English

Eliminating Religious Intolerance

Eliminating Religious Intolerance

Statement to the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Agenda item 22: Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief

Geneva—18 February 1993

Of all the factors which give rise to human rights violations throughout the world, prejudice -- simple prejudice -- is surely one of the most pervasive. And prejudice -- whether of race, religion, nationality or sex -- is notoriously difficult to eradicate simply because it has no basis in logic or reason. It cannot be legislated out of existence. Even though enlightened legislation may prevent the gross and overt victimization of individuals or groups, it has no power to remove the seeds of prejudice from men's hearts -- and as long as those seeds of prejudice exist, the danger also exists that, sooner or later, they will produce the poisonous fruits of intolerance, discrimination, and even persecution.

In the view of the Baha'i­ International Community, the only sure means of eradicating prejudice is through education, for education dispels ignorance, and blind ignorance is at the root of all prejudice.

We, therefore, believe that education is the essential factor in securing implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion or Belief. It is necessary not only that the declaration be disseminated as widely as possible, but that it should most particularly be brought to the attention of schools and other educational bodies, and that determined steps should be taken, at both national and international levels, actively to promote understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to religion or belief.

Baha'i­s believe that religious revelation is continuous and progressive and that, from the very beginning of human history, God has periodically sent divine educators to the world to guide mankind. The appearance of these divine educators -- Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad and, in our own age, the B�b and Bahá'u'lláh -- has signified the founding of a new religion, and yet none of these religions is really new; they are stages in the unfoldment of the same religious truth proceeding from the same God. They teach the same, unchanging spiritual principles, and they differ only in their social teachings, which vary according to the needs of the age in which they were revealed.

Baha'i­s accordingly believe in the divine origin of all the major religions and honor and revere their founders as prophets of God. The reason that Baha'i­s are Baha'i­s is solely because they believe that Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of their Faith, is the latest -- but not the last -- of the divine educators sent by God, and that his teachings have been sent by God specifically to meet the needs of our own age.

Mr. Chairman, our purpose in this statement is to call attention to something which has always existed -- the essential oneness and unity of all religions.

The elimination of all forms of divisive prejudice is a fundamental tenet of Baha'i­ belief. We condemn intolerance or discrimination of any kind. We firmly uphold the right of every man and woman freely to have and to practice the religion or belief of his or her choice.

It is tragic that religious intolerance should so frequently be the cause of dissension and strife in the world, since the stated purpose of every religion is to promote unity and peace. To quote from the Baha'i­ Writings:

"O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity."

It must therefore be a contribution of religion to educate humanity in "the spirit of love and fellowship," and thus eradicate divisive prejudices.

The major stumbling block which stands in the way of universal tolerance in matters of religion is the fact that the religions of the world are generally viewed as entirely separate entities. They are identified by their differences, rather than by their similarities, and this inevitably means that they are seen as being in conflict with one another.

In the Baha'i­ view, there is no conflict at all between the different religions of the world, for religious truth is essentially one. It is the voice of one God speaking to one humanity.

Mr. Chairman we would like to commend Mr. Angelo Vidal d'Almeida Ribeiro for his excellent work as Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance over the past years and regret that he is unable to pursue the mandate he has so skillfully carried out.

Human Rights and Extreme Poverty

Human Rights and Extreme Poverty

Statement to the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Geneva—12 February 1993

Agenda item 7: Question of the realization in all countries of the economic, social and cultural rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and study of special problems which the developing countries face in their efforts to achieve these human rights, including: problems related to the right to enjoy an adequate standard of living; foreign debt, economic adjustment policies and their effects on the full enjoyment of human rights and, in particular, on the implementation of the Declaration on the Right to Development

 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that everyone is entitled to a standard of living adequate to provide for the health and well-being of oneself and one's family. Moreover, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenants recognize that freedom from fear and want can be achieved only if everyone enjoys economic, social and cultural rights, in addition to civil and political rights. In this light, the Baha'i­ International Community would like to offer a few thoughts about human rights and extreme poverty.

The increasing disparity between the rich and the poor is a major destabilizing influence in the world. It produces or exacerbates regional and national conflicts, environmental degradation, crime and violence, and the increasing use of illicit drugs. These consequences of extreme poverty affect all individuals and nations. Increasingly we are becoming aware that we are all members of a single human family. In a family the suffering of any member is felt by all, and until that suffering is alleviated, no member of the family can be fully happy or at ease. Few are able to look at starvation and extreme poverty without feeling a sense of failure.

The Baha'i­ approach to the problem of extreme poverty is based on the belief that economic problems can be solved only through the application of spiritual principles. This approach suggests that to adjust the economic relationships of society, man's character must first be transformed. Until the actions of humankind promote justice above the satisfaction of greed and readjusts the world's economies accordingly, the gap between the rich and the poor will continue to widen, and the dream of sustainable economic growth, peace, and prosperity must remain elusive. Sensitizing mankind to the vital role of spirituality in solving economic problems including the realization of universal equitable access to wealth and opportunity will, we are convinced, create a new impetus for change.

A new economic order can be founded only on an unshakable conviction of the oneness of mankind. Discussions aimed at solving problems related to extreme poverty based on the premise that we are one human family rapidly expand beyond the current vocabulary of economics. They demand a wider context, one which anticipates the emergence of a global system of relationships resting on the principles of equity and justice.

Although it will resemble the present system in many ways, the evolving economic system which Baha'i­s envision will have significant points of distinction.

Let us take as an example the Baha'i­ view of income distribution, which allows for differences but would eliminate both extreme wealth and extreme poverty. The accumulation of excessive fortunes by a small number of individuals, while the masses are in need, is, according to Baha'i­ teachings, an iniquity and an injustice. Moderation should, therefore, be established by means of laws and regulations that would hinder the accumulation of excessive fortunes by a few individuals and provide for the essential needs of the masses.

The Baha'i­ writings anticipate the development of communities in which the well-being of every member is the concern of the community as a whole. The centre of such a community would include social service institutions which shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant.

In the New World Order envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, rights are inseparable from responsibilities. A fundamental purpose of life is to contribute to the advancement of civilization. Idleness and begging are unacceptable in a well-functioning society, while work performed in the spirit of service is elevated to the station of worship. Thus the right to work, the right to contribute to society, takes on a spiritual dimension, and the responsibility to be productive applies to everyone. This attitude toward work profoundly influences the Baha'i­ approach to social and economic development. Communities are encouraged to identify their own needs and initiate their own projects, many of which focus on alleviating poverty. Such locally initiated projects often receive support from national or international Baha'i­ institutions.

The fostering of grassroots initiative is essential to the elimination of poverty; this concept has both moral and educational implications which demand profound study. In his report to the Sub-Commission on the Protection of Minorities, Mr. Eduardo Suesun Monroy pointed out that extreme poverty is often compounded by the deprivation of a constellation of rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Human Rights. Not only are the extremely poor in many countries deprived of their right to an adequate standard of living (article 25), and the right to choose one's place of residence (article 13), but they are also often deprived of the right to work (article 23), the right to education (article 26), the right to social security (article 22), and the right to recourse in the courts (article 10).

The Baha'i­ International Community welcomes the establishment, in 1992 by the 47th session of the General Assembly, of an International Day for the Elimination of Poverty, designated in resolution 47-196 as October 17. We also support the request of the Commission on Human Rights, expressed in resolution 1992/11, that the Sub-Commission study the question of human rights and extreme poverty and report to the Commission at its forty-ninth session. Mr. Leandro Despouy, Special Rapporteur on this question, can count on the full cooperation of the Baha'i­ International Community as he conducts his study.

Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Written statement to the 49th session of the Commission on Human Rights. Agenda Item 23: Draft Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Geneva—18 January 1993

The Baha'i International Community welcomes the achievement, by the Commission on Human Rights' open-ended working group, of consensus on most provisions of the draft declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms. In general, we endorse the principles adopted by the working group in its first reading text; our comments are, therefore, limited to a few key areas.

The Right to Information and Education Concerning Individual Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

The Baha'i­ International Community believes that the right to information protected by Chapter II of the text is essential if fundamental human rights are to become a reality for all people.

More important, as is especially emphasized in Article 5 of Chapter II of the draft declaration, education in fundamental human rights sensitizes individuals to the rights of others. It encourages each person to develop a personal commitment to building a broader sense of community. Such education is necessary not only to ensure that knowledge of human rights will be disseminated generally, but also to help build a durable, supportive social order in which human rights are a day-to-day reality for every individual.

The Responsibility of All Persons to Promote Human Rights

Draft Article 5 of Chapter V, which has not been agreed upon by the working group, deals with the duties of every person to promote respect for the rights of other members of the community; we consider this one of the most important provisions of the draft declaration.

The realization of human rights does not involve only action by the government or freedom from unjust government interference or oppression; rather it requires the construction of a progressive social order from the ground level upwards. It demands a new awareness of the reality of human unity and the development among all peoples of an all inclusive notion of community that extends from the family, to villages, towns, cities and localities, to nations, and, most importantly, to the boundaries of the planet itself. Moreover, given that rights cannot exist without corresponding responsibilities, each member of a community has a responsibility to uphold the rights of the other members based on a recognition of their unity and interdependence.

In keeping with the comments above, the text of Article 5 could (1) more explicitly acknowledge the responsibility of each individual to promote the well-being of others, as well as of the community as a whole; (2) recognize that the concept of "community" must encompass every level of society, including the world community, in order for human rights to become a reality; and (3) consistent with the title of the draft declaration, recognize that promoting respect for the human rights of others is not just a right, or just a responsibility, but both.

We are aware that the working group has already labored diligently to arrive at agreement on the essential elements of the draft text. Accordingly, our suggestions attempt to preserve the existing wording of the text as much as possible.

We suggest that the draft Article 5 be amended to read as follows:

"Everyone has duties to the community, in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
"Everyone, individually as well as in association with others, has the right and responsibility to promote the well-being, and respect for the rights, freedoms, identity and human dignity, of all other members of his or her local and national communities, as well as the international community, and to promote the well-being and respect for the identity of these communities as a whole.
"The establishment of a social order, at the local, national and international levels, in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be fully realized is the responsibility of everyone."

We hope that these modest suggestions are helpful to the Commission and to its working group.

 

UN Document #E/CN.4/1993/NGO/5

The Earth One Country, Mankind Its Citizens

The Earth One Country, Mankind Its Citizens

Article in Masterworks of Man & Nature: Preserving Our World Heritage, published by Harper MacRae with editorial assistance from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and IUCN (World Conservation Union)

—1 December 1992
BLESSED IS THE SPOT, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. - Bahá'u'lláh

This simple yet eloquent verse paints a vivid picture of the importance of place in the relationship between humanity, culture, nature, and the divine. It reminds us that places, both man-made and natural - cities, mountains houses, and valleys - have value beyond their physical purpose. It suggests the sacredness of those places and sites in the world around us - whether divinely created or built by man.

The purpose of this book, to laud, appreciate and protect those masterpieces of man and nature that comprise our world heritage, carries with it an understanding that there are places that have a distinctive capacity to take individuals beyond themselves: to awaken, to inspire, and to help them understand their place in society, in nature and before the divine.

The natural sites that comprise our world heritage represent some of the most grand, the most beautiful, and the most inspiring places in the natural world. These sites mirror the divine and serve to remind us of our insignificance. They are holy, in the truest sense of the word.

More than 100 years ago, Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i­ Faith wrote: "Nature in its essence is the embodiment of (God's) Name, the Maker, the Creator...Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world."

Baha'i­s understand that nature is to be respected and protected as part of a divine trust for which humanity is answerable. Many of the World Heritage sites, despite their qualities of majesty and grandeur, are also among the most delicate sites on Earth. In this sense, they serve also to remind us of the fragile nature of the global ecological system. And they are surely a special part of this divine trust.

The human sites and cultural monuments that comprise our world heritage represent a rich cultural mosaic that is a celebration of the myriad peoples on this planet. They reflect the summits of human creation and genius. They are a record of our social and cultural diversity, written in boldface type across the surface of the planet. Many such sites also record, in the art and architecture of pious devotion and towering majesty, the record of humanity's search for a closer relationship with the Creator.

The recognition that such diverse places, both man-made and natural, are part of our common world heritage implies a profound new reality: that we exist today in a world society. That specific sites and places, deemed to be of high value to one culture or one nation, should be valued by all, carries with it an implicit recognition of the oneness of humanity. That humanity has begun to take tentative steps to protect and preserve these sites further demonstrates the growing recognition of humanity's fundamental oneness.

The oneness of humanity is a theme that best reflects the spirit of our age. Recognition and acceptance of this idea determines the rate at which human civilization will advance.

The world, it has been said, has become a global village. The World Heritage sites can be likened to those features of terrain, architecture, and culture that define and bring cohesiveness to a village. A village is defined by its location in relation to a nearby river, valley, or mountain. It is defined by the nature and the culture of the people who live there. In the global village, those features of natural and man-made beauty that represent our common heritage likewise help to define who and what humanity is, giving substance to our collective identity, and locating our place in the universe.

Human society has reached a new stage of maturity. The forces of change in the world today reflect part of an organic process of social evolution leading ultimately and irresistibly to the unification of the human race into a single social order whose boundaries are those of the planet. "The Earth is one country, and mankind its citizens," wrote Bahá'u'lláh.

In the next stage of this evolution, a world federal system, guided by universally agreed upon and enforceable laws, will inevitably emerge, allowing nation states to manage cooperatively the resources - including the treasury of World Heritage sites that sustain our increasingly interdependent and diverse world.

Supported by a consciousness of world citizenship, this system will ultimately address the problems of economic relations and the sustainable use of natural resources from a global perspective, providing for the needs of all peoples. It will of necessity avoid the evils of excessive centralization, respecting the rich diversity of cultures and climates and engaging communities in making the decisions that affect their lives.

Such a new civilization will also mean a broad transformation in the relationships between individuals. An individual's worth to society will no longer be defined by material wealth or status; rather, service to humanity as a whole, instead of to any particular nationality or group, will be the watchwords. Personal trustworthiness and compassion will be among the foundations for such a new order, as will humility before others, before nature, and before God.

Baha'i­ teachings, which are in essential harmony with the spiritual truths that underlie every major world religion, emphasize this understanding of humanity's nobility and the importance of building an ever-advancing and self-sustaining civilization. Baha'i­ teachings also stress the fundamental connections that tie humanity to the natural world, and the concomitant need to respect and protect it.

The masterpieces of man and nature compose part of the treasury on which humanity will of necessity draw to advance its unity. As a record of human attainment and a living testimony to the beauty and grandeur of the natural world, these places comprise a powerful force for the binding together of humanity. The preservation and protection of these sites are a responsibility for all.

The Baha'i­ International Community, an international non-governmental organization that represents and encompasses the millions of members of the Baha'i­ Faith who live in more than 150 countries around the world.

Moral Leadership

Moral Leadership

"Values, Institutions, and Leadership for a Sustainable Future: Towards a Framework for Developing Moral Leadership," a reflection document prepared by Eloy Anello from a symposium sponsored by The Baha'i International Community at the '92 Global Forum (in conjunction with the Earth Summit)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—8 June 1992

Introduction

At the Global Forum in Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June, the Baha'i International Community sponsored a number of activities including a Symposium on Values, Institutions, and Leadership for a Sustainable Future. The key-note address was given by Sir Geoffrey Palmer, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. The members of the panel which followed Sir Palmer's address were: Dr. Rosina Wiltshire of Barbados, Research Coordinator for Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); Mr. Koy Thomson of the United Kingdom, a Programme Director with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); Dr. Elizabeth Bowen of the United States, the President of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSI); Mr. Eloy Anello of Bolivia, international consultant on moral education and founder of Universidad Núr, in Bolivia. The moderator of the panel was Professor Maria de Lourdes Montenegro Holzman of the Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Following the panel discussion, participants took part in two workshops, one for English speakers and another for Portuguese speakers. This was followed by a plenary at which both groups presented the final outcome of their discussions.

Both workshop groups concluded that the Earth Summit process had effectively highlighted the vital need for moral leadership in all spheres of human endeavor. The consultation which followed focused primarily on the subject of leadership. At the end of the plenary session the participants decided to share the following information on leadership with the NGO community and beyond that with people in other sectors who may be interested in the subject. The group felt that a reexamination of the concept of leadership is a vital and indispensable step on the road to the construction of an ever-advancing, sustainable world civilization.

NGO Phenomenon

The dramatic emergence, during the last decade, of thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) throughout the world, particularly in the South, represents a highly significant social phenomenon. With appropriate structure and leadership, NGOs have a potential to provide the type of moral leadership and vision that is required if we are to effectively promote, through actions, those essential values that must reorient the development process so that it is sensitive to and meets the needs of all who share the planet.

Already, some donor agencies find NGOs to be much more effective than government bureaucracies in creatively responding to the needs of communities. NGOs are often willing to explore alternative paths to development which are more holistic and sustainable. For these reasons, perhaps, it is within the NGO community that we can begin to address the need for a new kind of leadership. Too often, NGOs have been critical of the leadership models promoted by governments, while at the same time perpetuating modified versions of the very same models within their own organizations.

The Need for Moral Leadership

At the heart of the global crisis currently afflicting humanity, there exists a pervasive lack of moral leadership in all sectors of human society. The lack of moral leadership is demonstrated in the continuous uncovering of unethical behavior at all levels of society in all parts of the world. No sphere of human endeavor, from the family to the highest corridors of power, remains unaffected. Often, moral leadership is hard to identify because society presents too many conflicting messages about what is meant by leadership. The participants of the symposium felt that it would be helpful to identify a few fundamental capabilities that characterize effective moral leadership and to set in motion a systematic learning process that will foster the development of these capabilities within the institutions that serve human society.

Service-Oriented Leadership

The first challenge is to clearly define what is meant by the term leadership. Too often, the word "leader" conjures up notions which are contradictory to the way it is used in this discussion. When asked to define "a leader," people frequently say - "one who is in charge, in command or in control," "one who gives orders." Unfortunately, the pages of history are replete with those who defined leadership in the terms stated above.

Autocratic, paternalistic, manipulative and 'know-it-all' modes of leadership, which are found in all parts of the world, tend to disempower those whom they are supposed to serve. They exercise control by over-centralizing the decision making-making process, thereby coercing others into agreement. If humanity is to move out of its collective adolescence and enter its age of collective maturity, if it is to reap long term benefits from the Earth Summit process, we have to ask ourselves some pertinent questions. First, are the currently-prevalent models of leadership capable of producing leaders who are able to address, with integrity and justice, the essential global issues facing humanity? Second, are the institutions which are brought into being by the currently-prevalent models of leadership, capable of creating a sustainable world civilization? Third, are we ourselves, ready to abandon our outmoded practices and old loyalties and explore a new model of moral leadership? Fourth, what would such a new form of leadership look like? It is in response to some of these questions that the following proposal is being made for a new model of moral and ethical leadership.

The leadership model which is being proposed, is unequivocally centered on service to others. Therefore, one of the prerequisites for moral leadership is the spirit of service - service to one's family, community, and nation. This spirit of service does not in any way negate individual drive or initiative, nor does it stifle individual creativity. Rather, it calls for a model of leadership which will release the potential of the individual while safeguarding the well-being of the whole. Those who emerge as leaders would likely combine a spirit of service with a drive for excellence. The institutions which would emerge from a service-centered leadership would promote the well-being of the whole community while safeguarding the rights, freedoms and initiatives of each individual. These institutions would preserve human honor which would lead to a civilization which deeply cares for the beauty of nature and all beings on the planet.

The Concept of Capabilities

Traditional approaches to moral education have often tended to promote a passive concept of the moral person: being good means keeping out of trouble. The question is, how does this moral person become a social actor who is consciously and actively engaged in performing actions that promote individual and social transformation? First and foremost, for an individual to become a moral person he/she must possess certain capabilities that empower him/her to perform moral and ethical actions. To know what is moral and ethical is not enough. To become a moral person, the individual must put this knowledge into action. Thus, the capabilities that empower the individual to know and to act morally are of primary importance in developing moral leadership.

Each capability has unique functions and characteristics and is composed of a combination of specific concepts or principles, virtues, attitudes (habits of mind) and skills. These functions and characteristics help us gain a fuller understanding of each of the fifteen capabilities listed below. For example, let us look at the capability to participate effectively in consultation. What are the virtues which a leader must have in order to participate effectively in consultation? What are the concepts or principles which she or he must understand? What are the attitudes the leader must have in order to effectively participate in consultation? What are the skills the leader must have in order to effectively take part in consultation? The unique mix of these elements within the individual creates a capability to perform specific types of actions.

In developing a systematic learning process or training program for moral leadership, the first and most critical task is that of identifying the necessary set of capabilities that the program intends to develop. The subsequent tasks entail an analysis of the elements of each capability (i.e., virtues, concepts, attitudes and skills), which provides the focus for the design of the curricular elements and the selection of appropriate teaching methods that will facilitate the learning process.

The Essential Capabilities of Leadership

The following list of capabilities consist of those that are considered to be essential for effective moral leadership. Perhaps as individuals who work in NGOs develop these capabilities, they will empower their institutions to play an important moral leadership role in the process of transformation towards a sustainable world civilization.

These capabilities are not listed in order of importance. Nor is this to be considered an exhaustive list of capabilities. The list simply represents those capabilities which were considered by the working group, to be essential for moral leadership. We recommend to all who come across this list to use it and adapt it to their particular institutions and to continue refining the points presented in this paper.

Each of the capabilities listed below is composed of certain concepts, virtues, attitudes and skills. To gain a clearer understanding of each capability, one must ask the following questions: What are the essential virtues for developing a certain capability? What are the concepts that must be grasped to cultivate a capability? What are the attitudes that one must possess to develop a capability? What are the skills necessary for a particular capability?

The capability to: encourage others and to bring joy to their hearts; infuse one's thoughts and actions with love;  be visionary and to encourage others to be visionary; manage one's affairs and responsibilities with a rectitude of conduct; assess one's strengths and weaknesses without involving the ego; oppose one's self-centered tendencies by turning towards one's higher purpose for existence; exercise initiative in a creative and disciplined way; sustain effort and persevere in overcoming obstacles; understand relationships of dominance and be able to facilitate their transformation into relationships of inter-dependence, reciprocity and service; serve as a catalyst for the establishment of justice; engage in empowering educational activities, both as a student and as a teacher; learn from systematic reflection on action and to do so within an evolving and consistent framework; think systemically in the search for solutions; participate effectively in consultation; build unity while cultivating diversity; and serve on the institutions of society in such a manner that these institutions are actively encouraged to empower the individuals whom they serve, to express their talents in service to humanity.

Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit

Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit

Based on the statement "The Most Vital Challenge" presented to the Plenary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, Earth Summit '92)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—4 June 1992

Beyond such technical and political questions as what limits should be placed on greenhouse gases, how can sustainable development be promoted, and who will pay for it all, the fundamental question facing the world community is this: Can humanity, with its entrenched patterns of conflict, self-interest, and short-sighted behavior, commit itself to enlightened cooperation and long-range planning on a global scale?

The Earth Summit process highlighted both the complexity and the interdependence of the problems facing humanity. None of these problems -- the debilitating inequities of development, the apocalyptic threats of atmospheric warming and ozone depletion, the oppression of women, the neglect of children and marginalized peoples, to name but a few -- can be realistically addressed without considering all the others. None can be fully addressed without a magnitude of cooperation and coordination at all levels that far surpasses anything in humanity's collective experience.

The potential for such cooperation is, however, undermined by the general debasement of human character. Although not commonly discussed in relation to the challenges of environment and development, there are current in the world certain trends -- including the widespread lack of moral discipline, the glorification of greed and material accumulation, the increasing breakdown of family and community, the rise of lawlessness and disorder, the ascendancy of racism and bigotry, and the priority given to national interests over the welfare of humanity -- all of which destroy confidence and trust, the foundations of collaboration.

The reversal of these destructive trends is essential to the establishment of unity and cooperation. This reversal will require a deeper understanding of human nature. For, although economics, politics, sociology and science offer important tools for addressing the interdependent crises facing humanity, a true resolution of the dangerous state of affairs in the world can only be realized when the spiritual dimension of human nature is taken into account and the human heart is transformed.

Although there are mystical aspects that are not easily explained, the spiritual dimension of human nature can be understood, in practical terms, as the source of qualities that transcend narrow self-interest. Such qualities include love, compassion, forbearance, trustworthiness, courage, humility, co-operation and willingness to sacrifice for the common good -- qualities of an enlightened citizenry, able to construct a unified world civilization.

The profound and far-reaching changes, the unity and unprecedented cooperation, required to reorient the world toward an environmentally sustainable and just future, will only be possible by touching the human spirit, by appealing to those universal values which alone can empower individuals and peoples to act in accordance with the long- term interests of the planet and humanity as a whole. Once tapped, this powerful and dynamic source of individual and collective motivation will release such a profound and salutary spirit among the peoples of the earth that no power will be able to resist its unifying force.

The fundamental spiritual truth of our age is the oneness of humanity. Universal acceptance of this principle -- with its implications for social and economic justice, universal participation in non-adversarial decision making, peace and collective security, equality of the sexes, and universal education -- will make possible the reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the home of humankind.

Over one hundred years ago, Bahá'u'lláh challenged the rulers and peoples of the earth to make their vision world-embracing: "It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world." This challenge has yet to be answered.

Restructuring the International Order

Restructuring the International Order

Statement to the 16th Meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA) of South Pacific Commission (SPC)

Noumea, New Caledonia—18 May 1992

Over the past fourteen years, the Baha'i International Community has been eminently honored by having been allowed the privilege of forging significant working relationships with the South Pacific Commission and the governments of the Pacific Region.

Since 1978 the Baha'i International Community has supported your varied and significant projects and has participated in all your conferences, seminars and workshops. Of particular significance to us, however, is that you have kindly allowed us to present to you our views on subjects of concern to our communities in the Pacific Region.

Over the years we have shared with you Baha'i perspectives on such issues as youth, nutrition, women, health, education, alcohol & drug abuse, environment, and rural development. This year, at the Sixteenth Meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Government and Administrations, it seems appropriate, in light of the upcoming Earth Summit to be held this June in Rio de Janeiro, to address the critical issues of environment and development.

A little over a hundred years ago, in a series of letters to the world leaders of the day, Bahá'u'lláh spoke of humankind as entering on a period of history that would entail the radical restructuring of the life of the planet. Challenges never before contemplated would, He said, soon overwhelm the resources of even the most advanced nations. They could be addressed only by a world federal system whose central organ would be a representative world parliament empowered to create a code of universally agreed upon and enforceable international law. "The earth is but one country," Bahá'u'lláh asserted, "and mankind its citizens."

As the magnitude, complexity and urgency of environmental problems have gradually forced themselves on public attention, the logic of this prescription has become daily more apparent. The available international legislative machinery and processes are proving inadequate, primarily because they are based on laws governing nation-states. Moreover, the process for creating environmental legislation, which addresses only one problem at a time, is fragmented and unsystematic. No one body is responsible for drafting international environmental legislation. Nor have the nations of the world agreed on a set of principles upon which such legislation can be based. Furthermore, the countries signing the various legislative instruments are rarely identical. Thus, it is almost impossible to harmonize or combine agreements.

Many countries with limited numbers of diplomats and experts cannot cope with the time-consuming and expensive procedures currently in place, particularly as the number of negotiations is increasing to respond to pressing global environmental problems. The present ad hoc process can only become more unmanageable. Numerous proposals have been offered to provide global mechanisms to create and support a sustainable pattern of development. Some experts advise strengthening the existing UN system by upgrading the mandates of agencies such as the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), reconfiguring the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), or using the Trusteeship Council to administer certain global resources. Others suggest creating new bodies such as an environmental security council, a World Court of environmental justice, or an international environmental negotiating body to prepare, adopt and revise international legislation on issues requiring global action.

However well motivated and helpful such proposals are, it is apparent to the Baha'i International Community that the establishment of a sustainable pattern of development is a complex task with widespread ramifications. It will clearly require a new level of commitment to solving major problems not exclusively associated with the environment. These problems include militarization, the inordinate disparity of wealth between and within nations, racism, lack of access to education, unrestrained nationalism, and the lack of equality between women and men. Rather than a piecemeal approach conceived in response to the needs of the nation-states, it seems clearly preferable to adopt an umbrella agreement under which specific international codes could be promulgated.

Long-term solutions will require a new and comprehensive vision of a global society, supported by a new system of values. Acceptance of the oneness of humanity is the first fundamental prerequisite for this reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the home of humankind. Recognition of this principle does not imply abandonment of legitimate loyalties, the suppression of cultural diversity, or the abolition of national autonomy. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a far higher aspiration than has so far animated human efforts. It clearly requires the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It is inconsistent not only with any attempt to impose uniformity, but with any tendency towards excessive centralization. Its goal is well captured in the concept of "unity in diversity."

No real change is possible without a vision. The world federal system proposed by Bahá'u'lláh is one "in whose favour all the nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions." Such a world commonwealth will include "a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system." Under such a system, "a single code of international law - the product of the considered judgement of the world's federated representatives - shall have as its sanction the instant and coercive intervention of the combined forces of the federated units..." At the same time, "the autonomy of [the] state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them [will be] definitely and completely safeguarded."

Baha'is the world over find in the process of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development a powerful reinforcement of the optimism they feel about the future of humankind. We believe that, empowered by the universal recognition of the dangers presently facing the planet, the governments of the world can be moved to act courageously on behalf of the human race as a whole. The result may well prove to be not only an effective response to the environmental and developmental problems now facing us, but another enormous step forward in the building of a federal system able to take up the entire array of challenges confronting a rapidly integrating human race.

Women's Rights as Human Rights

Women's Rights as Human Rights

Joint statement to the 2nd session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human Rights Agenda item 5: Provisional agenda for the World Conference on Human Rights and related documentation Statement submitted by the following non-governmental organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC: American Association of Retired Persons, Baha'i­ International Community, International Alliance of Women, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, International Association of Penal Law, International Council on Social Welfare, International Council of Jewish Women, International Federation on Aging, International Federation of University Women, World Federation of Methodist Women

Geneva—6 April 1992

In his opening address to the Second Preparatory Committee, Mr. Antonio Blanca, the Under-Secretary-General for Human Rights, discussed the importance of reaffirming the universality of human rights. Also, in the annex to resolution 1991/30 of 5 March 1991, the Commission on Human Rights recommends that "the Preparatory Committee, being guided by a spirit of consensus, should make suggestions aimed at ensuring the universality, objectivity and non-selectivity of the consideration of human rights issues in United Nations human rights fora." To ensure universality, objectivity and non-selectivity, it is of utmost importance to consider the specific situation of women in all areas of human rights. Women constitute one half of the population of the planet. Without their full participation in the implementation of the objectives of the World Conference on Human Rights, we will surely fail to fully realize our goals. We, therefore, request that the World Conference comprehensively address the role of women on every item of its agenda.

For many years now, research has highlighted the widespread denial of human rights to women. Law, custom, tradition and stereotyping are continuously preventing their full participation in society. Despite some progress, women remain on the fringes of policy-making processes, and the systems which have traditionally oppressed them remain largely intact. The salient severity of this injustice undermine the success of all other efforts in human rights and development.

The United Nations' system should play a leading role in reversing the situation. Calling to mind the March 1992 draft resolutions E/CN.6/1992/L. 10 and L. 14 adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women, we recommend that the provisional agenda for the World Conference on human rights, in light of the six objectives of paragraph 1 of resolution 45/1550f the General Assembly, includes specific elaboration on the following concerns:

  1. To examine the severity of the denial of human rights to women and girl children, to identify the obstacles to further progress and ways in which they can be overcome, paying special attention to gender bias in customs, traditions, language, and domestic and international law;
  2. To reassert the fact that sustainable development is impossible without the integration of women in the process of development, recognizing the necessity of the participation of women in creating conditions whereby everyone may enjoy the rights set out in the International Covenants on Human Rights; the role of women should be especially emphasized when formulating forward-looking strategies on sustainable development, popular participation and democratic institutions;
  3. To note the striking absence of women in the policy- and decision-making processes of both states and international organizations and to examine ways and means to increase the participation of women in international, national, and local legislative, judicial and administrative bodies, including the United Nations itself, recognizing the importance of their participation to the implementation of existing human rights standards and instruments;
  4. To evaluate the effectiveness of the methods and mechanisms used by the United Nations to promote the human rights of women and, in particular, the girl child;
  5. To formulate concrete recommendations for improving the effectiveness of United Nations activities and mechanisms in initiating fundamental changes in attitudes, customs, traditions and laws that foster gender bias. Emphasis should be placed on the role of both men and women in overcoming harmful attitudes and practices that perpetrate the unjust allocation of resources and entitlements to women in the family, community and nation. Moreover, the development of appropriate public information materials and formal and informal education programmes is essential.

For the World Conference on Human Rights to be a success, we need to firmly address the denial of human rights to half of the human race. Research has shown that we need to redefine the emancipation of women, safeguard their education, increase their participation in policy making, and affirm their vital role in sustainable social and economic development so as to open as yet unexplored possibilities for improvements in the promotion of human rights and in the material and spiritual progress of all peoples. It must be stressed, however, that the responsibility to bring change belongs not only to women. Men have a unique role to play in changing the status of women. When men lend their full cooperation to this process, welcoming women into all fields of human endeavour, valuing their contributions, and encouraging their participation, men and women together will form a partnership that will help create the moral and psychological climate in which human rights for all can become a reality.

Equality and the Girl Child

Equality and the Girl Child

Statement to the 36th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Priority Theme: Equality

Vienna, Austria—17 March 1992

The Baha'i­ International Community appreciates this opportunity to share with the Commission on the Status of Women, under the priority theme equality, some comments on the effects of gender discrimination on girl children.

We have been heartened by the initiative taken by UNICEF to focus attention on the plight of girl children. We support wholeheartedly this commitment to an issue that deserves ongoing attention, and it is our hope that the Commission on the Status of Women, as the Preparatory Body for the Fourth World Conference on Women, will consider this matter an important item for discussion at the Conference.

In the view of the Baha'i­ International Community, the advancement of civilization now requires the full participation of everyone. If women are to help shape the future, girl children as well as boy children must be valued by their families and by society. We share UNICEF's distress at the blatant neglect of girl children and the justification of that neglect on the basis of culture and tradition. The Baha'i­ International Community welcomes the frankness of the "Progress Report on Achievements Made in the Implementation of UNICEF Policy on Women in Development Including the Situation of the Girl Child" (E/ICEF/1992/L) that will go before the UNICEF Executive board at it June session. While acknowledging culture as a "crucial bond in society," the report points to "the underlying problems of cultural attitudes" as one of the "major challenges to be overcome in efforts to improve the status and role of women." The report then calls for "fundamental changes in the valuation, socialization and education of children, both girls and boys," and "in the complex system of attitudes, power and privileges that determine the allocation of resources and entitlements between women and men within the family, community and nation." Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the Baha'i­ International Community, which operate at the grass roots level, are in the position to promote the kind of attitudinal change called for in this report, by encouraging community discussion about the benefits which might accrue if all of its human resources were developed.

Not only must girl children receive adequate food, health care, and education, they must be given every opportunity to develop their capacities. As women become educated and enter all fields of human endeavor, they will make unique contributions to the creation of a just world order -- an order characterized by vigor, cooperation, harmony, and a degree of compassion never before witnessed in history. In addition, as mothers they render an invaluable service to humanity by educating the next generation. In that capacity they will be the primary agents for the transformation of society. They, in particular, can inculcate in their children the self-esteem and respect for others essential for the advancement of civilization. It is clear, then, that the station of mothers, increasingly denigrated in many societies, is in reality of the greatest importance and highest merit.

Women and girls must be educated -- spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. A mother must be educated in all the relevant fields of knowledge in order to perform her role as transmitter of culture and values. A child needs a nurturing environment and wise guidance in the first years of life in order to develop sound character and a well trained mind. If the mother is unable, because of her own deficiencies, to provide her children with experiences which will equip them for later, formal schooling, they will find themselves at a serious, often crippling, disadvantage. It must be stressed, however, that this dual responsibility of developing the child's character and stimulating the intellect belongs, not only to the mother, but to the family as a whole and to the community. As it was pointed out in UNICEF's statement to the 1991 Commission on the Status of Women, "The family context provides unique opportunities for boy children and men to become involved in changing the status of the girl child and women."Non-governmental organizations can also contribute substantially by focusing attention on the girl child in their community-based activities.

Presently the world is caught in a cycle of miseducation, wherein harmful character traits are passed from one generation to the next, retarding social progress. One source of this miseducation is the failure to respect women, especially in the home. Consequently, harmful attitudes and habits, absorbed during childhood, are carried as adults from the family to the work place, to political life, and ultimately to international relations. The world can ill afford the consequences of continued ignorance and injustice, especially at this critical moment when prospects for establishing peace on this planet are bright. A conscious effort to educate the world's children and youth about the principle of the oneness of humanity could help break this cycle and prepare them to live as world citizens.

The cause of universal education deserves the utmost support that the governments of the world can lend it. For ignorance is indisputably the principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples and for the perpetuation of prejudice. No nation can achieve success unless education is accorded all its citizens. Lack of resources limits the ability of many nations to meet their peoples' needs, imposing a certain ordering of priorities. It is for this reason that the decision-making agencies involved would do well to consider giving first priority to the education of women and girls, since it is through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society.

Women and Development

Women and Development

Joint written statement submitted to the 36th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Item 5 (A) and (B) of the provisional agenda: Priority themes: Equality: Elimination of de jure and de facto; discrimination against women; development: Integration of women in the process of development Statement submitted by the following non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council: Category I Organizations: International Alliance of Women, International Council on Social Welfare, Soroptimist International, Zonta International; Category II Organizations: All-India Women's Conference, Associated Country Women of the World, Baha'i International Community, International Commission of Jurists, International Council of Jewish Women, International Federation of University Women, International Federation of Women Lawyers, Socialist International Women, World Federation of Methodist Women, World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations

Vienna, Austria—12 March 1992

The above-mentioned non-governmental organizations wish to emphasize the cross sectoral nature of two of the priority themes: equality: elimination of de jure and de facto discrimination against women; and development: the integration of women in the process of development.

In paragraph 44 of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies it is stated that, "the inequality of women in most countries stems to a very large extent from mass poverty and the general backwardness of the majority of the world's population caused by underdevelopment. ... The unfavourable status of women is aggravated in many countries, developed and underdeveloped, by de facto discrimination on the grounds of sex." International statistics (The World's Women 1970 - 90/ST/ESA/STAT SER.K/89) indicate that on any measure of health, education and employment, women count as the majority of the world's poor.

There is, in consequence, a direct relationship between achieving equal rights for women, i.e. the elimination of de jure and de facto discrimination and the successful integration of women in development.

The General Assembly of the United Nations has demonstrated its commitment to advance the status of women as a result of accepting the Forward-looking Strategies by consensus and through subsequent measures to support this decision. Since 198S, many Governments have taken the relevant steps to ensure both men and women enjoy equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities so that legislation exists in an increasing number of countries outlawing de jure discrimination. As noted by members of the Commission itself, it is much more difficult to observe similar changes in regard to de facto discrimination, the area in which the Commission on the Status of Women plays a central role.

This lack of progress is highlighted by General Assembly resolution 46/653, which calls again upon Member States to give priority to policies and programmes relating to the subthemes employment, health and education, in particular, literacy to empower women and ensure their equal participation in society.

To achieve real change however, greater attention must be given to the use of tradition and customary law. These elements in society, most frequently lie at the heart of gender-based stereotyping and hence the continued existence of de jure and de facto discrimination towards women. Such gender-based stereotyping, for example, underpins the tradition that women should be entirely responsible for unpaid household production. Also social education in gender roles leaves the onus of domestic well-being to women and accounts for the continued existence of a segregated labour market. Gender-based stereotyping is equally responsible for negative attitudes to women at all stages of the life cycle and, in particular, towards aging and elderly women.

In this connection we wish to commend:

  1. The work already undertaken by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities with regard to traditional practices affecting the health of women and children;
  2. The written statement by non-governmental organizations presented to the Chair of the First Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human Rights (1993) with regard to the need for an in-depth study on the effect tradition plays in the application of international standards concerning human rights;
  3. The resolution of the General Assembly of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO), 31 October 1991, which calls on the Secretary-General to charge the Centre for Human Rights with producing a study for the World Conference on Human Rights on customary law and tradition as it affects the enjoyment of human rights.

It is clear however, that the effect of tradition, customary law and stereotyping have special implications with regard to women and the measures necessary for their effective integration in development.

In order to advance the intentions expressed in paragraph 65 of the Forward-looking Strategies regarding the need for in-depth research, we request the Commission to investigate the causes of the deeply rooted resistance towards advancing the status of women, which stems from tradition, customary law and stereotyping, for example, by holding a seminar or undertaking an in-depth study on the issue. Case-studies of successful programmes, where communities have come to modify local tradition in order to eliminate discrimination towards women should be examined and publicized.

The findings of the investigation should be made available to the Commission at its thirty-seventh session in 1993. We further recommend that they form part of the documentation submitted to the World Conference on Human Rights by the Commission.

The Secretary-General has received the following statement, which is circulated in accordance with paragraphs 29 and 30 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968.

 

UN Document #E/CN.6/1992/1

Pages

Subscribe to English