Rights Everywhere & Anywhere

 

What are the rights that children should have? People are asking this question a lot nowadays. Actually, children occupy an important part of every population. They are the future, the builders in their countries. They have the right for a name within a family, nationality and education, including good health and care. In addition, they should have the opportunity for practicing games, sports and creativity. Children should be protected from mistreatment or exploitation. Furthermore, they have the right for freedom of expression. Unfortunately, these rights are missed in some communities mostly in places suffering from poverty. Governments and politicians never took a decision to stop this misery, and it is regrettable. However, there are a lot of great activists who are trying to make some changes in this issue by expressing their own opinion through writing, such as the famous writer Jean Jacques Rousseau.

Jean Jacques Rousseau is a philosopher, a musician, and a writer. He wrote a book namely “The Social Contract”, stating that no laws are binding unless agreed upon by people. “Everyone has rights, but not everyone makes it right”. However, Rousseau was arguing that it is not necessary to be a politician or a lawmaker to make legitimate laws. Actually, every citizen should be an active member in his community, although he might have little influence in his society. Rousseau highlighted in his article on the idea that the rules made by politicians are suitable for their career, but might not be suitable for the community. It is offensive and unacceptable. Rousseau illustrated his idea by saying, “right doesn’t come from nature, so it must be based on agreements”. Therefore, rights shouldn’t be forced on people, but should be acceptable by all levels of people.

Furthermore, being a productive participant in a society is a right for each adult, as well as each child who should express himself. Thus, rights are in fact the rules that are agreed upon in each society through freedom of speech and expression. In real life, productivity and creativity reflect people’s opinion. People should practice what they are convinced with and not what they are forced to do. Regrettably, our world applies the contrary. Politicians make the rules and everyone is obliged to abide by. In parallel, children don’t have the right to express themselves as they are considered minors and unqualified yet.  

To sum up, everyone has his own rights, children and adults. It is true that those rights are made by people, in the one society, but in fact those people are the politicians. People should be considered for respect and honor, instead of being mistreated. In some societies same as in Lebanon, mistreatment and abuse is reflected among women and children. Lebanon is one of the countries where violence is practiced on individuals. It is because of the male dominating society which is reflected mainly among politicians as well as other communities, who think only about their private profit and benefit, instead of the society’s welfare. This is a main issue that so many countries, like Lebanon, are suffering from nowadays.