UNIT 3: RIGHTS AND ACTIVISM This learning unit urges learners to stand up against rules that are unfair and lead to exclusion by taking action that promotes recognition and belonging. Learners are then invited to explore the United Nations (UN) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a platform to advocate for the protection of the right to belong and critically reflect on existing actions against statelessness. 1.3 A: CHALLENGING EXCLUSION Countries, governments, groups and organisations sometimes make rules that are unfair and negatively impact people’s lives by leaving them feeling unwelcome and excluded. It is important to speak out and fight back against these rules. Within society, different voices are often heard unequally. However, the more the voices are raised, the louder each individual voice is heard. When we have the opportunity, it is also important to use our own voice and speak out for people who might not be able to. Challenging exclusion is an activity that aims to stimulate activism through role-play. Participants are invited to organise themselves and take action to affect change by promoting recognition and belonging against a scenario in which some of their peers are excluded. 1.3 B: A RIGHT TO BELONG The United Nations (UN) was formed after World War II as a platform to help countries working together to solve issues around the world. One of the first acts of the UN, in 1948, was to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), outlining the rights that every human is entitled to just because they are human. Article 15 of the UDHR states that every person has a right to a nationality. Statelessness is a violation of this right. Using the UN as a forum and the UDHR as a tool, actors can thus advocate for the right to nationality for everyone – spurring international action against statelessness. A right to belong introduces learners to the UN as a forum to advocate for the right to nationality for everyone using the UDHR as a tool and urges them to critically reflect on existing actions against statelessness. 22