“It is easy to break and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.”
-Nelson Mandela. [1]
“Each year, on this day, Nelson Mandela’s birthday, we pay tribute to this extraordinary man who embodied the highest aspirations of the United Nations and the human family.”
-António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General. [1]
“It is our individual responsibility to follow Madiba’s example of humility, forgiveness, and compassion while advocating for democracy and peace throughout the world.”
-Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. [5]
You may have heard of Nelson Mandela before. You may know that he is one of the greatest peacemakers and that he was the former President of South Africa. Let us talk and shed light on this man and the change he made.
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18 in the town of Mphiso in the Transkei region of South Africa. He excelled in his studies and attended Fort Harry College, but was expelled from it for participating in the protests against apartheid in 1940. Therefore, he completed his studies by correspondence in Johannesburg and obtained his law degree. In 1952, Nelson opened a law firm with his friend, Oliver Tambo’.
His political journey began at the age of twenty. In 1944, he joined the African National Congress, which opposed apartheid. He was imprisoned several times due to his political activism prior to being sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964. During his imprisonment, he became an international symbol of the struggle against racism, so the South African government succumbed to internal and international pressures and released Mandela in 1990.
Mandela was elected as president of South Africa in 1994, the first democratically elected black president. In 1999, he decided to retire and did not run for a second presidential term, and worked in charitable works through the Mandela Foundation to combat AIDS, and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013. [6]
The United Nations acknowledged the contribution of Nelson to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world. The United Nations celebrates July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day to recognize the birthday of South Africa’s former President and his outstanding contribution to a culture of peace and freedom. Nelson Mandela International Day was declared in November 2009. [1]
For the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this Day is a time to draw attention to all the prisoners; as it is estimated that there are more than 10 million prisoners around the world. [2]
Also read: World Youth Skills Day.
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights did not specifically refer to prisoners, although the rights it laid out – including the prohibition of torture and the right to a fair trial – covered them. Therefore, in 1955, the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders adopted the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the expanded rules, known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules.” [3]
Among these rules:
And many other rules that focus on respecting the prisoner’s being a human being in the first place; In other words, the aim of these rules is to rehabilitate prisoners to be willing and able to lead law-abiding lives upon release, which is necessary to reduce recidivism and contribute to public safety. As the Director of UNODC stated, “Nelson Mandela’s Rules are a blueprint for prison management. …and that it provides solutions based on the fundamental principles of security, safety, and dignity within all prisons and for all prisoners.” [2]
During his presidency, Mandela established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights violations under the apartheid regime. He also worked to improve the living standard of the population through many initiatives in the areas of housing, education, and economic development; among his accomplishments during this period:
Firstly, Presenting a special program for reconstruction and development to address many social and economic issues. For example employment, housing, water, electricity, and poverty reduction.
secondly. Launching the Mandela Children’s Fund with the aim of helping young people and orphans.
Third, Introduce a progressive constitution to South Africa that ensures a strong central government based on the rule of the majority, the guarantee of minority rights, and freedom of expression.
In addition, the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Nelson Mandela and Frederick William De Klerk for their efforts in the peaceful end of the apartheid regime and the establishment of a new democratic foundation for South Africa. [7]
On this day, let us remember this great person who devoted 67 years of his life to serving his country and humanity together. This man changed the lives of many and his influence is still present.
Nelson Mandela was concerned with many humanitarian issues and worked in the fields of conflict resolution and ethnic relations. He also worked on the promotion and protection of human rights and gender equality, the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, and the improvement of the conditions of the poor and underdeveloped societies. [1]
In honor of Mandela, the United Nations established in June 2014 the “Nelson Mandela Prize”. is awarded every five years and recognizes those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity. [8]
Nelson Mandela, was a protector of human rights, international peacemaker, hero, and role model for many. People used to call Mandela “Madiba” out of respect, which is the name of his tribe.
Due to the fact that our initiative aims at sustainable peacebuilding, Nelson Mandela sets an example for us, individually and collectively. On this day, we would like to talk about this great man, perhaps his story motivates us to achieve our goals, refuse injustice, and demand the truth. To remember that violence only brings violence, but peace and humanity towards the other are the cornerstones of all aspects of life; from creating a family to building and developing societies.
♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.
References:
[1] UN Events
[2] UNODC
[3] UN Chronicle
[4] UN Events- Rules of Nelson Mandela
[5] UN News
[6] Aljazeera
[7] Mawdoo3
[8] UN News