REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

STATEMENT BY

HIS EXCELLENCY PROFESSOR PETER MUTHARIKA

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLICOF MALAWI

On

THE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

MASINTHA GROUND LILONGWE

Thursday, 10thDecember, 2015

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PETER MUTHARIKA PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

, 2015

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Your Excellency the First Lady, Madame

Gertrude Mutharika

Your Honour the Vice President, Right

Honourable Dr. Saulos Chilima

All Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers here

present

Mr. Justin Kusamba Dzonzi, Chairperson of the

Malawi Human Rights Commission;

All Commissioners of the Malawi Human Rights

Commission;

Mrs. Grace Malera, Executive Secretary of the

Malawi Human Rights Commission;

Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic

Corp

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

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The marching we have done symbolises our long journey

walked in search of human rights, freedoms and the dignity

of humanity.

Today, 67 years ago, the world solemnly declared to defend

the dignity and worth of humanity. Today, in 1948, the United

Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On this day, in this declaration, we all pledged and

committed ourselves to uphold, promote, respect and

defend the universal rights of mankind, our own rights!

This declaration, and the principles it decrees, has created a

common conscience of justice, equality, and the respect of

human dignity throughout the world. And these are the

principles on which our constitution is founded. We are part

of the community and family of mankind throughout the

world. And I am delighted to be with you all today.

I want to thank you, Chairperson of the Malawi Human Rights

Commission and the Secretariat of the Commission for

performing your national duty for us to commemorate this

day. I thank you, all commissioners, for your team spirit and

patriotic dedication to mission of human rights in our country.

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I thank all non-state actors and non-governmental

organisations serving mankind on the frontline of human

rights in this country. Keep on fighting the good fight.

Today, we have not gathered to commemorate what

belongs to human rights. We have gathered to

commemorate what belongs to us all. The Universal

Declaration of Human Rights is an important chapter in the

history of all mankind, all of us.

This universal declaration is a beacon of light born out of

darkness in human history. The Second World War brought

“unprecedented levels of human brutality” and suffering.

One leading example was the massacre of the millions of

Jewish people which began with a simple hatred for Jews.

And more happened! The world had seen the worst of

human evil against humans. Such effects of the War

necessitated the agreement that we should never violate

the universal rights of mankind anywhere.

Our gathering on this day should make us remember to

dignify humanity. Let us rise above our differences and focus

on the things that matter most our human existence. Let us

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rise beyond our differences to remember that we are all born

equal with dignity and worth. Every human life is as worthy as

any other. And think of the other person as human first and

foremost.

It is always dignifying to think of what unites us as humans

before we can think of whatever differentiates us. The more

we think we differ in social class, gender, culture, origin or

political ideology, the more we must remember that we are

all humans equal in the fundamentals of our existence. If we

can all do that, then we can live up to our common duty of

respecting one another’s rights. Then we can feel the pain in

the suffering of others and stand up for them, even when

their fundamental rights are being violated.

As we think of “Our Rights and Our Freedoms”, let us also

think of our duties and obligations. No nation can develop

by thinking of rights without our sense of duty and

responsibility. Malawi cannot progress if we should think of

our rights and freedoms more than our duties and

responsibilities.

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The founders of The African Charter on Human and People’s

Rights assertively argued that “The conception of an

individual who is utterly free, and utterly irresponsible, and

opposed to society is not consonant with African

philosophy.” The African Charter challenges us to balance

and moderate our quest for rights and freedoms with duty

and obligation to ourselves, to others, and to our country.

This is how we can collectively promote human dignity, and

achieve sustainable democracy, and sustainable

development.

We all have the duty to ensure that every person we meet or

know realize their economic, social and cultural rights. We all

have the duty to ensure that children, women, persons with

disabilities, including persons with albinism, and other

marginalised or vulnerable categories are saved from

victimization, marginalisation, exclusion, and discrimination.

One question is: when you see these social evils happening,

what do you do about it? This is the question that must

convict us all. This question is the measure of our duty to our

commitment to the rights of others, our duty to others. I am

aware, that it has become fashionable in modern popular

political thought across the world to escape our duty by

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blaming Government in everything. It is the best way of

escaping our duty.

But our lives are most meaningful in our duty and service to

others, even in our duty to the rights of others more than our

own. As Mahatma Gandhi observes, “The best way to find

yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Let us find

ourselves. Let us be ourselves.

May God Bless Us All.

Thank You.