How does Peace promote the protection of Human Rights?

1st Prize in 15-17 age group
by Arnav Madan from England

Peace and Human rights are inextricably linked, sharing a symbiotic relationship, the pillars of human rights and peace are interwoven as are a bee and its chosen flower.

Peace not only allows for human rights to exist but to flourish integrally due to peace allowing for free speech and activism. Where peace is sustained, everyday people can delve into the problems regarding human rights which they are facing, once again one leads to another. This has been proven time and time again in History famously the Civil rights movement of 1950 where peaceful protests such as the march on Washington demanding for jobs and freedom in 1963 were integral in leading to increased awareness of human rights and notable legislative changes of its own, for example the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and The Civil rights act. Here Peace led to the enforcement and development of human rights, and the amelioration of human rights allowed for Peace to exist. However, this is not only seen in our history but in our contemporary world as well one of which being the Hong Kong Protests of 2019 where the pro-democracy protests led to millions of peaceful protesters to campaign for simple rights, liberties and change against autonomy. These peaceful demonstrations led to the extradition bill to be removed and had a huge impact on local elections once again showing how where there is peace, human rights prosper.

However, the blossoming of advocacy is not the only way which peace actively protects human rights it allows for active social and economic development paving the path for improved living standards, healthcare, education, and improved access to support. Particularly focusing on education and healthcare, where there is peace, they prosper. The lack of peace leading to a lack of education, healthcare and basic social rights is exemplified again in our history for example in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 leading to targeting of healthcare and education institutions causing the death of many teachers and doctors causing there to have been a huge chasm in the Rwandan Society undermining basic human rights, this is once again exemplified through the Sierra Leone Civil War of 1991 where child soldiers were used by rebel groups again blocking children from reaching education, simultaneously healthcare institutions were destroyed and basic rights once again vanished, due to the lack of peace. Peace not only protects basic services but also protects vulnerable groups, where there is a lack of peace many of these groups are often targeted and heavily impacted. Once again seen in our history with the Darfur Conflict of Sudan where there is a prominent discrimination of ethnic groups such as the Fur and the Zaghawa, the lack of peace has led to sexual violence and a denial of basic human rights.

Peace and Human Rights come hand in hand, one cannot survive without the other, they are integral to any society and are the roots to the most beautiful flowers.