Human rights come with responsibility

“Civil strife and conflicts are driving suffering and humanitarian need to unprecedented levels and serious violations of international humanitarian law,” The UN Secretary Generak ki-Moon said, “and abuses of international human rights law continue on an alarming scale with entire populations left without essential supplies they desperately need.” He said what the nations need to hear, but the nations that need to hear it most will pay no heed.

All human beings have God given rights. The Tanzania Human Rights Commission -- whose mandate is to, among other things, promote awareness of and respect for all human rights and freedoms -- is a creation based on this belief that all humans are entitled to these rights.

Former US president John F Kennedy said: "The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God." However, these rights do not come alone. They come with responsibilities and are constrained by respect for the rights of others.

Rights without responsibility are as dangerous as wild fires. Irresponsible citizens don't deserve rights, but control -- they belong in prison.

The first obligation is to respect the rights of others. For example, the right to free speech does not and cannot mean we can insult others for no apparent reason. Those who do so must be willing to face the full wrath of the law.

Leaders of violent political parties have the responsibility to whip their members into line. Instead of fanning violence, they should prove that they are worthy leaders. Again, the irresponsible don't deserve rights. Those who squander their rights don't deserve sympathy. A right ceases to be a right when it infringes on the rights of others.

In the same vein, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said the government has made several strides towards improving the protection and defending human rights as per international conventions including the right to live.

The VP was addressing the Fifth Annual African Union (AU) Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in Africa held in Arusha this week.

She said Tanzania has been a model in Africa for consideration by effectively implementing various international agreements aimed at ensuring its citizens have better access to basic service, including health and education without discrimination due to disability, gender, colour of their skin or religious affiliation.

She stressed: “The government will continue to implement and fulfill its various declarations with the rest of the countries aimed at ensuring that citizens receive better social services, including the right to life.

” Suluhu expressed appreciation to the steps taken by some African countries to protect and defend human rights especially women rights and said that there is still great importance for countries to implement such agreements to ensure women and children have the same rights in society.

The VP added that Tanzania has made significant progress in integrating women in decision-making and the current ambitious plan is to ensure that private sectors which still have small number of women in decision-making position do so and that some surveys done in the country show that women who were admitted to various boards for now have doubled the work efficiently.

The meeting was important because it aimed at discussing strategies meant for African countries comply with the protection of human rights especially women rights.

The meeting of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was attended by delegates from various countries in Africa, including delegates from the African Union, AU and the goal of the meeting was to discuss various issues on democracy and human rights for African countries.