Human Rights

As the Brahma Kumaris work in the human rights arena, we keep the inherent worth and dignity of each human being in our awareness.  The discussion of Human Rights gains a new dimension when we recognize that all human beings are fundamentally spiritual beings, therefore human rights are simply another way of speaking about spiritual rights. 

To uphold the highest aspiration of a human being we need to respond to the innate dignity and divinity within them. For the rights of human beings to be respected, they have to be integrated and assimilated into our lives at all levels; political, social and spiritual.

Our North Star is the Declaration of Human Rights, particularly Article 1:

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.  They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

This declaration of human rights is in fact a declaration of spiritual rights.

Working with the Human rights council

The Brahma Kumaris support the advancement of human rights, values, and fairness, by participating on an on-going basis in the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

We work with other NGOs to consistently highlight the ethical, moral and just need to protect each one’s right to full expression and contribution to the world’s families, communities and societies.

We are part of the well-established Geneva Interfaith Forum for climate change, environment and human rights. (GIF).  GIF has been active at the Human Right Council and in other UN fora working with the Geneva Climate Change Consultation Group (GeCCco) and the Geneva Environment Network to get the Human Rights Council to establish a special mandate for a Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and Climate Change. (established in October 2021). This ongoing work resulted in the United Nations General Assembly recognizing the right to a clean, and sustainable environment as a human right in July 2022.

Besides attention and respect for nature, we work with the Geneva NGO Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on women’s rights, and the Geneva NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and other areas such as the right to decent work, the right to development, the right to clean water and adequate housing.