Today on World Human Rights Day 2021, we must remember that Human rights are there to preserve everyone’s dignity and humanity in the face of all prejudices and cruelties. They are not a gift to some of us but a most important inheritance of us all. So we call upon our political and institutional leaders to repledge themselves to their duty to protect human rights and protect organisations and individuals who serve and defend human rights in our societies.
Defamatory and slanderous accusations are a tool often used to silence activists and organisations in the hope that they become afraid to continue the noble work of protecting the freedoms and rights we all enjoy. Unfortunately, in this period of European history, Muslims and Muslim organisations have become the daily victims of these charges from those who choose hate over hope.
FEMYSO President Hande Taner said “As the voice of Muslim Youth in Europe, we find the attacks on human rights defenders deeply troubling. Instead of praising and providing further resources to these fearless heroes, some governments have chosen to amplify the voices and repeat defamatory claims, shame on them for legitimising and exporting racism.
To our friends across civil society, I believe we have a distinct opportunity here to reclaim the narrative around human rights and those that seek to defend them. Remaining silent as these attacks increase in number, will not provide you with protection, instead it will mean that there are fewer voices to protect you when the attacks turn towards yourselves”.
The European Convention on Human Rights provides all of us a resource that we can reflect on, signatories of this document must fulfil the rights outlined within it without fail.
FEMYSO will always stand with those that seek to protect human rights and the most marginalised in our society, as part of our mission to work towards a more diverse, cohesive and vibrant Europe.