Founded by the students of the college, this organisation functions on the basic premise that human rights are not optional.
Although, the preamble of the Indian Constitution is based on human rights and there are many laws in place to protect the aforementioned rights, very less is done to preserve them. India has ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done in terms of prevention, protection and preservation of human rights in the country. The Human Rights Chapter, Hindu College aims at doing exactly that.
This nascent organisation was founded by students of Hindu College, who abide by the maxim ‘Human rights aren’t optional.’ Staunch proponents of human rights and all its facets, its members seek to carry the baton of change, both by instilling awareness about these rights and fighting against breaches of the same. HRC, by being a vehicle of social awareness and change, aims to be the link between authorities, students and teachers. The chapter has aligned its agenda with the vision of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organisation’s main focus is on promoting the right to education, which it believes to be the foundation of change.
One of its kind, HRC is committed to the foremost cause of ‘democracy:’ where everybody has a voice and the power to claim their rights. It seeks to incorporate the voices of the silenced and marginalised through the medium of film screenings, seminars, reading sessions and other such events. It ran a successful social media campaign called ‘8 Days of Activism’ which shared stories of eight inspirational human rights activists. From Arundhati Roy’s work in the field of democracy to Medha Patkar’s attempts to make development humanistic, from Ashok Row Kavi’s work for the LGBT community as the first openly ‘gay man of india’ to Kailash Satyarthi’s indomitable passion for children’s rights, the campaign instilled both inspiration and motivation to take a stand for human rights. HRC collaborated with the Bastar Solidarity Network and organised a movie screening along with a group discussion to acknowledge the war that the Indian state has been fighting against its own ‘second-class citizens.’
Despite being young, the organisation has garnered members from many colleges and different disciplines, establishing a strong grip over its area of work. The members stand united for human rights and against atrocities inflicted on the people.
Image credits: The Human Rights Chapter, Hindu College
Kavach Chandra
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