Internationally guaranteed and legally protected

Focus on the dignity of the human being Protect individuals and groups Cannot be waived/taken away Equal, interdependent and universal

The belief that everyone, by virtue of her or his humanity, is entitled to certain human rights is fairly new. Its roots, however, lie in earlier tradition and documents of many cultures; it took the catalyst of World War II to propel human rights onto the global stage and into the global conscience.

Throughout much of history, people acquired rights and responsibilities through their membership in a group – a family, indigenous nation, religion, class, community, or state. Most societies have had traditions similar to the "golden rule" of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Hindu Vedas, the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, the Bible, the Quran (Koran), and the Analects of Confucius are five of the oldest written sources which address questions of people’s duties, rights, and responsibilities.

In addition, the Inca and Aztec codes of conduct and justice and an Iroquois Constitution were Native American sources that existed well before the 18th century. In fact, all societies, whether in oral or written tradition, have had systems of propriety and justice as well as ways of tending to the health and welfare of their members.

Every year Finland receives

between 2,000 and

6,000 applications for asylum.

Between 1990 and 2009, the number of foreign citizens legally residing in Finland increased six-fold, from

26,300 to 155,700.

Out of the total population of 5.3 million, approximately 300,000 people (5%) claim a foreign background (having been foreign born, speaking a foreign language, or having foreign citizenship).

Within its refugee quota, Finland accepts for resettlement persons defined as refugees by the UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and others who are in need of international protection. The refugee quota is verified in the state budget for each year.

2 March 2011

Owing to the crisis in Libya and the stream of refugees coming to Tunisia Finland will support Tunisian civil society through bilateral funding. In addition, other possible forms of support are under

consideration.

With the support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Finnish Red Cross will supply protective sheltering material, tents and halls to be assembled, meeting the needs of over 4,000 refugees. The International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is planning emergency accommodation in Tunisia for at least 15,000 people.

Finns EMIGRATING

In the 17th century while Finland was still under Swedish rule, when hundreds of Finns and Swedes established colonies in what later became the US state of Delaware.

In 1989, world leaders decided thatchildren needed a special convention

just for them because people under 18 years old often need

special care and protection that adults do not.

U N IC E F ’ s C R C (Convention on the Rights of the Child) mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potencial, free from hunger, neglect and abuse.

The Convention offers a vision of the child as an individual and as a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her ageand stage of development.

I’m Saheera, I’m 15 years old and this is my story…

Bangladesh Afghanistan Burkina Faso Central African Republic Chad Congo Guinea India Malawi and Mali Mozambique Nepal Nicaragua Nigeria Sierra Leonne Somalia Tanzania Uganda Zam Sub-Saharan Africa bia South Asia

?

High poverty rates

High birth rates

High death rates

Conflict and Civil strife

Gender inequality

Lower levels of overall

development (including

schooling, employment and health care)

Large spousal age gaps Limited social support, due to social isolation Limited educational attainment and no schooling options Intense pressure to become pregnant Increased risk of maternal and infant mortality Increased vulnerability to HIV and other STIs Restricted social mobility/freedom of movement Little access to modern media (TV, radio, newspapers) Lack of skills to be viable to the labor market Prostitution

-Repression -Gender Inequality-Health issues: physical and mental health issues.-HIV and AIDS-Education

UNICEF suggests the step by step solution to this problem to eradicate it at the grassroot level.

With the help of the UNICEF marital center, Saheera was one of the few child brides to have escaped her fate..

(Source: UNICEF. 2005. Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice. New York: United

Nations.)

The Covenants (human right) The Girl Effect The Clock is Ticking The Universal Declaration of Human Rights