Charter of Human Responsibilities: Taking up the challenge!

A long process of wide-ranging discussions within the Alliance focusing on the need for a Charter of Human Responsibilities, its contents, legitimacy, appeal, efficacy, and its ultimate place in both civil society and within international institutions, led to a draft text which was discussed by the World Assembly of Citizens in Lille, December 2001. A revised version was then submitted for further comment to those who had participated in the Assembly, and to the wider circle of Allies and outsiders, leading to a text which has been widely disseminated since October 2002. This "provisionally final" text now serves as a basis for a continuing process. It is translated into a considerable number of languages in culturally adapted ways. It is disseminated and discussed in a variety of cultural groups and in many different professional circles. Its value and applicability will be further tested through the conversion of its principles into codes of conduct by professional groups (scientists, company directors, trade unionists, educators, publishers, journalists, financiers, politicians, etceteras).

Indeed, in the face of the challenges of the 21st century, the notion of ’human responsibility’ has acquired a new and challenging meaning, but how to proceed and to bring about awareness among individuals, social and professional groups and public authorities that -in addition to a Universal Declaration of Human Rights- creating a Charter of Human Responsibilities is relevant to our times ?

The dissemination and promotion of the Charter of Human Responsibilities will have to be a continuous and multiform process to be conducted over a number of years. Conceiving methods of implementation of this process -culturally adapted to the various regions of the world- constitutes, evidently, a considerable and at the same time difficult challenge. A capacity to invent such methods, a careful monitoring of emerging possibilities and a constant stimulation of this process, are the conditio sine qua non for the success of the dissemination and promotion campaign.

In order to take up this challenge, Edith Sizoo proposed to the Fondation Charles Léopold Mayer to set up an international Steering Committee which has met for the first time in October 2003 on the island of Syros in Greece. The Committee consists of some 15 members who live and work in different parts of the world. Each of them has been selected on the basis of a set of criteria including their active involvement in society and their participation in an active network in their region. They are assisted by local / regional teams for the implementation of the work in their geographical area.

One of the agreed principles for the work method of the international Steering Committee is to graft the central notion of Human Responsibilities on existing work done by a variety of issue oriented organisations (human rights, environment, education, peace and conflict prevention, women’s issues, trade unions, business, science, etcetera). It is hoped that this grafting process will thus gradually lead to a multiform movement striving towards the acceptance of an international Charter of Human Responsibilities, and towards the idea that consolidation of such a charter is essential to balance the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of the United Nations. While the first one puts emphasis on the individual and the second on collectivities (nations), the Charter of Human Responsibilities addresses both.

Information :

 the worldwide Plan of Action of the Steering Committee will be published on the web-site of the Alliance in january 2004

 people interested to participate in activities in their country or region should contact the member of the Steering Committee concerned (see list)

 people interested to be kept informed about the whole process, should contact Edith Sizoo

Members of Steering Committee Charter of Human Responsibilities

South east Asia:
 ZHAO Yifeng (China)
 Pinky Castelo-CUPINO (Philippines)

North America :
 Rob WHEELER (USA);
 Cecile SABOURIN (Canada)

South America :
 Isis de PALMA (Brazil);
 Marcos REIGOTA (Brazil) ;
 Diego ESCOBAR Diaz (Colombia);
 Claire Launay (Colombia);
 Carlos LIBERONA (Chile)

Sub-Sahara Africa:
 John STEWART (Zimbabwe),
or also
 novasc@ecoweb.co.zw,
 Markoua DADJO (Togo),
or also
 markouadadjo@yahoo.fr

Arab world :
 Amina RACHID (Egypt);
 Ziad MAJED (Lebanon)

Pacific:
 Betsan MARTIN (New Zealand)

Europe:
 Hans HARMS (Germany, Spain),
 Jean-Paul BRAUX (France)

Coordination:
  Edith Sizoo (Netherlands, France)