President of Youth for Human Rights International, Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, presents Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner, with copies of the human rights promotional material, as Reverend Michael Steel, Founder/President of Hope Transplant Ministries looks on.  

Children participating in the Ministry of Youth, Family and Sports’ National Easter Camps Programme “Camp Connections” will get the opportunity to learn more about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This was disclosed recently by President of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI), Mary Shuttleworth, while paying a courtesy call on Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner.

Dr. Shuttleworth, who was in Barbados as part of her World Education Tour 2009, said that an invitation had been extended to her by the Ministry of Youth, Family and Sports to visit the camps and promote human rights to the children.  

She said that YHRI had recognised that information on human rights needed to be put in a format that was easily understandable by the youth and had therefore released a booklet entitled “What are Human Rights?” The booklet contains a simplified version of the declaration.

Additionally, she explained that in an effort to get the message across quickly and effectively, 30 public service announcements were produced, each highlighting a human right. A five-minute video entitled “UNITED” which portrays how human rights awareness can curb violence and intolerance, was also produced.

Dr. Shuttleworth lauded the fact that she had not observed child labour or street children in Barbados, especially since she had visited “so many” countries where these issues were cause for concern.

Senator Sandiford-Garner commended Dr. Shuttleworth for her efforts at promoting human rights and noted that visiting the camps was “an excellent start in approaching the youth at the grassroots level”.

She also stated that other avenues needed to be explored in terms of spreading the message related to human rights and developing relevant, sustainable programmes and projects.

The Parliamentary Secretary assured Dr. Shuttleworth that she would, therefore, seek to have cross ministerial meetings involving the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Education and Human Resource Development, and Youth, Family and Sports.      

YHRI is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, which was founded in 2001. Its purpose is to educate people about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so that they can become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace.

gapplewhaite@barbados.gov.bb


 

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