‘Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.’

(Source- The United Nations Human Rights website)

Utopian sounding and reverberating with the cleanest of words and the noblest of intentions, the definition of human rights makes for a good place to start a discourse. Like all definitions of intangible values, it reveals a subtext that radiates confidence and hope.

Human rights, however play out in a very different way. We hear the term almost always in the context of its violation. The understanding of what is a ‘right’ gets hazy when opposing perspectives collide.

The individual versus another individual, the individual versus the community, the community versus another community, one gender juxtaposed against another, one race against another, one way of thinking opposed to another; the list is endless. In the midst of this chaos, it is not easy to find the space that allows for introspection. But this is not a dialogue that can wait.

As a global society, we find ourselves connected to all of humanity. The thread that connects is now stronger than ever. Less than twenty years ago, we relied on radio waves, television broadcasts and newspaper. Today, we get instant updates from a variety of platforms. What happens in one corner of the world is immediately relayed everywhere. As far as information goes, we have never been this spoilt for its availability. If one has the means, the kaleidoscope of a world is on offer.

However, some questions come to mind. Does information translate into knowledge? Is access to this superhighway equal? Does understanding of a situation propel its solution? Is the subject in this entire discourse lost in the vast ocean of objects andobjectives?

This is where the answers become tedious.

We speak more about equality, we discuss more about the different realities in different societies, we debate the way issues play out in myriad contexts, and more people than ever have spoken up and announced their stand on many issues owing to the existence of social media. And yet, we find more and more things to be dismayed about. Despite the glorious feeling that all the information we require is a click away, the discomfort of helplessness, always looms round the bend.

Taking the example of the recent happenings around the world, it becomes apparent.

A baby girl is born to Prince William and Princess Kate of Britain in early May 2015. Speculations, updates and announcements fill the media. The persons in question are celebrities and being used to this kind of attention, have put systems in place. As a result, appropriate smiling pictures and vetted information is released and shared with the public.

Around the same time, in another continent, the aftermath of an earthquake has played out its havoc. The beautiful Himalayan country of Nepal is shaken by an earthquake, twice over in the span of less than a month. On-the-ground reports given in bypersons on the site are flooding the media. There is exemplary relief and outreach work being coordinated by individuals and groups thanks to the many who take it upon themselves to be proactive. However, not all information and not all photographic documentation is doing more than sustain the curiosity and unfold more and more horrors. One of the pictures doing the rounds on social media is an example. Two very young children are holding each other and there is some commentary on the tragic situation of children affected by the earthquake. While we may never know the context of the photo in question, one wonders if the rights of children in difficult circumstances have ever crossed the mind of the one who took the picture and circulated it and of those who mindlessly forward and repost it?

Moving on to more generalised observations, what are the rights of a population that has been excluded from the mainstream for various reasons? Do they just endure being showcased as exotic and get put on a virtual pedestal and admired, discussed but never truly integrated? Even ‘excluded’ and ‘marginalised’ can become a heavy label to shake off.

What are the rights of a society unable to avail of what is due to them because of longstanding economic inequities? Take health, for example. Sometimes, the right to healthcare is the one unfulfilled aspect that could mean the difference between life and death. A recent case of a surgical tragedy in central India was a grim reminder of the fact that even a program to ensure a better quality of life for women can be the reason for their death if not implemented properly.

The rights of children are well understood by those who have access to the latest information and updates, but these very rights are violated time and again by those who either do not have the access to the information or if they do, have no clear idea about the severity of the faux pas.

The canvas is large. The tussle between age-old values stemming from systems like patriarchy and our contemporary understanding gives rise to the dilemmas that plague our local and global society. Transitions are never easy and what is playing out is, (an optimist’s point of view!) a churning to shake off the old and ring in the new.

The media is the single most important vehicle for carrying information to the people. What it chooses to focus on, what it chooses to leave out, what colours it decides to paint the picture with and what empty spaces it deliberately leaves out, affects the consumers of this crucial lifeline.

The upholding and the sustenance of rights is an intrinsic part of a responsible content creator, be it news, non-fiction or storytelling. The desire to speak of the things that matter will always compete with the wish of sharing sensational and meaningless pieces for their shock value. It is an important choice and it must be made day after day, on a case to case basis. Given the crucial position it holds today, right and responsible information will pave the way for a rights based and responsible society.