Opinion: Here is how values anchor human rights

Crispin Kaheru

One of my treasured pastime moments is having tête-à-têtes with elderly relatives, friends and colleagues. I have lately noticed that “morals” always come up in these conversations.

I am not necessarily a moralist and far from being a puritan but still think that as a society, we need to be known for particular values and positive attributes.

It is undeniable that moral grounding is the basis of a person's character. It is the radar that guides individuals to rationalize decisions and judgment according to their inbred sense of what is right and wrong.

People born in the last generation are faced with a cultural shock at the shift in the social values of the 'millennials'. A part of the older generation is also picking up on the traits, swag and vibes of the 'millennials'.

As Africans, we have always believed that the values of Ubuntu including kindness, humility, civility, honesty, truthfulness, integrity, respect, hard-work, tolerance, compassion, empathy, and inclusivity are so precious that they need to be instilled at a tender age.

These virtues and values were held dear in moulding a child’s character because they formed the very core of the person’s being and constituted the foundation of their moral standing throughout the rest of their lives.

As Africans, we were convinced that without these values, children lacked direction in their journey of life. We also believed that these values determined key decisions in one’s life and were jealously guarded for peaceful coexistence.

In fact, households which did not live up to these values were frowned upon and their children shunned in society.

I am now convinced that a morally depraved society leans less towards respecting Human Rights because it takes grounding in values for individuals to respect one another.

It is these values that evolve into attributes of observing and obeying the laws of the land, humility to accept one’s mistakes and to be accountable, among others.

That being the case, homes make the seed bed for human rights education. Raising a child imbibes a lot of lessons throughout their infant and childhood years, most of which stick with them for the rest of their lives.

To deepen the roots for respecting human rights, emphasis ought to be put on our African values. It is these values that primarily groom us into responsible and accountable citizens thereby binding us to peacefully coexist in diversity.

Moral values serve as a guide in differentiating between good and bad, right from the beginning.

A child raised in the deep knowledge of what it means to be a person of integrity will resent bribery because they know it is incompatible with their social upbringing and values.

An individual from a community that abhors rape, defilement or mistreatment of women will show antipathy towards these ills because of the social hostility against the vice.

This is by no means a 100% safeguard against moral wickedness. However, the deeper these values, the lesser the likelihood of wanton disregard for the rights of others in a community.

By inculcating values in our children, we are holding their hands on the path of what is right and wrong or what is good and bad so as to inform their decisions in life.

One would ask, haven’t we always had these values preached to us in our families as we were raised, as we attended school or in places of worship as we congregate?

The answer is yes, but there is more to be done to call attention to the importance of values as the bedrock for respecting Human Rights.

The reason for envy in a public servant or businessman might be that the individual was raised in a setting where they were always compared with others. Low self-esteem in a manager could have stemmed from their parents advising them more than encouraging them.

When people who wield authority show no respect for the feelings of others, it is possible that they were always ordered and their upbringing did not give importance to their own feelings.

When parents buy everything for their children and the children still take what does not belong to them, it is because they were not accorded the opportunity to choose.

A public office holder in whom family structures inculcated the values of sympathy and empathy would shudder at the thought of embezzling funds meant for the construction of a health facility, dispensing fake drugs to sick people or even murdering a colleague so as to “kill” evidence for a looming inquiry.

A study conducted by the European Institute of Peace in 2015 in Somalia showed that 27% of respondents joined Al Shabab for economic reasons.

Whereas economic frustration is a significant issue especially in developing countries, a morally upright individual would not resort to terrorism in a bid to eke a living.

Rooted in the right values, their morals would deter these young Somalis from such a decision as the drumbeat to respect life grows louder in their conscience.

If we lay emphasis on mutual respect, then we will deepen the roots of respecting the inalienable rights of mankind. This will take a deliberate collective effort to instil values in our children. The time to save the next generation is now.

Conscientising children of values from a younger age is a contributory influence in forming the very core of their being, shaping their attitudes, beliefs and nurturing them into undeterred and morally grounded citizens.

Strong character development is anchored on the virtues and values that children espouse during their childhood and remains a rock-solid foundation for their way of life.

Our role as parents and caregivers is to dedicate full responsibility to passing on the priceless treasure of virtues to our children who will in turn impart them on generations to come, as we take turns to make the world a better place.

It is the seeds that we sow today on fertile ground that will guarantee a bountiful harvest of self-respecting global citizens of the 21st century.

The author is commissioner, Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)