South Africa Make Your Voice Heard before 31 January 2023 at bills1@justice.gov.za on this Bill – Criminal Law Sexual Offences and Related Matters, Amendment Bill of 2022 or Go to https://salesa.org.za
This op-ed document will cover peer-reviewed, academic articles and analyse the arguments for the partial
decriminalisation of sex trade/prostitution. -Alongside the perils of opting to fully decriminalise sex trade/prostitution.
Meaning the removal of all criminal laws directed towards the agreed sale of sex between adults inclusive of those
that buy and sell sex who are not the person directly undertaking the task of servicing the client as a sex
trader/prostitute.
Additionally, there is no conclusive powerful evidence that full decriminalisation of sex trade/prostitution will result in
the protection, safety, health and human rights of sex traders/prostitutes. Decriminalisation may lessen stigma and
the resulting discrimination of sex traders/prostitutes but not in its entirety.
The following issues may arise as a direct result of the full decriminalisation of sex trade:
1. Full legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution/sex trade would ultimately benefit the pimps and
traffickers who exploit sex traders/prostitutes for profit and not the individual sex traders/prostitutes as
a whole.
The above statement is supported by what transpired as a result of the Netherlands and Germany practicing the
full legalisation of sex trade/prostitution. It resulted in the individual sex traders/prostitutes themselves, the
buyers, pimps who, under the legalisation regime became third party businessmen and legitimate sexual
entrepreneurs. However, the pimps and buyers could not be fully regulated nor did it result in everyone who
worked in the sex industry registering with the regulatory bodies that were tasked with regulating the industry to
ensure the safety of the sex traders (Weitzer 2012). Plus, to ensure that there was no sale of sex involving
underage persons. For example, a DW news article by Elliot Douglas, 2021 noted that according to the last
federal official report from 2019 only 40 000 out of the estimated 400 000 sex traders/prostitutes were registered
under the 2002 Prostitution Protection Act. This translates to over 90% the sex traders/prostitutes operating in
Germany inclusive of the brothel owners without a licence as unregistered enterprises or individual sex
traders/prostitutes. As result they are technically operating illegally in an unregulated capacity.
2. Full legalisation/decriminalization of prostitution and the sex industry would promote sex trafficking.
One of the root causes that has resulted in an increase in sex trafficking cases reported and unreported is the full
legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution/sex trade. This is evidenced in the case of the Netherlands who opted
to go the full legalisation of prostitution/sex trade based on the argument that it would help to end the exploitation
of desperate immigrant women who had been trafficked there to work as sex slaves. However, a study by
Budapest Group, 1999 80% of women in the brothels of the Netherlands were trafficked from other countries for
the sole purpose of working as a sex slave. The aforementioned, is evidenced by a report generated by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Europe report that found traffickers were using the legalisation of sex
trade/prostitution as a vehicle to bring in women they have coached in to the country under a work permit that
allowed them to work in the Netherlands as a prostitute. However, it merely served to mask the fact that those
women were coerced and a victim of sex trafficking being brought to Europe & the Netherlands to work as sex
slaves against their will.
3. Full legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution does not control the sex industry. It expands it.
According Assistant Professor, Seo-Young Cho, the main effect of opting to fully decriminalise the sex
trade/prostitution is an increase in and expansion of the sex trade. It also makes it easier to market and sell sex
trafficked women out in the open under the guise that they are willing participants who chose to work as
prostitutes. As opposed to what might be truly happing which is the women being coerced to work as a sex slave.
The School of Economics and Political Science, 2013 paper found that out of 150 countries on average the
countries that opted to legalise prostitution/sex trade experience a drastic increase in reported and unreported
human trafficking inflows.
4. Full legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution increases clandestine, illegal and street prostitution.
Contrary to popular claims the full decriminalisation of prostitution does not result in the overall decrease in
clandestine, illegal street prostitution and brothels. However, research shows that countries that have legalised or
decriminalised commercial sex often experience a surge in human trafficking, pimping, and other related crimes.
For example, in the Sneep case women were coerced to sell sex via using intimate relationships and brutal
violence by German pimps that had traveled across the border to the Netherlands with the sole purposes of taking
over large parts of the Red-Light District in Amsterdam.
5. Full legalisation of prostitution and decriminalisation of the sex trade increases instances child
prostitution.
As result of the full decriminalisation of the sex trade in the Netherlands an increase of child prostitution was
observed. The Amsterdam Child Right organisation assessed the number of child prostitutes had drastically
increased by more than 300% between 1996-2001 as a result of the full decriminalisation of the sex trade.
Additionally, according to a 1998 study undertaken by the by ECPAT (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking) for
the Australian National Inquiry on Child Prostitution, noted that was a significant increase in child prostitution
organised commercial areas in the state of Victoria compared to other Australian states where prostitution has not
been fully legalised.
6. Full legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution does not protect the women in prostitution.
According to the 2-studies conducted by Raymond, Hughes & Gomez, 2001; Raymond, d‟Cunha, Ruhaini
Dzuhayatin, Hynes & Santos, 2002 that interviewed a total of 186 women working in the sex trade as prostitutes.
The registered brothels/prostitution establishments did nothing much to protect them regardless of their legal status
as an establishment. Additionally, the full decriminalisation of prostitution in New Zealand brought to light the fact
that 73% of prostituted persons were in need to pay for household expense. However, half of that 73% that were
street-based or transgender had no other sources of income living them solely reliant on prostitution to survive or
baily survive, (The Impact of the Prostitution Reform Act on the Health and Safety practices of Sex Workers: pp.
9).
The following arguments highlight why partial decriminalisation of the sex trade is necessary:
1. Countries that have adopted the Nordic model, aka the Swedish model approach to prostitution, which
exempts the exploited individual from criminal liability for selling sex as a result of the partial decriminalisation
of the sex trade. Resulting in a significant decrease in the number of people buying and selling sex. A
government study conducted and published in 2008 found that approximately 300 women were prostituted
on Swedish streets. However about 300 women and 50 men were identified to selling sex via the Swedish
online prostitution advertisements.
2. A 2007, study showed that an estimated 15 times higher rate per capita of prostituted persons in countries
where sex buying is legal. Additionally in Norway prior to the criminalisation of sex buying and buyers in 2009,
there an estimated 8 to 9 times higher rate per capita of prostituted persons than Sweden. It goes to show
that full decriminalisation of the sex trade is not the solution to the problem but instead leaves room to further
exploit vulnerable persons who are jobless with no other source of income or who suffer from a disability and
have no means to earn an income.
3. Based in the empirical data in the above 2 sections a sex buyers demand for access to primarily women’s
bodies creates a market for trafficking that fuels the sex trade. For example, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress
and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children of 2000 (Palermo Protocol) stipulates that
parties signed to the observing the protocols rules have a duty to discourage the demand that fosters all
exploitation of the person. This especially means anything that would directly contribute to the trafficking of
women and children for the purposes of exploiting them. It requires that the states that signed on to adhere
to the protocol address demand by tackling the root cause of the trafficking demand. Therefore, by South
Africa fully decriminilising the sex trade they are going to create an environment that allows for demand for
the prostitutes and sex slaves to increase. Resulting in an increased demand for traffickers to provide more
people for the sex trade.
4. The European Parliament in 2014 called upon member states to recognise that there is an explicit link between
prostitution/ the sex trade with human trafficking and the modern-day slavery problem. They found that to
reduce the demand effectively there would need to criminalise the purchase of sex like Sweden, Norway and
Iceland had done. Furthermore, they stated that criminalising the purchase of sex is the most effective tool
available to the member states as a means to reduce human trafficking.
5. The Partial Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Vs the Full Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Model
The Partial Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Results in:
1. The criminalisation of the buying of sex but not the selling of sex
2. Due to prostitutes being financially dependent on criminalised clients, demand reduces as some clients/sex
buyers are put off by the risk of arrest.
3. Helps remove criminalisation of the exploited persons giving them room to either get out or seek help if
their being abused or exploited by the buyers and pimps.
4. It helps to decrease exploitation in the commercial sex trade but does not eradicate it.
Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Partial Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Op-ed
Full Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Results in:
1. Confers rights on the pimps, buyers and brothel owners at the expense of the prostitute/exploited person.
2. Resulting in an increase of violence and exploitation while increasing public health and safety
3. Makes it harder to go after traffickers who traffic in sex salves as they can claim that they are legitimate sex
trade businessman with willing participants who are not being coerced to work for them as prostitutes.
4. Empowers prostitutes to operate independently, however it also makes them vulnerable targets to
traffickers.
However, if South Africa does fully decriminalise the sex trade, it would be detrimental to the fight against
trafficking and exploitation. Therefore, it would be prudent for the South African government to account for the
lived experiences of people in the sex trade, primarily the exploited persons and the prostitutes who work in
brothels and the streets. Furthermore, in countries where they have fully decriminalised prostitution, it led to an
increase in the exploitation of persons, including an increase in trafficking activity. However, no exploited victim
should be punished or penalised for their own coerced exploitation. But the pimps, brothel owners and buyers
should be prosecuted for their activities and not be allowed to lawfully exploit prostitutes.
References List:
Bureau NRM (2002). Trafficking in Human Beings: First Report of the Dutch National Rapporteur. The Hague.
November 2002.
Byström, M. (2001). Prostitutionen breder ut sig i Norrland. Dagens Nyheter (Sweden). February 16, 2001.
Charlotta Holmström, “Prostitution och människohandel för sexuella ändamål i Sverige: Omfattning, förekomst och
kunskapsproduktion,” in Prostitution i Norden: Forskningsrapport, ed. Charlotta Holmström and May-Len Skilbrei
(Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 2008), 314.
Daley, S. (2001). New Rights for Dutch Prostitutes, but No Gain. New York Times. August 12, 2002: A1 and 4.
Douglas, E. (2021,). Sex Workers Speak Out Against German Prostitution Law. Available at
https://www.dw.com/en/sex-workers-speak-out-against-german-prostitution-law/a-59539574
Dutting, G. (2000). Legalized Prostitution in the Netherlands – Recent Debates. Women’s Global Network for
Reproductive Rights, 3. November, 2002: 15-16.
ECPAT Australia. (1998). Youth for Sale: ECPAT Australia’s Inquiry into the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of
Children in Australia. Available from ECPAT, Australia.
European Parliament resolution of 26 February 2014 on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on
gender equality (2013/2103(INI)). Para 6, at
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0162.
For a breakdown of the Nordic study’s figures and general population statistics, see Waltman, “Sweden’s
Prohibition of Purchase of Sex,” 458–59; Waltman, “Prohibiting Sex Purchasing and Ending Trafficking,” 146–47;
and Waltman, The Politics of Legal Challenges: 479–80.
In Denmark, where purchase of sex is legal, an increase was observed from 3,886 persons being prostituted in 2002
to 5,567 visibly prostituted persons in 2007. See Jeanett Bjønness, “Holdninger til prostitution i Danmark,” in
Prostitution i Norden, ed. Holmström and Skilbrei, 108. An increase over the same period has also been observed in
Norway: Marianne Tveit and May-Len Skilbrei, “Kunnskap om prostitusjon og menneskehandel i Norge,” in
Prostitution i Norden, ed. Holmström and Skilbrei, 220–21.
Länsstyrelsen Stockholm, Summary: The Extent and Development of Prostitution in Sweden (Stockholm:
Länsstyrelsen, 2015). 30 Länsstyrelsen Stockholm (2015). 31 A. Kotsadam & N. Jakobsson, “Shame on you, John!
Laws, Stigmatization and the Demand for Sex” European Journal of Law and Economics 37 (2014): 393-404. 32
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing
the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, opened for signature Dec. 12, 2000, 2237
U.N.T.S. 319 (entered into force Dec. 25, 2003) [hereafter Palermo Protocol].
Niklas Jakobsson and Andreas Kotsadam, “The Law and Economics of International Sex Slavery: Prostitution Laws
and Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation,” European Journal of Law and Economics 35, no. 1 (2013),
doi:10.1007/s10657-011-9232-0; Seo-Young Cho, Axel Dreher, and Eric
Neumayer, “Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking?,” World Development 41 (2013),
doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.05.023. See also
Gergana Danailova-Trainor and Patrick Belser, Globalization and the Illicit Market for Human Trafficking: An
Empirical Analysis of Supply and Demand. Working Paper No. 78, (Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour
Organization, 2006) which found that countries with more prostitution are more likely to be destinations for victims
of sex trafficking. Budapest Group (1999).
The Relationship Between Organized Crime and Trafficking in Aliens. Austria: International Centre for Migration
Policy Development. June 1999.
ProCon.org. (2018,). Should Prostitution Be Legal. Available at https://prostitution.procon.org/questions/shouldprostitution-be-legal/
Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Partial Decriminalisation of the Sex Trade Op-ed
Resolution 1983 (2014) Final version: Prostitution, trafficking and modern slavery in Europe. Para 12.1.1,
http://www.assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-DocDetails-EN.asp?FileID=20716&lang=EN
Tiggeloven, C. (2001,). Child Prostitution in the Netherlands. Available at
http://www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html.
Swedish Institute, The Ban against the Purchase of Sexual Services: An Evaluation 1999-2008 (2010): 9.
Waltman, “Law’s Reasons, Impact, Potential,” 459.
Weitzer, R. (2012). Prostitution: Facts and fictions. In D. Hartmann & C. Uggen (Eds.), The Contexts reader (pp. 223–
230). New York, NY: W. W. Norton
Written & Compiled by Shalati Sithole (Legal/Admin Officer of Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
So, we know, this crisis situation affects economies negatively because our society is dysfunctional which means us as human beings are dysfunctional too and thus cannot perform optimally in jobs, our businesses and our children at school.
There are a multitude of organisations fighting GBV&F, Human Trafficking and basically crime in general yet we still see the situation worsening. What are we not doing or What are we missing? Is it Governments responsibility entirely to eradicate these evils? Will the most perfect laws implemented change people’s negative mindsets and behaviour which fuel these atrocities? The worsening crime statistics could also mean though that people are breaking the silence by reporting and opening up cases against perpetrators which is good on the other hand and thus the rot is coming to the fore. However, this has to start decreasing not because of lack of reporting but because GBV&F, Human Trafficking and all other forms of crime have truly decreased and has to happen as a matter of extreme urgency.
What are the solutions? Should we as individuals not be doing introspection on our contribution towards this worsening situation and take responsibility and be accountable for our contribution as supposed to blame shifting and pointing the finger elsewhere for solutions? Scary thought right but it is fact…
In the meanwhile, whilst we are all doing introspection, finding solutions and trying to implement them we need to protect ourselves against perpetrators of violence, be it GBV& F, Human Trafficking or any other kind of violence and to do so without us ending up on the wrong side of the law as best as we can.
So, there are a few options like equipping yourself with self-defense skills, obtaining gas guns, pepper spray etc. We will not encourage obtaining a licensed gun which shoots real bullets as we support the Guns Down drive. You can however purchase a security emergency panic device which will provide you with armed security should you need it and we encourage you to invest in yourself and your family’s protection by obtaining a security panic device. ACT Africa in partnership with the Automobile Association promotes the highly rated and recommended Rem-i Amica Device and Emergency Security App – see links below
Please do what you can to keep yourself and your family safe in these very dangerous times we are living in and do whatever you can to prevent and stop GBV&F, Human Trafficking, Kidnapping and all forms of violence from escalating, keeping us hostage and stopping all of us especially our children from leading normal, functional positive and prosperous lives.
“EVIL PREVAILS WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING”
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
Reach out and Read offers reading programs for kids in schools categorized as lower quantile schools in Western Cape, South Africa.
In our program, we focus on kids in the foundation phase, grades 1-3, and age group 7–9 years old.
According to our initial evaluation, 45-55% of kids in classrooms have a reading disability, which means 180 kids need our help per school.
There is a high rate of children struggling to read due to GBV&F, Human Trafficking and Gangsterism – the trauma that children suffer as a result of abuse including sexual molestation, physical assaults, violence, gangsterism, substance abuse and the use of children as human shields.
By providing kids with a safe place where guidance and recognition are given, we assist in preventing and breaking the cycles of GBV&F,Human Trafficking and Gangsterism.
The ability to step inside another’s mind, to feel what they feel and understand their thoughts, seems an insurmountable concept. Adults have a hard time explaining how it works, so imagine how much harder it is for children. In fact, children are not born with the ability to feel empathy. They learn this skill through social interaction with family, their peers, and society in general. Luckily, books can help with that. Research shows that reading fiction puts us in the mind of another person, allows us to experience every challenge, feel every emotion, and triumph over adversities right alongside our favorite characters. This direct immersion in another person’s mind stimulates systems in the brain,and develops the ability to empathize with other human beings.
Reading books enhances social problem-solving
In addition to learning empathy, books provide an endless supply of social interaction examples from which to learn. Scenes full of character dialogue show children effective – and ineffective – ways to handle conflict in a variety of situations. It allows children to experience a range of moods and emotions they aren’t likely to experience in everyday life. Experiencing these emotions in a “safe” environment allows the child to think about how they might react in a similar situation, preparing them for future interactions. This makes their emotional development more well-rounded and mature.
Co-Author: Dirk Greef-Cronje – Director at Reach Out and Read Co-Author: Hilary Leong – Chairperson at Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Alert Notice – Human Trafficking/Kidnapping Safety in Shopping Malls
This is an alert notice to the public, management and staff of shopping malls and centers to be vigilant of persons operating in the malls, following members of the public specifically women around
Two incidences in the last two days at different malls (Menlyn Park Shopping Centre and Mall of Africa) have been reported of unknown males following females in the malls and fortunately in both cases the females were alert and notified security. In the one case the female managed to take a video of the male following her and has gone viral on social media. The female in the second case is known to ACT Africa and alerted us immediately after the incident took place.
With the rise in Kidnappings, Abductions and Human Trafficking in SA this is very worrying and scary for all going to the shopping malls.
PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING SHOULD SOMEONE BE FOLLOWING YOU:
ALERT THE SECURITY IMMEDIATELY
UTILISE YOUR SAFETY APP AND OR SECURITY DEVICE IF YOU ARE A SUBSCRIBER OF ONE BY PRESSING THE PANIC ALERT BUTTON
IF NO SECURITY AROUND, ALERT SHOP STAFF PERSONEL OF YOUR SITUATION
SCREAM AS LOUD AS YOU CAN FOR HELP
TRY TO TAKE PICS AND OR VIDEO CLIP OF THE PERSON FOLLOWING YOU FOR EVIDENCE.
DO NOT GO TO THE PARKING LOT / YOUR VEHICLE.
DO NOT GO.TO THE TOILETS
GO INTO THE NEAREST SHOP AND ALERT SHOP STAFF
REFER TO THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS IN THE POSTER BELOW
We Appeal to All Shopping Malls / Centers to set up helpdesks with trained personnel to deal with issues of human trafficking, kidnapping and abduction and to contact ACT Africa at info@actafrica.org.za for assistance in the setting up and training in this regard
#safety #precaution
#stophumantrafficking
#stopkidnapping
#stopabductions
#stopgenderbasedviolence
“EVIL PREVAILS WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING *
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
ACT Africa is extremely saddened and perturbed by the Gun Violence plaguing Eldorado Park. Within 7 days this past week 22 to 27 August 2022, 10people have been shot and 3 have succumbed to the gun violence and some are still fighting for their lives in hospital.
A community trying their level best to rise from socio-economic problems – Poverty, Substance abuse, Gender-Based Violence & Femocide, Human Trafficking and all other forms of crime, are now being held hostage (through not having freedom of movement) by reckless Gun Wielding individuals who for whatever reason have found themselves in the clutches of perpetuating crime, shooting randomly into crowds of children and adults and robbing innocent children and adults of their lives and plunging families into states of hopelessness and deep despair…..
IS THE GUN VIOLENCE RANDOM???
Question– Why would a person/s perpetuate gun violence and shoot randomly ???
Answer– Something has gone wrong emotionally, mentally, physically, socio-economically and thus a life of crime is chosen by the individual, So No the Gun Violence is Not Random..
Question – What could have gone wrong??
Answer- Failed Parenthood – Parents have become lax in our parenting by becoming negligent AND abdicating our responsibilities our God Given roles of parenting as Father or Mother and thus the family structure has broken down leading to extreme Dysfunction. Peer Pressure -The need to belong, feel important . Impoverished environment and the skewed notion that crime will alleviate the impoverished situation. Drugs/Substance Abuse is a huge problem and thus Drug related violence is synonymous with this. Crime Kingpins exploit the vulnerabilities of this impoverished community in order to benefit financially in one form or the other and using it’s people as pawns to perpetuate these horrendous crimes.
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
All forms of crimes committed is a violation of human rights as there is always a victim who has been robbed of their human rights no matter the crime.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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.
Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17
Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27
Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
There is no quick fix solution but firstly taking RESPONSIBILIY AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE for importantly yourself and the choices you make which has a ripple effect on your family ie spouse, your children, your parents, broader family your neighborhood and ultimately your community which leads to your country as a whole… starting within our personal spaces like our homes is key, which means, importantly yourself. Then seek the help from various organisations which offer assistance for issues of Mental, Emotional, Substance Abuse, Family problems; Gender-Based Violence, Human Trafficking, Poverty
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
Refer to our blog posted in 2021 which explains the different levels of Tier Levels which countries have been categorized into- click on the link below
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
