ДРУЖЕСТВО ЗА ЗАЩИТА ПРАВАТА НА ЧОВЕКА
РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
ABOUT US
WHY DID WE CREATE THE SOCIETY FOR THE DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS?
THE GOLDEN RULE OF MORALITY APPLIES
"TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED"
The challenges and problems for human rights in Bulgaria are diverse and cover many aspects of public life. A large part of the human rights organizations in Bulgaria were created and are under external influence. Others are focused on protecting the rights of certain groups of people. The narrow party interests of the rulers in most cases are in the direction of limiting the rights of citizens.
In recent years, the situation with civil rights has become increasingly alarming throughout Europe. The norms imposed by the European Union are in many cases contrary to basic human rights.
This motivates us to actively join the fight against human rights violations in Bulgaria.
Here are some of the main problems that have been identified in our country:
1. Freedom of speech and media independence
Media control: There are concerns about the concentration of media ownership in the hands of a small number of individuals and companies, resulting in limited media pluralism and independence.
Pressure on journalists: Journalists often face pressure, threats and even physical violence when investigating corruption and abuse of power.
Banning of access to information: The banning of TV channels, works of art, music and others is a symptom of the ever wider deployment of fascist methods of propaganda.
2. Corruption and abuse of power
Judicial system: There are significant problems of corruption in the judicial system, which undermines confidence in the justice system and makes it difficult to administer fair justice.
Corruption in the public sector: High levels of corruption in various sectors of public administration hinder the effective functioning of the state and violate the rights of citizens.
3. Problems with the Roma community
Discrimination: Despite the European Union's widely publicized programs for Roma accession, Roma often face discrimination and social exclusion, resulting in limited access to education, healthcare and work.
Housing conditions: Poor housing conditions and forced evictions are common problems that further complicate the integration of the Roma community.
4. Healthcare
Access to health care: Limited access to quality health services, especially for vulnerable groups, including low-income people and people living in remote areas.
These issues underscore the need for continued efforts to improve human rights in Bulgaria through legislative reforms, raising public awareness, and promoting greater transparency and accountability in governance.
5. Education
Discrimination and violence: Limiting learners' access to reliable information, replacing historical facts and replacing them with false information.
Legal protection: The lack of legal protection for violations and crimes of this nature limits their rights.
6. Refugees and migrants
Detention conditions: Refugees and migrants are often held in poor conditions in detention centres.
Integration: The lack of effective integration policies makes it difficult for refugees and migrants to adapt to Bulgarian society.
7. Violence against women
Domestic violence: Domestic violence is a serious problem, with victims often not receiving adequate protection and support.
Lack of legislation: Although Bulgaria has legislation to protect against domestic violence, its implementation is often ineffective.
8. Labor rights
Working conditions: Violations of labor rights, including exploitation of workers, poor working conditions and lack of safety in the workplace, are common.
Violations in the agricultural sector: Agricultural workers often work in poor conditions and receive low wages.
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ДРУЖЕСТВО ЗА ЗАЩИТА ПРАВАТА НА ЧОВЕКА
ИСТОРИЯ
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD
The idea of human rights is as old as humanity itself. We can find references to human dignity and justice in religious and philosophical texts. The Golden Rule (also known as "The Golden Rule of Morality") states "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and is advocated in all major world religions.
Already in the 3rd century BC. the Greek Stoics stated that a distinguishing feature of all humans was their ability to reason. They believed that people did not need to be rich or occupy a high position in society to be capable of good judgment. Anyone can be capable of this.
During the Enlightenment in the 17th century, the notion that people were capable of thinking for themselves and therefore should have the opportunity to express their opinions became even more popular. Back in 1679, the Habeas Corpus Act was officially adopted in England, which protects every person from illegal and arbitrary detention and protects bodily autonomy (translated from Latin, habeas corpus means "you may bring the body" and is part of the phrase with which the court ordered the guard to bring the detainees). The understanding of the value of human life gradually spread to other continents, and Habeas Corpus remains one of the main principles of the rule of law in our societies today.
When we talk about the universality of human rights, we say that they are indivisible, interdependent and interconnected. This means that it is difficult to place one right above another. For example, it is difficult to say that the right to shelter and food is more important than the right to express one's opinion. People need both.Human rights are inalienable. This means that everyone has them from birth and no one can take them away.
If we go back in the history of mankind, we will see that it was not always like this. Only two hundred years ago there were slave markets where human beings were bought and sold. A hundred years ago, women did not have the right to participate in elections and vote. Until the late 1960s, corporal punishment at school was still a reality in some countries. Unfortunately, we still cannot say that there is no torture, starvation and illegal arrests in today's world.
Therefore, it is important to reflect on the main historical events, the adoption of the decisive documents, and the courage of many people around the planet, thanks to which human rights have become a concrete tool to protect human beings from abuse, injustice and discrimination.
1. Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, or "Great Charter," was one of the first documents to mention human rights, such as the right to property for all freemen and the right to be protected from excessive taxation. In the 13th century, King John of England came under pressure from his subjects and agreed to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, thus limiting his own monarchical power.
2. The US Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the US Congress on July 4, 1776. The text was developed by Thomas Jefferson. The document specifically emphasizes individual rights - the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
3. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) was adopted in the aftermath of the Great French Revolution. According to her, all citizens should be guaranteed the rights of "liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression". This document became the basis and inspiration for the development of several national constitutions.
4. US Bill of Rights (Bill of Rights)
The Bill of Rights (1791) consists of amendments to the US Constitution, one of the oldest national constitutions. The Declaration protects political rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of belief and freedom of assembly.
5. Geneva Convention, 1864
The first of a total of four Geneva Conventions was passed in 1864 to protect soldiers wounded in war and to receive medical treatment, regardless of the country they were fighting for. The Geneva Conventions define the rights of prisoners of war and protect the wounded as well as civilians during war and form the basis of international humanitarian law.
6. The suffragettes
Suffrage is the movement of women who fought for the right to vote in elections on an equal basis with men. Suffragism originated at the end of the 19th century in the USA and Great Britain and became a widespread international movement at the beginning of the 20th century. The struggle for the right to vote continued for almost 100 years. After a period of discrimination, forced treatment and hunger strikes, women around the world began to gain the right to vote. This happened first in New Zealand in 1893 and later in other countries. Finland is th
the first European country to give women the right to vote in 1906.
7. Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg
Zetkin and Luxemburg were social democrats, political activists in Germany in the early 20th century. In 1910, at the International Socialist Women's Conference in Copenhagen, they proposed an annual Women's Day to draw attention to women's struggle for the right to vote. In the beginning, the proposal was supported by socialist and communist countries. In 1977, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared March 8 International Women's Day - the day of women's rights around the world. Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is one of the Sustainable Development Goals announced by the United Nations in 2016.
8. Syndicalism (trade union or labor movement)
This is the symbol of syndicalism, also known as the trade union or labor movement, which grew in Great Britain in the 19th century. Its goals were better and safer working conditions and fairer pay for workers. Many of the trade unions became the basis of political parties in European countries. The International Labor Organization (ILO) was established in 1919 to advocate for decent working conditions and social justice around the world.0.
9. Nansen's passport
A Nansen passport is the name of an identity document issued by the UN - the League of Nations (predecessor to the United Nations) in 1922. It is named after Fritjof Nansen, a Norwegian polar explorer and diplomat. As High Commissioner for Refugees to the League of Nations, Nansen advocated saving the lives of thousands of people fleeing famine and revolution in Soviet Russia, as well as more than three hundred thousand Armenians fleeing the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. -1923 The Nansen passport was the world's first identity document to protect refugees. The UN Convention on Refugees (1951) is one of the first international treaties adopted by the UN after the Second World War.
10. The United Nations Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
So-called "human zoos" were common in Western Europe and the United States in the period 1870 - 1930. Indigenous people were rounded up and brought to Europe to show Europeans their "primitive" appearance and way of life. Aborigines, Indians, Sámi, people from the Philippines, from the Fiji Islands and from African countries are "put on display" in this way. This is considered absolute racism today. The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was adopted in 1965, and in 2020 it has been ratified by 182 countries. Today, it is an important tool for dealing with hate speech and racist political rhetoric.
11. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted. It is the first international document stating that human rights are the inalienable right of all people on Earth, regardless of their origin,
creed, gender or skin colour. A UN working committee led by Eleanor Roosevelt for two years collected opinions and proposals from all continents to include them in the UDHR. The human rights advocated in the Declaration are a minimum standard that people need to live a dignified life. The UDHR is accepted as the foundation of international human rights law.
12. African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1986)
Ghana was the first country in Africa to gain independence. This happened in 1957. The process of decolonization accelerated after the Fifth Pan-African Congress in 1945, at which the growing calls for independence of African states were announced. As a result, in 1975, 54 African countries became independent from their European colonial rulers (Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain). The African Union, established in 2002, is today a kind of Pan-African Parliament that strives for peace, security and the protection of human rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1986) and international law on human rights in Africa.
13. The European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) was established in 1959 by Article 19 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950). The ECHR is located in Strasbourg, France. It is also home to the Council of Europe, whose aim is to support human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.