It is not enough to have human rights, now more than ever it’s important that everyone is guided daily by them. This enables people from all walks of life to participate as equals in the decision making process towards meaningful, sustainable economic and social transformation.
Every human has rights.
A human rights culture means people in society understand what their rights are and understand that they have a duty to respect and tolerate other people using their rights. The Bill of Rights in the Constitution guarantees our rights and emphasises that we can defend them in court. This goes a long way towards creating a human rights culture. But building a human rights culture depends mostly on the attitudes of individuals, and the respect and tolerance that is shown amongst people.
It’s often difficult to mention human rights and not include the workplace in the same sentence. As much as positive strides have been made to advance human rights in everyday life, the workplace lags behind. Different industries have made it possible for people from certain designations to have an advantage over others. Movements (like Black Lives Matter) have forced those at the top to hold a mirror up to their own policies around diversity, inclusion and black talent. Hashtags and superficial support are simply no longer enough. It’s time for concrete, visible, practical and measurable solutions to be applied.
The South African Constitution embodies the right to equality, equal protection and benefit before the law, and non-discrimination. Despite this, women have not advanced as rapidly in terms of socio-economic empowerment and gender equality. The National Development Plan 2030 (NDP) – a long-term effort to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality in South Africa by 2030, identifies women as the most affected by inequality, poverty, and unemployment, and strives to address this.
Although women make up just over half of the population, they remain relatively unrepresented in positions of authority and power. This is recognised by South Africa’s Constitution, which sets out gender equality as a founding principle. The Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill in particular calls for 50% representation in decision-making positions. However, locally and globally the gender pay gap is the biggest barrier between women and career progression. Research by Accenture found that in South Africa, for every R1 a woman earns, a man earns R1.91, equating a 91 per cent difference in pay.
Support enables success.
It’s a privilege that your ‘success’ is automatically accepted and not constantly interrogated or probed because a sector of society doesn’t believe that you have the acumen or ability to achieve and deliver, simply because you’re black or female. Women, in particular, black women are still fighting for their space within society and business. Despite research showing that when black women receive the backing and support they need, they excel better than their male counterparts – nothing is being done to put measures in place to support them. And if something is being done, the reality is that it could take years to see real change. So, whether black women are narrowing the wealth gap, leading movements or fighting for their space in society and business – truth is, when black women lead, everyone wins!
Where to from here?
As we celebrate Human Rights Day, we remember the brave people of the Sharpeville Massacre who paid in blood for our rights to be treated as humans. Marching and refuting tirelessly against the legislated limitations of our freedom. We should channel their courage to fight to achieve and create a sustainable future for all.
We’re still at a crossroads that need everyone’s collective effort. People need to look inside and implore how we can transform the different industries. It’s no longer a time to just simply talk about it or wish for transformation to exist. Now’s the time to take measurable action to ensure that all humans have equal rights in their every day as well as professional lives.
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