JOHANNESBURG, South Africa. South African Idols 2010 winner Elvis Blue today experienced life as a beggar at a busy intersection in Rosebank, Johannesburg. This was to raise awareness for International Human Rights Day and particularly the human rights of people living in poverty. Blue swapped his guitar for a garbage bag and traded places with Elvis Bosten, a 35-year old homeless man who has been living a tough life on the streets for many years. Blue is supporting the Barefoot Against Poverty campaign, launched by the platform Every Human Has Rights.
According to the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, seven out of 10 South Africans are poor, if the upper poverty line of R949 per person per month is used. The poor represented 72 per cent of the population in the last year of apartheid in 1993. It now stands at 70 per cent and globally over 3-billion people live on less than R18 a day.
"We live in a country with great
need and closing our eyes to this is not only bad for us but it is also bad for our country," says Blue. The Barefoot Against Poverty campaign urges the nation to go barefoot on International Human Rights Day on 10 December. By becoming more aware of our universal human rights we might begin addressing some of our greatest challenges. According to Every Human Has Rights, the first step is simply to consider the human rights of people who barely have food to put on their table, let alone shoes to put on their feet. Blue, who has been in hot demand since winning the South African Idols competition just last month, said he leapt at the idea of trading places with someone less fortunate than himself, despite a heavy schedule. "I've always wanted to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. I think it's a humbling experience that can only make you a better person. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done" he said. "Some days you wonder
if people really care, so it's good to know that there are some that do," said Bosten, the homeless man who swapped roles with Blue for the day. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is about the conscience of humankind. It sets the standards of behaviour for all people and nations," adds Rashmi Mistry, Campaign Coordinator for Every Human Has Rights. "The Declaration sets out 30 principles including one that says everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, including food and housing. Yet a billion people go hungry and 9 million children die needlessly around the world every day." The Declaration, which has its 62nd anniversary on 10 December, also begins with the statement that every human being is born free and equal and goes on to describe principles around fair employment, non-discrimination and the right to free primary education. Other celebrities who are supporting this year's initiative
include leading philanthropists Sir Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel, Jeff Skoll and human rights champion Albie Sachs, who recently walked barefoot in Cape Town to show his support. Today, teams and individuals taking part in the 28th annual Western Cape Community Chest Twilight Run will walk, crawl and run through the streets of Cape Town's business district wearing creative costumes and wearing Barefoot Against Poverty stickers as part of raising awareness for the campaign. Members of the public will also donate old shoes for the needy at the event. Across the globe people from Jamaica, to Venezuela, Australia, Ghana and India have embraced the Barefoot Against Poverty campaign, signing up to go Barefoot in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Every Human Has Rights is a campaign initiated by the Elders a collective of 12 eminent global leaders including Graça Machel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan, all brought
together by Nelson Mandela.
-CIVICUS
need and closing our eyes to this is not only bad for us but it is also bad for our country," says Blue. The Barefoot Against Poverty campaign urges the nation to go barefoot on International Human Rights Day on 10 December. By becoming more aware of our universal human rights we might begin addressing some of our greatest challenges. According to Every Human Has Rights, the first step is simply to consider the human rights of people who barely have food to put on their table, let alone shoes to put on their feet. Blue, who has been in hot demand since winning the South African Idols competition just last month, said he leapt at the idea of trading places with someone less fortunate than himself, despite a heavy schedule. "I've always wanted to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. I think it's a humbling experience that can only make you a better person. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done" he said. "Some days you wonder
if people really care, so it's good to know that there are some that do," said Bosten, the homeless man who swapped roles with Blue for the day. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is about the conscience of humankind. It sets the standards of behaviour for all people and nations," adds Rashmi Mistry, Campaign Coordinator for Every Human Has Rights. "The Declaration sets out 30 principles including one that says everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, including food and housing. Yet a billion people go hungry and 9 million children die needlessly around the world every day." The Declaration, which has its 62nd anniversary on 10 December, also begins with the statement that every human being is born free and equal and goes on to describe principles around fair employment, non-discrimination and the right to free primary education. Other celebrities who are supporting this year's initiative
include leading philanthropists Sir Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel, Jeff Skoll and human rights champion Albie Sachs, who recently walked barefoot in Cape Town to show his support. Today, teams and individuals taking part in the 28th annual Western Cape Community Chest Twilight Run will walk, crawl and run through the streets of Cape Town's business district wearing creative costumes and wearing Barefoot Against Poverty stickers as part of raising awareness for the campaign. Members of the public will also donate old shoes for the needy at the event. Across the globe people from Jamaica, to Venezuela, Australia, Ghana and India have embraced the Barefoot Against Poverty campaign, signing up to go Barefoot in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Every Human Has Rights is a campaign initiated by the Elders a collective of 12 eminent global leaders including Graça Machel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan, all brought
together by Nelson Mandela.
-CIVICUS
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