People who live in the United States live by the words of the Constitution of the United States, which states, “The Constitution recognizes a number of inalienable human rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial by jury.” That is why many people from foreign countries, including Africa, come to the United States to enjoy these freedoms and become the best they can be.
The people of Africa as well as other areas of the globe can enjoy some of the same freedoms as the people in the United States of America due to a London-based human rights organization known as Article 19. Article 19 was established in 1987. It takes its name from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, ‘Everyone has the right of freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impact information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.” Article 19 monitors threats to free expression around the globe and provides legal counsel for all whose rights have been violated.
Article 19 has a strong presence in Africa. Recently, it helped Kenya get a victory for freedom of speech. Here is what article 19 accomplished for the people of Kenya;
Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court, which declared eight sections of Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 unconstitutional. “Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court that several sections of the Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 are unconstitutional, in particular those which unduly restrict freedom of expression.
You may wonder how this helps Africans who already reside in the United States. The answer is simple. Having the peace of mind of knowing that being an African that once lived in Africa and now having the ability to learn all that is happening in their home country with very few restrictions, with the help of Article 19, gives them peace of mind and hope that things will continue to change for the better and that they can always stay in contact without restrictions.
©EthLeen
