Human Right Policies in Asia

Introduction: Human rights in certain countries are strained. Lack of freedom of expression, censorship, and excessive surveillance threaten the rights of many in certain countries. This is a rising issue globally; however, it has grown in countries like Vietnam, China, Myanmar, and Thailand.

Context: Human rights violations deprive individuals of freedoms crucial to everyone. These rights include, but are not limited to, the right to life, the freedom of speech, the right to equality, freedom from torture, and many others that provide individuals protection against authoritative powers to what they cannot infringe upon. Nevertheless, many countries have governmental systems/authoritative powers that weaken or completely dismantle these human rights, endangering the lives, privacy, and protection of their citizens. This is an issue that many countries struggle with; however, many countries, specifically in Asia, struggle with this issue the most. This is a complex issue, but it is mostly determined based on historical, economic, and political aspects. This instability of politics, religion, and societal norms all takes effect in this spiraling issue. Examples: Countries like Vietnam, China, Myanmar, and Thailand have had issues with their authoritarian powers restraining their human rights. Yes, many other countries face this same issue, but these are the few that I will address as examples. China has enacted several censorship policies that disable its citizens from expressing themselves freely using the press. The Great Firewall is an invasive surveillance and censorship system China uses to control what citizens have and don't have access to. Some of the platforms that are banned include Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Vietnam also faces this issue with censorship to a similar degree. Suppression of political expression is a massive issue in Vietnam. Activists who protest or do the least by criticizing the government get arrested and even imprisoned. Myanmar has sponsored violence that is engaged in aggressive instrumental violence against its civilians. These extrajudicial killings target activists, peaceful protesters, and ethnic minorities. Similarly, Thailand faces and has the same internal issues. Limiting political expression, oppressing ethnic minorities, and exploiting migrant workers with excessive labor. These are just a few of the 40-50 countries with extreme human rights violations. Solutions: To combat human rights violations, it is important to engage in discussion, participate in protests, and use your voice to spread awareness on these issues. It might seem overwhelming, nevertheless, if you have the opportunity to stand up for what's right, it is good to take advantage. Certain programs and organizations seek to visit these countries, help the citizens, and contemplate solutions to achieve the status of all countries having their human rights. Strengthening organizations that help push towards global agreements to achieve human rights: 1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 2. United Nations (UN), and 3. International Criminal Court (ICC). Participating in grassroots advocacy and supporting local movements is a productive way to fight for what's right. Organizations:- American Civil Rights Movement- United Farm Workers movement- Peace movement - Human Rights Watch