Human Rights and Wrongs: Why are they important?

Today the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes its Annual Human Rights Report, which details our efforts to promote human rights globally in 2013. But while Yemen faces daily struggles against conflict, poverty, corruption, food and water insecurity, and terrorism why should we worry about human rights? Why should this be a priority?

Yemen has an abundance of natural resources not least its people. An investment in the people of Yemen is an investment in the future of Yemen. Through education and opportunities, people will grow enterprise, creativity, and ultimately the solutions to Yemen’s problems. But to get these opportunities, Yemenis need to understand and seize their human rights.

The ideals we would recognise as human rights – such as liberty, justice, and equality were vocalised by the philosophers of ancient Greece. Basic rights to life, dignity, justice, freedom, education, employment and sustenance are referred to in the Quran.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed by the UN General Assembly in Paris in 1948 following the atrocities of the Second World War (ratified by Yemen in 1994), and establishes that human rights are underpinned by a set of common values that transcend religion, race, or social class, whilst respecting all. Human rights regulate the relationship between the state and the individual. The Universal Declaration speaks of the “inherent dignity”, “equality” and “inalienable rights of all members of the human family” as the “foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”, unlocking human creativity, social progress and allowing all citizens to fulfil their potential for the benefit of society.

Yemen has a tradition of debate and dialogue. Freedom of expression and the sharing of ideas in a climate of mutual respect provide fertile ground for creative thought. The last two years have shown how Yemenis working together for a common purpose can make a difference. The revolution of 2011 saw the people of Yemen, particularly the youth, demand a different type of government and a better future.

The National Dialogue witnessed Yemenis coming together from all walks of life to discuss the fundamental principles of building a new state. The NDC in its nearly two thousand recommendations has made clear that Yemen wishes to build a more just society, which invests in all Yemenis. Establishing minimum quotas for women and youth in political institutions, introducing a minimum age for marriage, commitments to pass legislation for transitional justice, and a commission to investigate the human rights violations of 2011 are just a few examples of the NDC setting out clear expectations for a more just society. Over the next few months we shall see the Constitutional Drafting Committee re-frame the relationship between the state and the people, setting down in law the basic tenets of a new democracy.

During the last week the British Embassy through its Chevening Scholarship Programme has been privileged to meet many young people from across Yemen who are striving to better themselves and, through their work, build a better Yemen. These truly inspirational young people are just a few examples of the many people across Yemen who care passionately about their country but until now have been unable to fulfil their potential. Working to secure a genuine and sustainable political transition in Yemen that supports a more stable country is my highest priority as the UK Ambassador.

To this end, the UK is working with the international community to ensure the Government of Yemen delivers basic services such as education, healthcare and security to provide an environment where Yemen’s greatest asset, its people, can grow. As part of the UK’s support, the Department for International Development (DFID) is delivering over $328 million to development and reducing poverty in Yemen. Of this, over $117 million has been committed to the humanitarian response until 2015.
We have funded a number of human rights projects, including technical support to the NDC, contributing $6 million to a multi-donor UN trust fund, and will provide additional assistance through this fund to support the constitutional drafting process. Working towards free and fair elections, we are contributing over $11 million to support the work of the Supreme Commission for Election and Referenda on voter registration and delivery of the referendum and elections.

Human rights are also women’s rights: but it is difficult to be a Yemeni woman. So we have funded a project in Hodeidah governorate to enable widowed and divorced women to become more financially independent. Last June, the UK hosted the Arab Women’s Business Conference, which brought together the private sector, the G8, Arab countries, and regional partners. The conference raised the profile of the role of Arab women in the global and regional economies and discussed how economic opportunities and business environment could be improved for women. We support female entrepreneurs and a programme to educate people about the need to end early marriage.

The FCO’s Human Rights report highlights a lot of the problems Yemen faces. But I also know that these problems can be overcome by Yemenis working together and believing in each other as we saw with the National Dialogue. The UK remains committed, through our human rights work and our programmes, to invest in the people of Yemen, to unlock their potential and to help Yemen realise its future prosperity.