“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” This is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which turns 74 in 2022.
The document was proclaimed in 1948, during the UN General Assembly, in the post-World War II context. More than 50 States signed the Declaration, with the aim of promoting peace and preserving humanity after so many conflicts.
Thus, the Declaration is a commitment by nations to end slavery, torture and degraded ways of life. Likewise, it guarantees universal access to voting, education, paid employment and decent living conditions, for example.
But for this to become a reality, a joint effort is needed. In other words, practical actions by governments, private companies and civil society are needed so that the Declaration is not a mere formality.
If it is up to the State, for example, to create norms that guarantee the basic rights of all human beings, companies must comply with labor legislation and ensure that their actions do not harm the environment and local communities. But what about the Third Sector?
Below, you can see the importance of Civil Society Organizations in guaranteeing Human Rights.
The performance of Third Sector organizations is essential to make democratic values and duties a reality. In addition, it can act to change laws and regulations.
But that’s not all: they carry out activities that serve those who are neglected by other sectors. That is, these institutions provide support and dignity to those who do not have access to government policies.
Thus, the Third Sector acts in the guarantee of Human Rights without lucrative interest or political power. In this way, it is a legitimate instrument of collective interests. In addition, the Third Sector brings to the fore the formation of social ethical awareness before society, existing mainly to combat vulnerability and social inequality that are still a reality in Brazil.
They act on access to services (such as education and professional training) and monitor government actions to guarantee citizens’ rights.
For this reason, almost 40% of Third Sector entities in Brazil, corresponding to 339,104 institutions, call their purpose of action “development and defense of rights and interests”. The information is from the survey “Profile of Civil Society Organizations in Brazil”, carried out by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA).
Many of the Third Sector organizations act in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Defined by the UN in 2015, they seek equality, justice, dignity and the improvement of the environment. The idea is not only to act in the present, but also to maintain rights for future generations. In all, there are 17 SDGs:
The Ramacrisna Institute is one of those institutions that operates in accordance with the SDGs. According to our employees and students, the projects fit into 10 of the 17 objectives.
Through the vocational courses and Adolescent Apprentice projects, Ramacrisna works to promote education, professional training and learning for children, young people and adults in situations of social vulnerability.
Likewise, in the Ramacrisna Educational Support Center, Arlindo Corrêa da Silva Library and Ramacrisna Youth Orchestra projects, children, young people and adults participate in workshops and artistic, cultural and sports activities that improve the quality of life in the community.
All of the Institute’s work is in favor of a more egalitarian and just world. In more than 60 years of history, Ramacrisna has acted in transforming the lives of almost 2 million people.
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