Best of: When does the language of rights have power?

Strength & Solidarity is taking a break until Season Five starts in October 2023. Meanwhile we’re repeating some of our favourite shows, continuing with episode 8,  first released,  March 30, 2021.

For people who have made defending rights their life’s work, the language of rights comes as second nature. But what about those facing repression, exclusion or loss of their land and livelihood – how do they describe what is happening to them? When politicians instrumentalize human rights language to justify their interests, does the idea of rights become fatally degraded? In this episode we dig into where the language of human rights shows up, and who can legitimately use it. We speak with Thailand-based human rights lawyer Emilie Palamy Pradichit, founder of the Manushya foundation, on her work with indeigenous communties fighting for rights to their land and what that has taught her about the language of human rights. And in our Coda,  Bangladeshi human rights defender Adilur Rahman Khan celebrates his country’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

In this episode:

• Why it matters who is doing the talking about rights
• The Coda: A lifelong Bangladeshi activist celebrates his national poet.

For a list of supplemental readings and additional information about this episode’s content, please visit www.strengthandsolidarity.org/podcast

Send us your ideas and your feedback at pod@strengthandsolidarity.org