“You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights.” -Marsha P Johnson
This quote from Marsha P Johnson, a pioneer of the LGBTQIA+ activist movement, is the basis of our mindset. Until we are all free, none of us are truly free. In today’s world, the concept of equality is often misunderstood. People believe that their freedom comes at the price of someone else’s oppression. We intend to break this illusion and bring to light the damages it has caused.
Right to equality is the most basic right we could fight for. To treat all as human beings is the bare minimum. Intolerance, hatred and discrimination is causing an ever-widening rift in societies. Non-discrimination is an integral part of the principle of equality.
We as a team intend to spread awareness about human rights that are denied to people across the world and we believe in portraying this through our artforms that brings us together as a team to put across our ideas and opinions to the world.
She wailed when she was mistreated and downtrodden because she was a woman, but there was nothing she could do, He was furious when he was called a cur because of his colour, but there was nothing he could do, They blamed themselves when they were ignored because of their age, but there was nothing they could do, They felt suppressed when they were overpowered and dictated by the supposedly high caste members, but there was nothing they could do, For years, people have borne the pain, oppression and discrimination, they have suffered at the hands of similar yet entirely different humans.
Were the catastrophes of the world not enough that we had to divide and ruin humanity by placing ourselves under different labels given by each other? That we had to differentiate between a man and a woman? Be marked by our appearances, our castes, races and preferences ? Aren't we all the same deep down, despite being enveloped into the bubble of judgement and hatred?
Why must we cleave humanity for our gains, make someone else feel lesser than themselves, Make a mother weep and a son suffer the loss of his father, a man of colour because of a dispute which was “misunderstood” by the people in power? Make someone who works just as hard as the person next to him, return home with bare minimum only because of his race or caste?
Discrimination can be taken back to the basics, there's often nothing one can do, We as humans have been so engulfed by the hatred and power that its customary to tolerate and to see others go through these situations. Only coming together and educating ourselves will save us from this havoc that we as a society have created. Save our abhorred humanity from the dreary chambers of power, authority, and discrimination. -Mira Menon Image credits - https://images.app.goo.gl/MSggkcTVZVHGmadL6
POLICE BRUTALITY Police brutality refers to the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement officers. It is an extreme form of misconduct or violence and is a civil rights violation.
It also refers to a situation where officers exercise undue or excessive force against a person. Police violence includes physical or verbal harassment, physical or mental injury, property damage, inaction of police officers, and in some cases, death.
An example of police brutality is the custodial death of P Jayaraj and Bennicks.
P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennicks were picked up for inquiry by the Tamil Nadu Police in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district for allegedly violating the Indian government's COVID-19 lockdown rules. According to the police, the duo was held for allegedly keeping their mobile accessories shop open beyond permissible hours on June 19. An FIR was filed against the two on 19 June and both were taken into custody. However CBI in chargesheet claimed there were no violation of the lockdown rules. They were sexually assaulted and tortured by the police while in custody, leading to their deaths. On 22 June 2020, Bennicks fell ill and was moved to the Kovilpatti General Hospital, where he died later that day. The following day, 22 June 2020, his father also died. This incident in Tamil Nadu's Sathankulam town in Thoothukudi district sparked massive outrage in the state over police brutality.
Opposition to such racism and police brutality has seen people unite around the phrase Black Lives Matter (BLM).
Black Lives Matter is an international social movement, formed in the United States in 2013, dedicated to fighting racism and anti-Black violence, especially in the form of police brutality. The name Black Lives Matter signals condemnation of the unjust killings of Black people by police (Black people are far more likely to be killed by police in the United States than white people) and the demand that society value the lives and humanity of Black people as much as it values the lives and humanity of white people.
A good example of police brutality in the United states is the murder of George Floyd
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered near the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down in the street. Two other police officers, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, assisted Chauvin in restraining Floyd. Lane had also pointed a gun at Floyd's head prior to Floyd being put in handcuffs. A fourth police officer, Tou Thao, prevented bystanders from interfering.
In conclusion, police brutality is a cruel and heartless act that worsens the barely-there trust between society and law enforcement. We must stand with the subjugated and protest ardently against such unconstitutional, inhumane, and horrific crimes.
Islamophobia is prejudice against Islam or Muslims, a very serious problem that negatively affects Muslims all around the world. It is a term used to describe irrational hostility, fear, or hatred of Islam, Muslims, and Islamic culture, and active discrimination against these groups or individuals within them. The term gained more popularity in a public discourse after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, but it also spread through the discussions of the UK Runnymede Trust Report on Islamophobia in 1997, and the Danish Muhammad cartoon conflict in 2005–06. Islamophobia needs to be properly recorded to properly examine the scope and nature of the phenomenon, and the narratives and flawed logic used in Islamophobic attacks must be effectively deconstructed and challenged. spreading misinformation about the religion should be stopped at once. People should be taught more about Islam and Muslims to actually know more about their practices and what's its all about. This means that dominant ideas about Muslims and Islam that circulate in popular culture should talk more about what the religion really is about, the diverse everyday experiences of Muslims and their faith. Muslims should have the right to live freely without being a victim of racism or prejudice. not only is it affecting Muslims in non-Muslim countries but also Islamic countries like Egypt are suffering from Islamophobia. - Sara Sindhwani https://images.app.goo.gl/KK9E9xvq5Y97yk3FA
THEM
Our generation sings revolution as a campfire song. Rebellion pulsing in our veins; we are tired, we are drunk, we are young. poetry sharp as knives, poison made of words. Too much wrong to know what isn't, we are bloodthirsty and full of energy. Ghosts of unknown pasts hang low. Not your fault. Not my fault. It's their fault. Their fault.
They don't believe in our demons, we're just too young to be taken seriously. Little do they know that it is them. They are our demons. Baptized in fire, purified by it raining on us. We know our names and we know theirs. They don't know ours.
Blood money, flesh diamonds. They kill and kill for all their materials. We'll never be royals. Diamonds between our teeth, we shoot it at them. They break like hydra heads.
We know too much. Our own homes are prisons; family our jailor. Nothing left to fantasize about except walking outside without chains of safety on our faces. No more dreams, we are already living the nightmare.
This poem is trying to convey the level to which the current younger generations are aware of the atrocities in the recent news. This is something that we have been hearing about since childhood, the world always feels like its ending. We are tired of hearing about all the inequalities our elders put before us and ask us to accept because that is 'how the world works'. We can no longer simply accept what is put in front of us, we have to actively fight back. We protest with the oppressed, shout until our throats are sour, and will not rest until everyone can live as equals. -Ananya Iyer
In the year 1920, there was a rise in intercommunal violence in Mandatory Palestine between Israelis and Palestinians. This led to a war between the two groups, and this war came to a close on May 14, 1948, when Israel became an independent state. Between 700,000 and 750,000 people from the area that became Israel fled or were forcibly removed and became Palestinian refugees. These Palestinian refugees were not allowed to return to Israel and most of the neighbouring Arab states denied granting them citizenship. This set off decades of conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Currently, the occupied Palestinian territory consists of West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza has stayed in place for more than 50 years now. Across these areas, Israeli authorities tend to favour Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians. The Human Rights Watch states that ‘Laws, policies, and statements by leading Israeli officials make plain that the objective of maintaining Israeli control over demographics, political power, and land has long guided government policy’. Palestinians are forced to deal with oppression and discriminatory practices, which involve systematic human rights abuses, including collective punishment, use of excessive, sometimes lethal force against protesters, and long periods of administrative detention without charge or trial for thousands of citizens. There have been cases of expropriating Palestinian land and imposing burdens on Palestinians but not on settlers. Palestinians have been restricted from accessing basic services and there has been a construction ban in the West Bank since 2009. Many construction sites and buildings have been demolished.
“Denying millions of Palestinians their fundamental rights, without any legitimate security justification and solely because they are Palestinian and not Jewish, is not simply a matter of an abusive occupation," said Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch's executive director. World powers must work to ease the plight of Palestinians, and end the decades long suffering faced by people there. -Jayati Singh
Propaganda as a tool for Oppression -Jayati Singh, Ananya Iyer, Sara Sindhwani
Propaganda is a form of communication primarily used to influence its audience and further a school of thought. Facts presented may not be objective but might enforce a specific perception used to produce emotional rather than rational responses to the information provided. Propaganda is associated commonly with material prepared by governments as part of war efforts, political campaigns, revolutionaries, big businesses, ultra-religious organizations and the media. Propaganda can often be recognized by the overblown strategies used in its design. In the 1930s, the Institute for Propaganda Analysis identified a variety of propaganda techniques that were commonly used in newspapers and on the radio, which were the mass media of the time period. Propaganda techniques include "name calling" (using derogatory labels), "bandwagoning" (expressing the social appeal of a message), or "glittering generalities" (using encouraging but incorrect statements broadly classifying social groups into categories).
Oppression is unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of governmental authority or cultural vilification. Oppression may be conspicuous or concealed, depending on how it is presented in society. Oppression refers to discrimination when the injustice targets specific groups of people, generally belonging to social minorities. Social oppression is when a single group in society unjustly takes advantage of and exercises power over another group using dominance and subordination. This results in the socially supported mistreatment and exploitation of a group of individuals by those with relative power. In society, oppression may be based on many factors, such as poverty, gender, class, race, caste. Oppression by institution, known as systematic oppression, is when the laws of a place create unequal treatment of a specific social identity group or groups.
Due to propagandas inescapable nature, it is no surprise that an abundance of our behaviors are influenced by it. History shows proof of forms of propaganda dating back as far as 515 BC it was commonly used in the Roman civil wars between 44 and 30 BC. Propaganda can sink its hooks in so far that it excuses the oppression of a social group. The first large-scale and organized propagation of government propaganda was occasioned by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Government-issued propaganda is especially effective during times of crisis when people are looking for someone to blame, or when there is history of oppression and propaganda is used as a tool to further it.
The Nazis effectively used propaganda to win the support of millions of Germans in a democracy and later in a dictatorship, to facilitate persecution, war, and ultimately the Jewish genocide. Nazi indoctrination was most effective where it could exploit preexisting prejudices. Those born in districts that supported anti-Semitic parties before 1914 showed the greatest increases in anti-Jewish attitudes. This propaganda sought to elicit political loyalty and so-called race consciousness among the ethnically German populations. It also sought to mislead foreign governments—including the European Allies—that Nazi Germany was making understandable and fair demands for concessions and annexations.
After the German invasion of the Soviet Union and their eventual defeat at Stalingrad, Nazi propaganda stressed the links between the Soviet Communism and (already condemned) Judaism to both civilians at home and to soldiers and police officers, painting an apocalyptic picture of what would happen if the Soviets won the war. These themes may have been instrumental in encouraging Nazi and non-Nazi Germans to continue fighting even after the apparent loss. Under the Nazi regime, young Germans were exposed to anti-Semitic ideology in schools, in the (extracurricular) Hitler Youth, and through radio, print, and film. Being exposed to this ideology from a young age in a deeper indoctrination of it. As a result, Germans who grew up under the Nazi regime were much more anti-Semitic than those born before or after that period.
Children are often targets of propaganda as their opinions are malleable and susceptible to manipulation. They are told that they have a role to play in their country’s struggle. They grow up being taught of their superiority to the oppressed class by the people they respect and look up to including their own families. Since children are mirrors of adults, behaviors they observe are mimicked– thus forming a vicious circle of being brain-washed into an oppressor’s mindset. This breeds a generation of loyal soldiers and similar minded people. Especially in the case of government propaganda, this means that the party stays in power and ensures continued support for it maintaining the prevailing status quo.
Islamophobia in the media refers to negative coverage of Islam-related topics, Muslims, or Arabs by media outlets in a way that is hostile, untrue, and/or misleading. Examples of this include disproportionate negative coverage of Islam compared to other religions, association of Muslims with terrorism, portrayal of Islam and its followers as violent or primitive, and exclusion of Muslim perspectives from political and academic discussion, among other topics. Islamophobia is a form of discrimination that is widely propagated by the media. Since media coverage of Muslims and Islam is likely to shape the opinions of those who have limited or no contact with this religion and its people, it is important to analyze the potential associations these media portrayals might have with people's attitudes toward Islam in general and Muslims in particular.
Our minds and opinions are shaped mainly by the various forms of propaganda we have consumed since childhood, whether positive or negative. The information that is indoctrinated in us has lasting impacts. While we cannot change the past, we can move forward and educate ourselves to correct the wrongs taught to us. Propaganda is alive and thriving even today with governments using it as a tool against factors they don't want in their regime. It is crucial for us to be able to recognize the disparity between facts and propaganda presented by the media in this age of information.
The Privileged and their Power -Mira Menon & Malvika K
The privileged. The ones in power. Who appoints those in power and gives them the right to “rule” over the so-called lower members of society? Who gives them the right to oppress other humans? We as humans have divided ourselves into an unquantifiable number of labels, castes, and hierarchies in such a way that we tend to give the ones in self-proclaimed higher positions, the “power”. The power to rule over us, to exploit us, and indoctrinate us with harmful ideologies. These oppressors are blind to the ones they oppress and only use them for their benefit. They are apathetic to their needs, wants, and beliefs. They are privileged by the opportunities that others could not afford to get and as such, do not regard the sanctity of human life. Many such privileged people who believe in the callous ideology of superiority and inferiority still exist. Despite being a part of modern India, in the 21st century, we are still accustomed to so many appalling practices and traditions that violate the concept of equal rights and respect that every human being is deserving of. A myriad of rituals labeled as “traditions” hinder the rights of so many citizens, especially women in India. A practice common to mostly north India, where women, of the lower castes and backgrounds, are abducted and made to perform in the orchestral dance troops during weddings, is a simple way to show an instance of the oppressed and the people in power. People find the need to make it customary to have a dance orchestral group of women in every wedding to mark the tradition. The issue does not lie with it being in demand because it should indisputably not have been made a tradition in the first place, but the fact that such old-fashioned rituals still exist in the modern world is appalling. These groups of women are often abducted and trafficked, forced to work under unsanitary and dangerous conditions, with the risk of getting harassed or mistreated during their work. It is atrocious to see how these practices are still being continued in places like India. Groups of women or solo performers who are paid to come dance at weddings are subjected to harassment and ill-treatment, and dangers. Is being a part of the so-called lower caste, their fault? They are being subjected to trafficking and abduction. They are forced to work for people in “power”, who have self-given titles and power to mistreat people. Isn't it surprising to see people who believe in equal rights and the concept of a society, be a part of such instances and mistreat, look down upon and oppress the lesser privileged ones of the society? In villages, especially in India, the concept of obeying and adapting to the lifestyles set by the people in power still exists. The concept of a “ big man” and “small man” being called based on their caste and religion still flourish. After hundreds of years of people suffering at the hands of the people in power, such practices still continue, despite being aware of the legal aid and programs by the government for their community. People are either scared or unaware of speaking up, getting away from all the monstrosities of paying debts, getting mistreated, and facing the drawbacks of certain rights they are entitled to as human beings. Such blatant acts of discrimination and inequality defy the sanctity of human life. They prey upon social tribulation created by the insecurity human beings have felt for centuries. For example, some societies say that women are the property of their fathers or husbands. Women are not permitted to wear clothing of their own choosing or go anywhere without permission from a man. In some cases, they are prohibited from having bank accounts or even driving a car. Fathers decide who their daughters will marry thus leaving women completely powerless and dependent upon their male counterparts for everything in life. Once joined in matrimony, women are discouraged from the path of education and instead, are coerced into being a homemaker. They are expected to be selfless and let go of their dreams and ambitions to serve and raise a family. While there is nothing inherently wrong with being a homemaker, the fact is that in most cases, a woman’s choice is taken away from her. She is pressured into situations she does not feel comfortable in. She is oppressed by the very people she leans on for justice - the system and the people who control it. From birth, girls are automatically entitled to less; from playtime to food, to education, girls can expect to always be entitled to less than their brothers. Girls also have less access to their family's income and assets, which is exacerbated among poor, rural Indian families. From the start, it is understood that females will be burdened with strenuous work and exhausting responsibilities for the rest of their lives, always with little to no compensation or recognition. There are many more examples of this type of institutional oppression, one of them being, the subjugation of Dalits. Dalit is a name for people belonging to the lowest level caste in India. They were previously characterized as "untouchables". They were excluded from the four-fold varna(caste) system of Hinduism and were seen as forming the fifth varna(caste), also known by the name of Panchama. According to a 2007 report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), the treatment of Dalits has been like a "hidden apartheid" and that they "endure segregation in housing, schools, and access to public services". Dalits also comprise a disproportionate number of India's prison inmates. While Dalits (including both SCs and STs) constitute 25 % of the Indian population, they account for 33.2 % of prisoners. Caste-related violence between Dalit and non-Dalits stems from ongoing prejudice by upper-caste members. According to data for 2000 collected by India's National Crime Records Bureau, 25,455 crimes against Dalits were committed in the year 2000, the latest year for which the data is only available, 2 Dalits are assaulted every hour, 3 Dalit women are raped every day, 2 Dalits are murdered, and 2 Dalit homes are set on fire every day. In September 2015, a 45-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly stripped naked and was forced to drink urine by perpetrators in Madhya Pradesh. A Dalit activist was killed in 2020 for social media posts criticizing Brahmins. A Dalit was killed in 2019 for eating in front of upper-caste men. This form of institutional and internalized oppression must be retaliated against for the well-being of the subjugated. We must fight with the oppressed and stand by each other in times of adversity. We must fight wholeheartedly against any kind of propaganda or indoctrination that puts innocent lives at risk because if we don't, we run the risk of living in a crumbling society whose endeavors reflect the oppression, anger, danger, and hatred that exists within.
The top 3 articles we chose were ‘Gender Equality’ , ‘Right to Abortion and Contraception’ and ‘Le droit d’être différent’. The piece on ‘gender equality’ by Malliot Déborah was very informative. The points stated are those we agree with deeply. Women face inequality in the workplace everywhere, sometimes despite being more qualified than their male counterparts. Women are expected to have the perfect balance of work and life, while men are excused if their work causes them to neglect their family. This is a universal problem, as stated in the article. The piece on “Contraception and Abortion” written by Alix, was a piece that greatly moved us. We agree with the views and opinions portrayed in the article and support the rights of abortion. The article spoke about the right of a woman to do whatever she wants with her body and to be able to opt for any method to deal with pregnancy without being crumpled under societal pressure. The strong opinions on how people go through unwanted pregnancy are something that everyone, especially young adults should be aware of. Without a doubt, the rights of abortion should be implemented in countries. The idea of criminalization of abortion should be removed from minds of the society. “Le Droit d'être différent” was a piece covering the aspects and opinions on the right to individuality that we as humans deserve to have. “I have the right not to be on the highway with the crowd, but to choose my own path, even if I have to create it with my own hands.” I strongly agree with the opinions stated in the article that every human should have the right to be themselves and not be burdened by the herd instinct that society forces upon us. To be an individual is to be free. We as young adults, should be aware of our rights and should not be crushed under the norms, it is imperative that we learn about ourselves and our identities before we choose to conform to societal standards. The articles were concise and precise in their points, with all the important topics being covered efficiently. To see our views being shared by students in another country invoked a feeling of togetherness and unity in our youth. The projects helped us elaborate with detailed research on our views and let us share the ideas that stemmed from it with the world. Engaging in conversations with the other school helped us get an insight in their views and ideology. We all enjoyed this project and wouldn’t exchange this experience for anything!
-Mira, Malvika, Ananya, Sara, Jayati.
The write-up that struck a chord with us:
The article highlighting "right to abortion and contraceptive" Written by Alix, is what truly struck s chord with us. As young adults it is vital to know about our rights and be aware about our situations and opportunities. The right to abortion falls in the category of human rights, albeit basic human rights that each and every human being should have. We as individuals should be in control of our body and it is our right to chose to do whatever we want with it. The Ideation of criminalization of abortion in many countries around the world still exists and this is what truly haunts us. It is the right of a woman to do whatever she wishes with her body. At the end of the day it's not just about decisions but about responsibilities and drawbacks that fall on some women because of those decisions. Not all women might be financially able to raise another human being and as written in the article, no human being should be a "mistake". No human should have to be forced to do something they are not mentally able to cope up with.
COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
The Eumind project has taught us a lot about communication, whether it was with our teams or with our teacher in charge or the international students whom we got the opportunity to talk to. The collaboration between Hiranandani Foundation School x Leconte De Lisle, gave us an opportunity to communicate with students our age but from a different nationality and culture. The conference which started off with an exchange of opinions and ideations on the human rights topic slowly turned into an interaction amongst the peers. Although informal, it helped us learn a lot about their culture, traditions and ideology. Eumind gave us a platform to learn more about different cultures and talk to people our age consequently, giving us a little peak into their lives. Despite there being a communication barrier, we were able to convey and understand each other's stances and opinions well.
REFLECTIONS
Eumind as a project in itself taught us a lot. It gave us a platform for us to voice our opinions, portray our thoughts and visualizations through literature and art. We learned a lot about team values and coordination. The theme “ human rights” gave us the opportunity to learn more about the basic human rights that people should deserve but lack not only in our country but around the world. The video conference that took place between the two schools gave us an opportunity to get familiar with children with different backgrounds and nationalities. It helped us learn about their views and opinions and share our knowledge amongst each other. -Mira Menon (Group Leader)
Participating in Eumind has been an astounding experience. It has allowed me to appreciate and acknowledge information about issues that I am passionate about. It has also enabled me to understand and educate myself on humanitarian issues I was unaware of. Interacting with the students from our partner school Leconte De Lisle has given me invaluable insight into the ideology and opinions of people from different cultures. It was truly a memorable experience which provided me a platform for expressing my opinions and thoughts on various political, humanitarian and social issues. -Malvika Kasturi (IT Head)
Participating in Eumind has been an enlightening experience, and has taught me a lot. It has broadened my point of view and given me an opportunity to voice my opinions and share my thoughts with my peers. It has allowed me to spread awareness about issues i’m passionate about and has also made me more aware of issues I was previously not acquainted with. Our interactions with the students of Leconte de Lisle have been extremely fruitful and informative. Eumind has given me detailed insight into international cultures and humanitarian problems. -Jayati (Design Head)
The whole process of the Eumind project has taught me a lot. As a much need platform to voice the opinions of youth, it has allowed me to articulate and put forth my thoughts, values and ideas in a precise way. The theme of ‘human rights’ broadened my horizons with the thorough research my team and I conducted as we wrote out articles. The video conference that took place along with Leconte De Lisle school was refreshing, and gave us insights into their views. -Ananya (Editor)
The entire Eumind experience has been very educational and informative. it gave us the golden opportunity to learn new things, voice our opinions, thoughts and even spread awareness. Interacting with the students of Leconte De Lisle has given us an insight on their views and ideologies. We all shared our thoughts, engaged in casual conversations, got to know each other better and made new friends in the end. Eumind has been a joyous experience which helped us increase our knowledge and social skills. -Sara (Research Head)