Human rights, future emergencies

Respect for human rights is fundamental to the common survival of a nation. Olivier Barbey, former Secretary General of the local chapter of Amnesty International and current Secretary General of the Middle Temple Society of Mauritius, shared his views on the importance of promoting a culture of human rights in Mauritius at a press conference last week.

For him, human rights are not simply an abstract concept. They constitute fundamental standards for the recognition and protection of the dignity of all individuals. “They define how we should live together in society, govern the relationship between citizens and government, and spell out the obligations of authorities towards citizens. To ensure harmonious coexistence, Mauritius must develop a strong and deep-rooted culture of human rights.”

Necessary Ministry

He stressed that in order to confirm our commitment to human rights, it would be best if the next government established a Ministry of Human Rights. “The ministry will be responsible for ensuring implementation and compliance with international human rights standards and coordinating awareness-raising and protection efforts in this area. Such a structure will provide a significant boost to human rights policy at the national level.”

Basic education reform

Promoting human rights starts with education. “An important step would be to reform our education system and include the teaching of human rights in school curricula. Educational reforms in this sense would make the younger generations aware of these fundamental principles, instilling in them the values ​​of respect, equality and justice from an early age. This preventive approach is essential to building an informed society that respects the rights of everyone.”

Me Barbe further called for the establishment of a human rights centre which, according to him, would be a place dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights. “The centre could house important bodies such as the Human Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Children’s Ombudsman and the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It would also have a dedicated unit for human rights education.”

Believing that human rights should never be seen as a simple bracket in our society, but must be permanently defended and protected like a fragile but precious plant, Me Barbe insists that each generation must be actively involved so that these rights are not eroded through inaction or indifference.