Equal Rights Research Articles

Building Strength in the African American Community: Pittsburgh’s Centre Avenue YMCA

ABSTRACT The Centre Avenue YMCA was a “colored” YMCA formed under the separate but equal doctrine, but its separate status did more than maintain segregation. Pittsburgh’s Centre Avenue YMCA was chief among the businesses, schools, and institutions established and led by African Americans, for African Americans, in the first half of the twentieth century. It shielded its members from the racism of White-controlled spaces, provided facilities and programs previously unavailable to Pittsburgh’s African American community, and nurtured leadership and activism toward greater equality and civil rights. Its upper floors provided hotel-like rooms to African American visitors, workers, and students denied entrance to mainstream accommodations. Its significance is embodied in its 1923 building, the only one still standing in Pennsylvania to have been partially funded by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald in an initiative to construct African American YMCAs nationwide; Pittsburgh’s African American community raised the required matching funds.

Pengaruh Aktivis Mahasiswa Dalam Perubahan Sosial Politik Di Era Digital 5.0

The study explores how student activists at the Islamic State University of North Sumatra (UINSU) influence the socio-political dynamics of the digital era 5.0. This era is marked by technological advances that integrate the physical, digital, and biological worlds, thus providing a new platform for student activism. Student activists not only act as agents of change through social and political activities, but they also use digital technology to expand their influence. The research uses a survey method with structured questionnaires distributed to UINSU student activists, as well as a qualitative approach to gaining an in-depth understanding of their views, attitudes, and experiences of socio-political change. Research findings indicate that student activists effectively use social media and digital technology for campaigns and mobilization. Through social media and internet platforms, activists can quickly mobilize people and draw attention to key topics such as gender equality, climate change, and human rights on a global scale. In the digital age of 5.0, student activists can also more successfully challenge existing forces by using digital tactics, including online campaigns, digital petitions, and online boycott movements, in addition to conducting physical demonstrations in public spaces. They not only use technology as a tool of struggle, but also as a new space for building critical awareness and solidarity. However, the research also finds challenges faced by student activists, such as the spread of disinformation and hoaxes, digital gaps, and technology access. Nonetheless, student activists continue to adapt quickly and innovate to overcome these barriers. The study provides significant insights into the role of digital technology in student activism and its implications for healthy political participation in the digital age 5.0, as well as solutions to strengthen the integrity of democracy at the local level.

Analisis Permendkbudristek No. 46 Tahun 2023 Terhadap Kekerasan Struktural Yang Terjadi Pada Aliran Kepercayaan Sapto Darmo Di Kabupaten Kendal

Findings of structural violence in the world of education continue to occur today. One type of structural violence that often occurs in the educational environment is educational discrimination against minorities. Cases of educational discrimination were also experienced by the Sapto Darmo sect of faith in Kendal Regency, some of whom experienced difficulties in obtaining formal education. In fact, Kendal is one of the districts in Central Java Province which has 5 developing religious beliefs, one of which is the Sapto Darmo Belief. The purpose of this research is to find out whether Permendikbudristek Regulation No. 46 of 2023 can be used as a legal umbrella for adherents of the Sapto Darmo belief in Kendal Regency or whether this regulation is just a formality. The method used in this research is analyzing the policy results of Minister of Education and Culture Regulation No. 46 of 2023 on the Sapto Darmo belief sect in Kendal Regency using empirical juridical analysis. In particular, this research is targeted to be a reference source for the Kendal Regency Government in providing equal educational rights for adherents of the Sapto Darmo belief system. The results of this research show that Permendikbudristek No. 46 of 2023 has been implemented well for students who adhere to existing beliefs in Kendal Regency, especially the Sapto Darmo belief sect. The conclusion of this research is that the violence that was previously feared would befall religious students in Kendal Regency has gradually improved and there are no longer any reports of schools prohibiting religious students from entering school. If in the future there are still schools that prohibit this, the Kendal Regency Government and the Kendal Regency Education and Culture Office will seek mediation and legal action.

Unveiling the Dynamic Impact of Queer Celebrities on School Youth’s Perceptions of Gender and Sexual Diversity

This study explored the disruption of queer celebrities on the normalisation of heterosexuality and cisnormativity amongst school youth. Qualitative research was employed with a phenomenological research design to conduct semi-structured interviews with seven high school learners between the ages of 16 and 17 in the town of Kroonstad in the Free State Province of South Africa. The findings highlight the symbiotic relationship between queer celebrities and school youth gravitating between self-identification, challenging stereotypes, visibility, and advocacy. Bigger platforms for queer celebrities should be created in schools to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and equal rights. This will contribute to a more inclusive society, making its way to educational settings, and leading to more inclusivity of gender and sexual diversity in the school system.

AS DECISÕES DOS TRIBUNAIS E POSSÍVEIS SOLUÇÕES À GUARDA COMPARTILHADA EM CASOS DE VIOLÊNCIA DOMÉSTICA

This article analyzes how the issue of shared custody in cases of domestic violence has been approached and decided by Brazilian courts. The study covers legislation, doctrine and jurisprudence to understand the practical application of the relevant laws. The Civil Code of 2002 and Law 13,058/2014, which establish shared custody as a rule, are discussed, but the recent Law 14,713/2023 significantly changed the rules, prohibiting shared custody in cases of domestic violence. Historically, Brazilian civil legislation has always prioritized the protection of minors, establishing that custody can be unilateral or shared. Shared custody, where both parents have equal responsibilities and rights, was the general rule, except in specific cases such as domestic violence, where the law previously allowed sole custody when justified. With the introduction of Law 14,713/2023, shared custody was prohibited in situations of domestic violence. This legislative change aims to protect children and victims of violence, ensuring that the aggressor cannot have joint custody. The article cites court decisions that confirm the prevalence of shared custody as a general rule and exceptions in cases of violence. In summary, Law 14,713/2023 represents a significant advance by prohibiting shared custody in cases of domestic violence, reflecting the need to protect victims and guarantee the safety of children. The article concludes that, despite improvements, there are still challenges in applying and raising awareness of legal changes.

Human rights health care measures reporting physical fitness test for ages 6 to 17 with 10-year follow-up

Purpose This study aims to compare the physical fitness test results of Japanese children in 2008 and 2018 to narrow the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy and extend healthy life expectancy. In addition, this paper sought to explore the potential of implementing health education programs as a new social context to promote race equality and human rights in health and social care. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted in 2008 and 2018 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Physical fitness tests related to growth and development were administered to participants aged 6–17 years. Findings Physical fitness measurements in 2018, specifically those for walking ability and endurance, were significantly inferior to those in 2008. In a gender-specific analysis, boys outperformed girls in muscle strength, muscle endurance, walking ability and endurance tests, while girls outperformed boys in the balance test. Research limitations/implications Most of the junior and senior high school students who participated in the EO test exceeded the upper limit of 120 s, suggesting that the load of the measurement method is low and improvement is necessary. In 2018, a large variation in 6M results was observed among participants, possibly due to the differences in the level of seriousness during the 6M test. Therefore, to ensure that junior and senior high school students properly perform the EO and 6M tests, it is necessary to devise an effective method of implementation, such as changing the physical fitness test load. Originality/value Mere health education is ineffective to address health inequalities. Addressing structural factors is essential to avoid unintended consequences such as increasing the gap between groups of people. However, one way to extend healthy life expectancy is to improve overall health, including differences in the health status of groups due to differences in region and socioeconomic status.

Invisible Children: the Face and Reverse of Special Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1958–1990

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was one of the republics of the former Yugoslavia (SFRJ), a state with an established totalitarian regime that kept its subjects under control and imposed a recognized ideology on them. Although it tried to present itself as a country with equal rights for all people, that was not the case. Namely, the example of people with disabilities reveals the double face of the regime. While other republics developed already inherited institutions for the care of children with disabilities, BiH did not even have a higher education institution for the education of specialists for working with children and adults with disabilities until the mid-1990s. Special elementary schools were also rare. In some elementary schools, there were auxiliary departments for children with disabilities. Segregation was highly emphasized and parents often hid their children because of shame and public condemnation. In this paper, I will try to show how the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina treated special education within the state of Yugoslavia. It is obvious that, despite the needs, special education in BiH was underdeveloped. At the higher education institutions that trained future teachers, there was no mention of working with children with disabilities. For the most part, schools solved this issue according to their priorities and possibilities. Although they talked about the importance of health and inclusion in the education of all, the example of this republic shows the opposite. So, it is evident that the ideology of a totalitarian regime in the 20th century misuses the concept of child health. In doing so, such regimes use childcare to publicly promote their ideological intentions and social awareness while the situation in practice testifies otherwise. From the data obtained by researching three pedagogical journals in the period from 1958–1990, it is clear that special education remained somewhere in the corner and that schools or teachers decided by themselves whether or not they would accept these children into their environment. Therefore, the situation in education in BiH, a society that called itself socialistic, often had results that showed the opposite, and this was exactly what was reflected in the field of special education.

Arsitektur Inklusif Sebagai Tanggapan Bagi Jamaah Disabilitas Masjid Al Kamil Panenjoan Sumedang

A mosque is a building where Muslims carry out mass/congregational or individual worship, as well as other activities related to Islamic culture. Mosques have an important role in accommodatang all the needs of their users without exception. Congregants who come are not only adults but children, men and women, people with disabilities with all their limitations. Several facilities for people with disabilities have been provided but need to be improved for comfort. and user safety. So, a real solution is needed to be able to solve this problem. In architecture, there is an approach known, namely inclusive architecture which highly upholds the equal rights of every individual in their activities and activities in the Al Kamil Panenjoan Sumedang Mosque. The lack of guiding blocks and signage will certainly make it difficult for pilgrims to come, especially for people with disabilities. By implementing inclusive architecture at the Al Kamil Panenjoan Sumedang Mosque, it is hoped that it can accommodate and facilitate accessibility to this area, especially for people with disabilities.

Legal Certainty of Patients’ Right to Autonomy Protection in High-Risk Health Services

The relationship between medical personnel and patients in health services should be viewed as a legal relationship between humans who have equal rights. There are two basic human rights in health services, the right to autonomy and the right to information. The results of the study indicate that the protection of patients' autonomy rights is one of the principles in biomedical ethics used as the moral basis for the provision of health services. The form of protection of patients' autonomy rights in health services is realized through regulations related to Informed Consent in Law Number 17 of 2023 Concerning Health and Minister of Health Regulation Number 290 of 2008 Concerning Consent to Medical Actions. Meanwhile, regulations related to the protection of patients' autonomy rights for high-risk health care actions have not met legal certainty because the health care actions are not classified as high-risk.

PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENSURING SOCIAL JUSTICE - A UNITED NATIONS PERSPECTIVE

Social justice is a concept that evolved through industrial revolution and with the advent of socialist views on the organization of the society. The concept has its roots in Anglo Saxon political culture which dominated in 10th century. It does not find place in the Bill of Human Rights which comprised the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the General Assembly in 1948 to ensure fundamental human rights for all and the two Covenants adopted in 1966. Whereas Human Rights are inherent rights that one has because one is human. The Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Human rights and social justice are not synonymous and are two different concepts but they are closely linked. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes economic, social and cultural rights such as the right to health, security in the event of unemployment, and education. In 1966, these rights were brought into the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), part of the International Bill of Human Rights. With this The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action affirm that Human rights education should include peace, democracy, development and social justice, as set forth in international and regional human rights instruments, in order to achieve common understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening universal commitment to human rights. Thus, social justice is based on the concept of human rights and equality and can be defined as the way in which the human rights are manifested in the lives of people at various levels of society. This paper analyses the concept of social justice & human rights from the UN perspective.

Analyzing Thailand’s Amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code on Marriage Equality: Progress, Shortcomings, and the Struggle for LGBTIQAN+ Rights to Family Establishment

Thailand’s proposed amendment of the Civil and Commercial Code (“CCC”) on marriage equality, recently passed by the lower house of Parliament on 27 March 2024, marks a historic milestone and represents a significant step towards recognizing the rights of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex Queer Asexual and Non-Binary+ (LGBTIQAN+) individuals to establish families. This commentary article critically examines the draft legislation through the lens of international human rights law and domestic constitutional principles of equality and human dignity. Situating the Act within Thailand’s international obligations, the article traces the legislative history and highlights the progressive vision of the Civil Society Draft, which developed from the thesis-based research of Chawinroj Teerapatcharaporn, School of Law, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU). It commends the shift towards gender-neutral language in marriage eligibility while critiquing the retention of binary “father/mother” terminology as falling short of genuine inclusivity. Drawing from parliamentary debates, the commentary engages with objections raised by religious party MPs, countering them by reasserting the primacy of constitutional equality and secular human rights principles over religious precepts in civil law matters. The article concludes by assessing the Act’s potential impact and the ongoing struggle for fully realizing LGBTIQAN+ family rights, calling for further reform that embraces gender neutrality and equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Two Decades of Women's Affirmative Action in Indonesia: Some Reflections and Recommendations

Democracy essentially requires equal rights between men and women. Both men and women should have equal opportunity to participate in public affairs such as politics. However, women’s political participation remains low compared to men. Women face many obstacles in expressing their political views, particularly in electoral politics. To address the issue, the government has adopted affirmative action by setting a gender quota to enhance women’s political representation. However, the quota does not automatically increase women’s electability parliament. Indonesia is an example of this case. Women’s political representation has never exceeded 30% since the introduction of direct elections. We used a qualitative method for this study. We found that four reasons cause the issue – women’s socio-political capital, the weakness of party institutionalization, the strict political competition among candidates, and voters’ pragmatic behavior during elections. We concluded that there should be severe attempts from various parties – government, political party, and civil society – to increase women’s political representation. Our study matters for mainstreaming gender equality and pushing democracy more substantively. Keywords: affirmative policy, Indonesia, women’s political representation.

Keterlibatan Orang dengan Gangguan Jiwa dalam Proses Pemilu: Tinjauan Hukum Perdata terhadap Kewenangan dan Batasan

The involvement of people with mental illness in elections is an important issue in the context of civil law, human rights and political participation. In Indonesia, although the 1945 Constitution and related laws provide equal rights for all citizens, including people with mental disabilities, there is still debate about their eligibility to participate in elections. Several articles in the Civil Code state that people with mental illness are not legally competent, while electoral laws allow their participation if they are not permanently mentally impaired. This research examines the legal basis and limitations of the authority of persons with mental disabilities in elections, and analyzes the existing legal uncertainties. It is hoped that the results of this research can provide recommendations to improve political inclusion for people with mental disabilities in Indonesia.

Pelecehan Seksual Terhadap Model Perempuan dalam Prespektif Hukum Islam (Studi Kasus di Banjarnegara)

This research aims to understand the phenomenon of sexual harassment against female models in Banjarnegara from the perspective of Islamic law and the Criminal Code. This research uses a qualitative research method with a case study research type. Research data was obtained through interviews with victims of sexual harassment, perpetrators of sexual harassment, victims' families, law enforcement officers, and community leaders in Banjarnegara. The research results show that sexual harassment against female models in Banjarnegara is a serious problem. Modes of sexual harassment that often occur include physical and verbal harassment. The factors behind the occurrence of sexual harassment are the perception that women are weak and powerless, patriarchal culture, and lack of law enforcement. Sanctions for sexual harassment according to Islamic law and the Criminal Code vary. In Islamic law, sexual harassment is included in the category of zina and is punishable by had. Meanwhile, in the Criminal Code, sexual harassment is regulated in Articles 281, 282, 283 and 285, with the threat of a maximum criminal penalty of two years and eight months or a maximum fine of IDR 4,500. This research recommends several steps to prevent sexual harassment against female models in Banjarnegara, including: Increasing education about gender equality and women's rights, Strengthening law enforcement against perpetrators of sexual harassment, Providing assistance and protection for victims of sexual harassment.

Intimate partner violence against adolescent girls: regional and national prevalence estimates and associated country-level factors

Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem and negatively affects short-term and long-term health, development, and wellbeing of adolescent girls. Global estimates from WHO have shown that adolescent girls aged 15-19 years experience high rates of intimate partner violence. We aimed to estimate the lifetime and past-year prevalence and patterns of physical or sexual intimate partner violence against adolescent girls by male partners across 161 countries and areas, and to examine the country-level factors, including the prevalence of child marriage, associated with the lifetime and past-year prevalence of intimate partner violence in this age group. These analyses used the 2018 global, regional, and country estimates on intimate partner violence published by WHO and economic, social, and political metadata from subject-specific databases. Drawing on data from the WHO Global Database on Prevalence of Violence Against Women, we used hierarchical Bayesian modelling techniques to estimate lifetime and past-year prevalence of physical or sexual (or both) intimate partner violence against adolescent girls aged 15-19 years by country. Linear regression methods were used to examine contextual social, economic, and political factors associated with intimate partner violence against adolescent girls in the 101 countries (lifetime prevalence) and 105 countries (past-year prevalence) for which these metadata were available. The estimated global prevalence of physical or sexual intimate partner violence against ever-partnered adolescent girls aged 15-19 years was 24% (95% uncertainty interval 21-28) in their lifetime and 16% (14-19) in the past year. Prevalence varied greatly across countries and regions, with lifetime prevalence ranging from 6% (3-11) in Georgia to 49% (35-64) in Papua New Guinea. Overall, the prevalence of both lifetime (154 countries) and past-year (157 countries) intimate partner violence against adolescent girls was higher in low-income and lower-middle-income countries and regions than in high-income countries and regions. Countries with higher rates of female secondary school enrolment and those with inheritance laws that are more gender-equal had lower prevalence of intimate partner violence against adolescent girls. Lower-income countries and societies with a high prevalence of child marriage had higher prevalence of physical or sexual intimate partner violence against adolescent girls. Our findings highlight the widespread prevalence of intimate partner violence against adolescent girls across the globe and its relationship with country-level contextual factors. They emphasise the need for promoting and ensuring policies and programmes that increase and ensure gender equality. Countries should strive to provide secondary education for all girls, ensure equal property rights for women, eliminate discriminatory gender norms, and address harmful practices such as child marriage. UN Women-WHO Joint Programme on Strengthening Violence Against Women Data funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office and the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction.

VALUE-NORMATIVE DIMENSIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IN THE CONDITIONS OF WAR

The article is devoted to the study of the ethical and value dimensions of the ecological crisis in the situation caused by war, and to the clarification of the significance of human responsibility for one’s actions in relation to nature. It is shown that the observance of moral and ethical norms and orientation to the values vital to man are a necessary condition for the preservation of human life and nature. The analysis of the tasks set in the article is carried out on the basis of the use of ideas of communicative philosophy and discursive ethics, which allows to form knowledge about the ecologically constructive relations of man with nature, to assess the scale of environmental problems in the conditions of war, and to search for ways to mitigate the consequences of the ecological crisis for man and nature.It is substantiated that the ecological crisis has value and cultural origins, therefore the awareness of the need to adhere to universal human values and the correlation of human actions in relation to nature with the norms of cultural and historical universalism becomes especially relevant. Attention is focused on the fact that in the conditions of war, barbaric expansion into the natural world, soullessness, merciless treatment of the plant and animal world, man and humanity must be guided in their actions by humanistic consciousness and moral principles, determine their actions by understanding responsibility for life. It has been established that modern man’s recognition of the importance of moral and ethical norms and humanistic values is an alternative to a lifestyle built on an unlimited, aggressive, exploitative attitude towards nature. Despite the difference between the types of culture and different cultural systems, the dominance of different value systems, people must equally ensure equal rights and bear joint responsibility for life. The most promising development strategy for humanity in a war situation should be the preservation of human life in unity with nature.

Labor investment inefficiency and LGBTQ+-friendliness

We study the effect of firms' LGBTQ+ friendliness on their labor investment efficiency and find that an improvement in firms' LGBTQ+ friendliness leads to greater labor investment inefficiencies, and that more LGBTQ+ friendly firms tend to underinvest in labor. However, we show that this relationship diminishes over time as societal and legal support for LGBTQ+ equal rights increases. A variety of firm and societal characteristics moderate the negative link between corporate LGBTQ+ friendliness and labor investment efficiency.

Analysis of The Concept of Women's Careers According to Feminism as Well as Contradictions in The Islamic Perspective

Abstract: The development of feminism issues over time has led to this ideology increasingly dominating the views of women in various aspects of life. The doctrine of radical feminism has shaped the social view of women reviewed from a capitalist perspective, achievement, and work ethos. The historical events of the 1970s were full of discrimination against women by church culture, which sparked a rebellion for equal rights with men. It builds a paradigm that women must have achievements and social influence to gain societal rights and capacity. Therefore, a career becomes the main aspiration of feminism. However, this affects the shift in the roles and responsibilities of women traditionally identified as wives and mothers and responsible for the household. For feminism, being a career woman is the right of all women, and not limited to domestic roles. The study examines the contradiction between feminism and Islamic perspectives on women's careers. The method used is qualitative research based on library research, with descriptive analysis and critical analysis approaches. The results of this study reveal that the concept of women's careers according to feminism is based only on the trauma of the church's cultural history that intimidates women. But Islam is based on the good and the glory of women.

Constitutional safeguard research of female equal employment right in China- Based on the perspective of empirical investigation

Employment is the foundation of people's livelihood. As a basic human right, the right to equal employment has always been a top priority for constitutional protection. Female workers are an important part of the economy and society, and their equal employment is an important catalyst for economic development. Women's right to equal employment is an important element in realizing women's personal and social values, as well as an important element of the State's efforts to build a harmonious society. Compared with the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the protection of women's equal rights in employment has made great progress. However, the influence of history, culture and traditional concepts still lingers, and the burden of women's maternity has aggravated the invisible discrimination in employment, while the newly released "three-child" policy has also had a certain impact on equal employment. The phenomenon of women being discriminated against in employment is still not uncommon. Therefore, this paper explores the problems, countermeasures and future development direction of the protection of women's right to equal employment in China from the system of protection of women's right to employment in China's Constitution and other laws and judicial practice. On the one hand, China should improve the existing laws and regulations, improve judicial procedures, define the criteria for determining discrimination in employment, and formulate a special anti-discrimination law; on the other hand, we should strengthen the law enforcement mechanism, and set up a specialized labor inspection and enforcement agency to protect equal employment and a more pro-employment “Equal Employment Commission”.

Disability in EU’s institutional discourse

Abstract During the last decades, disability policy has undergone considerable changes at European level, evolving from a disregarded branch of social policy to an essential area centered on equal rights and non-discrimination. In this context, terminology and definitions have proved to be of pivotal importance since they can bear and impose more or less appropriate theoretical perspectives, depending on the prevailing ideologies within society in different historical periods (Priestley 2007). Drawing on the assumption that the way disability is linguistically and discursively construed at institutional level has a crucial effect on how it is experienced, the activities of supra-national institutions appear all the more central to how disability is structured in relation to social policy, change, and politics. Within the context of the EU, the European Commission seems particularly relevant since it plays a major role in policy development. In fact, although the Parliament can amend or veto legislative acts, only the Commission can propose new legislation. This study concentrates on disability-related legislation and strategies – which increasingly shape the lives of about 87 million disabled people estimated to live in Europe – by investigating how disability is framed in the EU’s institutional discourse. Linguistic (qualitative and quantitative) analysis of two of the most recent documents issued by the European Commission (namely the European Disability Strategy 2010–2020 and the European Disability Strategy 2021–2030) is meant to explore the main principles through which disability is theorised and construed in relation to the dominant ideological system of beliefs and values (Drake 1999; Grue 2020). Against the backdrop of previous research (Waldschmidt 2009) which took into account EU disability-related documents over a time-span ranging from 1958 to 2005, this paper seeks to shed light on the way discourses about disability are created and perpetuated, to be then translated into policy outcomes in the last decades and the years to come.