Respect human rights

Human rights are a part of being human and are rights which you have automatically got for being human. They haven't been granted to you by anybody; neither can anybody take them away from you. They are equally applicable to all people, no matter what their race, religion, gender or age are.

Human rights are something we all share. They are about recognising the value and dignity of all people. They are not only about our own rights, but also about our responsibility to respect the rights of others. These include the right to life, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, right to a fair trial, free speech, freedom of religion and right to health, education and an adequate standard of living.

Although human rights are for all and should be enjoyed by all, this is always not so. Some, such as the right to an education, the right to receive medical care and the freedom to practise a religion, are not equally available to all human beings.

That is why it is important to set a day to celebrate, educate and reflect on human rights; besides celebrating the rights we exercise everyday, it also means acknowledging that enjoying those rights carries with it the responsibility of promoting these rights for all people.

The basic guidelines for these rights have been laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations (UN). The anniversary of the establishment of the UDHR is what is celebrated as the International Human Rights Day on December 10. This year's event is being held for the 59th time.

It commemorates the day in 1948 when the UDHR was adopted by the UN General Assembly. It was formally celebrated from 1950.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) plays a leading role in coordinating the annual efforts made towards the observation of the day. It helps protect and promote human rights in all corners of the world. The OHCHR is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and is also present in over 40 countries.

So, what can you, as children, do to observe this day? Here are some ideas and suggestions for you to consider:

* Publicise the UDHR in the school and community,

* Present an award for students or others who have contributed to human rights in your school or community,

* Create a notice board for human rights activities, news and issues,

* Develop a human rights pledge which all students and staff can be asked to recite on the Day,

* Invite human rights speakers to your school,

* Prepare a film or television presentation on related topics,

* Support a human rights project.
 

We appeal to you to be kind and caring. We love you and we want to be loved. At times we may be difficult to handle because we can't express how much we miss you. Please don't scold us if we go down in our grades.

Please don't compare us with other children because everyone of us is unique and special in our own way. If we are wrong, if we make mistakes, please forgive us, help us and guide us to go the correct way.

Teach us to differentiate right and wrong. Sometimes we are treated badly, and you punish us severely. Please don't punish us. Tell us or explain in an understanding way. So that we will never attempt or do anything bad. We are eager to do well, our intention is sincere, please understand us and treat us like children.

Primary 5 students, Leeds
International School,
Panadura.

A pearly white robot that looks a little like E.T. boosted a man out of bed, chatted and helped prepare his breakfast with its deft hands in Tokyo, Japan in a further sign robots are becoming more like their human inventors.

Twendy-One, named as a 21st century edition of a previous robot, Wendy, has soft hands and fingers that gently grip, enough strength to support humans as they sit up and stand, and supple movements that respond to human touch.

It can pick up a loaf of bread without crushing it, serve toast and help lift people out of bed. "It's the first robot in the world with this much system integration," said Shigeki Sugano, professor of mechanical engineering at Waseda University, who led the Twendy-One project and demonstrated the result.

"It's difficult to balance strength with flexibility."

The robot is a little shorter than an average Japanese woman at 1.5 m (5 ft), but heavy-set at 111 kg (245 lb). Its long arms and a face shaped like a giant squashed bean mean it resembles the alien movie character E.T.

It has taken nearly seven years and a budget of several million dollars to pull together all the high-tech features, including the ability to speak and 241 pressure-sensors in each silicon-wrapped hand, into the soft and flexible robot.

The robot put toast on a plate and fetched ketchup from a fridge when asked, after greeting its patient for the demonstration with a robotic "good morning" and "bon appetite."

Sugano said he hoped to develop a commercially viable robot that could help the elderly and maybe work in offices by 2015 with a price tag of around $200,000.But for now, it is still a work in progress. Twendy-One has just 15 minutes of battery life and its computer-laden back has a tendency to overheat after each use.

Reuters