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| Migration Paddington Bear T-Shirt from Prints for Solidarity. Find it on etsy. |
Greetings to Week 13 of Human Rights Meditations. Throughout the series, we're examining an Article in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Find out more about this series here. This series encourages thoughtful reflection and participation through comments below and on twitter (hash tag #hrmlak).
This week we're examining Article 13 of the UDHR.
Article 13: (1) All people possess the right to move freely and settle anywhere within each country's borders. (2) All people possess the right to depart from any country, including their own, and to come back to their country.
Study the article below several times and allow it to resonate with you. As you contemplate, think about these points:
· Which image popped into your head first?
· What was your reaction to the material you encountered?
· Consider your self-perception relative to your peers.
· Think about your perspective of those around you.
· Consider your grasp of world affairs.
Jot down the piece and place it somewhere you'll spot it regularly throughout the week. That'll keep your reflection active! Or, note something that's caught your attention during this meditation.
Time to start the conversation! Let's discuss our perspectives on each piece, what we're discovering about ourselves and the steps we're taking to align ourselves better with the Declaration. Keep in mind you can chat in the comments section below, or join the discussion on twitter using this hashtag: #hrmlak
Let me start:
- Australians tend to view relocation as quite significant. It's relatively uncommon to even shift between states (consider the remarks made when someone mentions coming from a different state—it's all about interstate rivalry). Yet in many other parts of the world—Europe and Africa spring to mind—moving around is far less unusual. Sometimes it's driven by necessity, sometimes by preference. I reckon a lot of our reservations in Australia about relocation stem from the difficulty of travel. Our nation truly is surrounded by ocean, so any choice to relocate becomes an enormous undertaking, when perhaps it needn't be. Just a thought.
- The picture that springs to mind when I think back on this piece is of the border between the US & Mexico. It's striking how attitudes towards those attempting to cross the boundary shape the way they get treated during the process.
- My brother-in-law's partner hails from Vietnam, and they're facing a MASSIVE challenge arranging a visa for her to come to our wedding here in Australia. Whilst those from many nations can travel here without fuss, she's having trouble securing the authorisation she requires and is being asked for considerable documentation to demonstrate she won't seek to remain past her visa's end date. I'm sorry to say it, but it reminds me of the white Australia policy and makes me worry that perhaps our process isn't as fair and impartial as we'd imagined.
Kate xx
PS A big thanks to Prints for Solidarity for championing this collection and featuring their brilliant tee! Head over to their etsy store here!
PS A big thanks to Prints for Solidarity for championing this collection and featuring their brilliant tee! Head over to their etsy store here!
