2019 and 2020 has been all for recognizing the power of youth and pushing them forward to realize their potential. There are several young wonders around the world who continue to create an impact even today. 2020 of course, had the show stolen by the not so shy, very outgoing You-Know-What. It managed to send the entire world spiralling, but not quite.

We are a resilient race and we have begun to fight back, with our central focus on recovering and ensuring the heart of sustainable goals, i.e., human rights stays alive!

The pandemic has led to a dramatic loss this year - loss of millions of lives, poverty, economic disparity, our food and healthcare systems, education and so on have all been hit and new adaptations in the process come with their own challenges too - digital poverty for example. Students worldwide are shifting to online learning, yet only the privileged have digital accessibility. On Literacy Day this year, we were amazed to find several people step up to bridge the gap in e-learning and curb digital poverty.

With fundamentally our entire life changing, this year, Human Rights Day is focused on closing such gaps and recreating a life with equal opportunities for all.

Ending discrimination

All kinds of discrimination have been fueling the covid crisis, shifting our attention from the real problem to ethnic or cultural groups. The fear and sense of instability that came with the virus worsened the existing human right concerns that we have. As the pandemic grew, so did the discrimination and stigma, spreading to various groups. Tackling prejudices has emerged as an important intervention a world we have transitioned into needs to see and many strong voices, works of art, books and young leaders have begun to rise to counter the stigma and raise awareness.

Inequality during and beyond

In a time where healthcare is one of the topmost essentials, access to timely and affordable healthcare services has certainly been a struggle. The non-availability of hospital beds, doctors in remote areas, accessibility to medicines and services have had an impact on several communities. The healthcare professionals however have been striving hard to make facilities available to all and we hope to see positive changes such as telemedicine becoming a larger part of all our lives, accessible to everyone.

 A part of the employed and salaried workforce around the world might not have been too impacted by the lockdown, but a large share of the regular wage earning, unemployed and underprivileged community have deeply suffered. The class of 2020 especially are going through a turmoil when it comes to career. The positive impact that we are seeing is society coming together to stand on their own feet, entrepreneurship on the rise and bringing passion into action. Social media has been raving about #LocalforVocal and supporting small and independent businesses to support the inequality our economy has been facing.

Sustainable development is never out of style

The Paris Agreement for the first time brings all nations into a common cause so nobody is left behind. Sustainable development for the people and planet is the cornerstone of our recovery. The central aim of this agreement is to strengthen our response to climate change and our abilities to deal with the impact it has globally. Transparency of action and an enhanced framework of support are what it promotes for real sustainability. When all the world stayed home, the birds and animals came out to ponds with clear water, the mountain tops began to show themselves, the sky displayed its radiant blue and we had fresh air to breathe. This has proven to us that if we give nature a chance to bounce back, she will. All we need to do is have a more eco centric approach and inculcate changes in our perceptions, actions and consumption patterns. More work from home means less travel and less vehicular emissions. When only essentials were available, we were still able to live a good life, even a more environmentally conscious one. Several of us began growing our own vegetables, planting more greenery, reducing our carbon footprint, so why not now as well?

Solidarity onward and upward

 Such small changes if were possible for a few months can certainly become the new trending lifestyle for 2021!  No one can thrive alone. The pandemic has opened our eyes to the fact that we rely on each other and hence solidarity and living in harmony is vital. Governments, private sectors, civil society, grass root communities and individuals- we are all in this together to recover better.

Tell us what more we can do through Cause A Chatter to contribute to a better world. Reach out to us on social media, share your thoughts and posts or hit reply and leave a comment, because, we are all about recovering with our community!