Stand up for someone’s rights today—Your stories

6 April 2017

This month Stand Up features some of the stories of how you have stood up for someone’s rights.

Living with HIV in Nigeria
By Seun Idris

I am Seun Idris, 20 years old, an undergraduate, open gay man, living with HIV in Nigeria. In Nigeria, being homosexual is punishable for 14 good years behind bars, or being lynched, or harassed. I have been subjected to death threats at school twice. I have been beaten because I am gay. My education was stopped for up to 3 months because my parents found out I was gay. Human rights are not respected at this end, and that is pretty discouraging. I currently run a blog from my real name, Seun, and a pseudonym, Black, which all together form blackseun.wordpress.com. It is a blog of human rights that talk about my experiences and wishes as a gay man in Nigeria.

Standing up against early marriage
by Rahma Mohamed

I was brought up in small town, where girls were not supposed to decide what they want in their life. There was a girl in my neighbourhood, who was fatherless and lived with her mother. At age 16, her mother decided to marry her off with a man in exchange of money. I was 17 years old. I heard the stories from others that the girl had refused the proposal and she was kept inside her home. I tried to visit her personally, but unfortunately no one friend was allowed to see her. One fine morning, I decide it’s now or never -- I must help or I will feel guilty rest of my life. I went to her mother with my mother and we tried to convince the mother. But she told us she knew what was good for her daughter. My mother gave up but not me. The office of UNICEF was a bit far from our area, but I missed classes that day to visit the office. There, I explained everything about what happened to my friend to them. Fortunately they saved her from the marriage and also decided to pay her school fees. That day I felt human. I was beyond happy.

Standing up for Migrant Children in Libya
by Basem Hinagari

I volunteered to work in the service of immigrants inside the shelters in Libya in the western region of Tripoli and thanks to God was able to support many of the children of immigrants. Children who are being held in shelters are in great need to alleviate their suffering. They live in difficult times due to undernourishment and lack of health care. The rate of food is one meal a day. There is no heating, so migrants may have to set fire to mattresses and plastic for heating. This is especially harmful for children under the age of two. Unfortunately, there is no place reserved for immigrant children. They are detained and treated like the elderly. This complicates the situation. The number of children in Al-Nasr Center is 39 children.

Standing up for the right to education in India
by Yogesh Sharma

We at the Human Rights Sanrakshan Sansthaa are a committed and dedicated group. We strive to work towards ensuring the human rights of common man. We completely believe and support in the right to education (under the Human Rights Act) for every student of our country. In the past we have helped many students to get gain admission to school, as well as providing other assistance that they need. The Right of Student to Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A, means that every student has a right to full time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal institution which satisfies certain essential norms and standards.

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Editor’s note: These stories are in the exact words of the participants and have been edited for length and clarity. They have not been verified for accuracy.

Do you have your own story about how you or your friends have stood up for someone’s human rights? Email us, using the form on the Take Action page.

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