Webinar on Human Rights

As the world celebrates Human Rights Day, at SJBHS we held a webinar on 10 December, 2020 to celebrate ‘Human Rights’. The webinar began with a prayer asking for divine intervention as the world grapples with the pandemic and the strife of an uncertain future.

Our Principal, Fr Sunil Fernandes SJ, welcomed the guests and asked the gathering to stand with the country and beyond to lend their voice to those who are not heard. Fr Sunil requested the assembly to pledge to practice human rights in daily life.

SJBHS PTA supports the institution wholeheartedly. The Vice President of the PTA, Mr. Clifton Pinheiro introduced the Guest Speaker Mr Choudary Ali Zia Kabir, Supreme Court Advocate and Director, Human Rights Law Network.

The erudite speaker works with the underprivileged on a daily basis and was able to throw much light on the subject. Mr. Choudhary began by saying that man was a social being and was the most helpless at birth as compared to other animals, but as an adult he leans completely on society. There is a constant tussle between man’s altruistic nature on one hand and his selfishness on the other. The speaker elaborated on the definition of Human Rights as derived from the Natural Rights Theory, Divine Theory of Rights, The Social Contract Theory, The Utilitarian Theory and the Analytical Theory. Mr. Choudhary categorically clarified that the work of Human Rights is not a job description but the duty of every individual, without social and economic considerations.

The webinar drew to a close with the Vote of Thanks and silent pledge to remember the Universal Declaration of Human Rights drafted in 1948.