretaking of abuses as I mentioned, right? But also the finance, the first ones that have to think about the future and how we finance future generation. And you can't forget what's empowering for women in general is that we're giving birth to the world. We are the ones that actually give birth to the world. So I think we have a lot of work to do. However, we're really proud to see also more and more our male counterpart and individuals that identify as male joining that movement. We really realize, you know, it's sort of half the sky and we have to all really think about how we pull together for the economy, good. But at the end really for us as humans and I think that's really the point. So really SIDA I think is the groundwork that I think the UNA USA would be crucial in particularly the art 6 that I'm referenced. And also with the piece of foundation. Excellent points. We're looking at bringing in indigenous voice which has been denied and we really appreciate you Amy for talking about the Mahu movement in Hawaii as well as Oceania. And then talking about youth was absolutely vital. Thank you all for those great points bringing in the indigenous voice especially Mahu it's very vital in the history of Hawaii as well as the broader Moana also bringing in the voice of youth knowing it's not a future voice but the voice of today. And then most recently of course women's rights are human rights which was made famous by Hillary Clinton speech at the Beijing conference in 95. But really as we see shaping the world in so many important ways. The UDHR does serve as the greatest hope though for our collective future as we seek democracy and diplomacy to guide all of our government structures from our local counties and cities to global capitals including the UN. As we look can we maybe suggest what's a vision for the future of rights and maybe some potential past to respect, protect so fill the rights on the ground and around the globe. Yeah so with my research the number one barrier to LGBTQ people having equal rights is negative social attitudes towards these communities. And I do wanna briefly touch on what Bettina said earlier about not only women leading the charge but also men as well. Everybody should care about these issues even if they don't have these identities. So allies are very important that Bettina said with male or people who identify as male. So another thing that I would suggest is just to talk to people, make them care about the issues. In my research a lot of that just starts with simple conversations to change people's minds of to keep program people for these harmful narratives that they've held all their lives that have been culturally ingrained. One promising story I heard out of a refugee camp in South Africa. And I do wanna briefly say that with the recent anti-A LGBTQ bill in Uganda there's a huge uptick of LGBTQ refugees. We heard earlier in the conference over 115 million people are displaced currently. And a lot of those are LGBTQ folks. So having these conversations, changing social attitudes is very important. There's a pilot program that an organization may intervene that their executive director, Rachel LeClear of Safe Place International is LGBTQ people going out into the communities and helping people, helping their communities with whatever they need. If they need repairs to their home, they're there. If they want to plant a card in for sustainability and a source of food, they're there. It's a lot harder to hate somebody when you start to view them as a person. So I think starting from that point is really the only way to go. And then that will clear the path forward for equal protections and human rights. It's beautiful because it's really simple and sincere steps that we all have to take but I also appreciate the point of solidarity and everyone understanding that really none of us can have our rights if anyone else has denied them. So that's why we have to work together to make sure that everyone's voices are heard to make sure that value of dignity for all is actually enshrined in our everyday actions with one another. Dachana, can you share your vision for the future of this right and maybe potential paths on the ground? Yeah, sure. Of course, yes. Thank you so much for the question. So Joshua, I actually, I just want to name I had the pleasure of serving as a member of the writing for the report of third UNA USA held consultations to report back to the United States about what they're doing and how we can recommend better ways that they can eliminate racial discrimination here in the US. So I think from those consultations I learned a really important thing and it's listening to our communities, right? And I think just piggybacking off of Amy had already named is really hearing those stories, right? Each person has experienced some form of a human rights violation in some capacity and hearing their story and what needs to be solved and how can we resolve that it's really essential. And something that I actually just learned here at the leadership summit is like, yes, we have all of these different United Nations organizations or excuse me, UN organizations going into countries, they need to listen to the people. Their people have the solutions. They have their recommendations. They have the lived experiences. So I think the future in itself is really having as a whole collective member states are listening to their people, right? They're making the adjustments. They're uplifting the voices that are not being heard. We've already made several points to indigenous communities, to people of color, right? There's women, there's just so many different intersectionalities that need to be heard that are not being put at the forefront. I think that's really important, including youth as well. That's another one I just wanna highlight and so too. But from each of these standpoints, I believe that it's really important to have people's voices centered that are with the lived experiences and then also member states bringing those people to the forefront so that they can be a part of the solution as well. Thank you. That's true. We really need to have almost a people's assembly where governments bring the voice of their people, not just ambassadors, but the activists, the artists, the advocates to share their perspectives. And Bettina, maybe you can shine a little light on your vision for the future of the right and the past. Thank you, Joshua. And it's interesting because you mentioned about the forum, right, that really includes all the voices. And that's really, for me, really with the commission on the status of women that's annually taking place at the UN. And that's really where everyone from different sectors and spheres of society is coming together and really share about that and particularly on the rights of women and the situation within each countries and different societies. And also on race, racial issues, with gender identification and violence against any form, really, violence against women and identified as women. And so for me, really, it is about the awareness raising, literacy and also to, you know, literacy in terms of what does that mean that the human rights, how is it at that? And then the participatory part of it, right, is like, once you know about it, you got to push for it, you got to ask for it because otherwise it's collecting dust on the, you know, under shelves. Once you know about it, then you'll learn about it better, right? You become a literal on it or the literacy aspect of this. Then you need to push for it, then you do it. And for me, that's really the crucial part in terms of creating that understanding I have that right. And now I need to let others know I have it and others meaning really my representative or my municipality or my fellow colleague or neighbor or you name it. It was really thrilled. When for the first time a few years ago in Chicago, I believe it was, that in one of the marginalized communities, underserved communities, the UDH always used as the right to clean water. And when there was actually one of the landlords that has a few blocks really had taken off the water or the water wasn't quite, I think he actually or that person really actually shut off the water. And it was a used UDH or in the United States as a right to water, period, enough story. And it was thrilled because that means there's a new word is, there's a literacy on it. And somebody actually used it to showcase that there's the UDH. So I think it shows we just gotta really remember collectively. It's there and we gotta push for it to make it. So thank you. No, we appreciate it. And we can really see also that importance and the way everyone reinforced the economic, social and cultural rights, right? To healthcare, the right to education, the right to make sure that we have housing. Those basic essentials are what matters most. So it's really important to see economic, social and cultural rights and that a repertoire from the Human Rights Council would actually visit. And what's important is the U.S. has not ratified the international covenants economic, social and cultural rights, but will appear before the Human Rights Committee looking at civil and political rights this fall. And that really is just the two halves of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We know the UDHR creates a framework for a new way for our world rooted in human rights and freedom. And on the 75th anniversary, humanity is reflecting on what's possible and what we want for our planet. United Nations does offer opportunities for people to organize in our communities and optimize civil society. Mahalo everyone for joining today. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechhawaii.com. Mahalo.