Video: BWI marks 2021 International Human Rights Day

 
 
As we mark this year's International Human Rights Day, BWI prepared a video narrating its numerous efforts to help trade unions worldwide fight global authoritarianism and defend human rights and democracy. 


From Belarus, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Palestine to Myanmar, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines, BWI's affiliates are fighting back. They are at the forefront of the struggle to secure human and labour rights, and ensure a democratic future. This is their story. 


Video script (English) -  International Human Rights Day 2021

As the world tries to contain COVID-19, a pandemic of human and labour rights violations is also spreading to many countries. 

In Belarus, Colombia, Brazil, Palestine, Myanmar, Hong Kong, South Korea and the Philippines, authoritarian and illegitimate regimes are attacking trade union rights and democracy. In Cuba, the US continues to impose an anti-worker economic embargo.

Workers are deprived of the right to live and work with dignity. They are illegally arrested, imprisoned and even killed.

BWI's trade union affiliates, partners and allies are fighting back. This is their story. This is their revolution.

BWI supports the Belarusian unions' fight to defend democracy and the integrity of their elections from strongman Alexander Lukashenko. 

BWI's international solidarity campaign supports the pro-democracy struggle of Myanmar's trade unionists. It is also calling on the United Nations to reject the military junta and recognise the country's National Unity Government (NUG).

BWI stands with the pro-democracy Hong Kong trade union leaders amidst the arrests, violence and imprisonment they suffer from China's draconian measures.

BWI fully supports the South Korean trade unions' fight against their government's attempt to use the COVID-19 pandemic to stiffle labour rights, particularly the right to assembly and freedom of association.

BWI joins the Philippine labour movement as they continue the fight against the anti-worker Terror Law and the state-sanctioned persecution, red-tagging and extrajudicial killing of trade union activists.

BWI adds its voice to the growing international condemnation of the violence committed against the Palestinian people in occupied East Jerusalem. It reaffirms its call for a just and lasting peace through a two-state solution.

BWI rejects Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-worker and militarist approach to COVID-19, which led to the unnecessary death of thousands of Brazilians, including workers. 

BWI calls for the lifting of the United States' almost 60 years of economic embargo against Cuba.  The economic embargo imposed on Cuba, especially in the context of COVID-19, is unjust, inhumane and downright cruel.

BWI calls on the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the Colombian government’s excessive use of force against striking workers, who were simply safeguarding their rights amidst a raging pandemic.