Human Rights Day, commemorated annually on March 21, is aimed at reminding South Africans of the sacrifices made for the attainment of democracy.
This year, Human Rights Month is commemorated under the theme “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture into the Future”. A culture of sustaining human rights is one where, as a society, we would live consciously and intentionally in ensuring that the rights of everyone are not infringed on. A culture where the rights of both underprivileged and privileged groups are upheld equally, irrespective of their social and financial backgrounds.
The Bill of Rights ensures that everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection. Section 27 of the constitution states that everyone has the right to access health care services; sufficient food and water; and social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependents, appropriate social assistance.
The department of social development continues to ensure that the rights of others are upheld through interventions and services provided to communities. To ensure that these rights are upheld, the department of social development in Gauteng has established food banks to provide food parcels to families in need.
Additionally, the constitution states that everyone has the right to social security, and the department, through Sassa, provides social security grants to South Africans without an income so they can take care of their personal and household needs.
Everyone has the right to basic education and to uphold this right, the department provides school uniforms to marginalised children.
The department also provides dignity packs containing cosmetic products and sanitary pads for girl children, done to ensure that a girl child does not miss a day of school due to their financial background. The government, through interventions from various departments, has taken strides in upholding the rights of all South Africans, however, much still needs to be done to ensure equal human rights for all living in the country. We must all aim to consolidate and sustain a human rights culture into the future.
Okuhle Tonga, Gauteng department of social development
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