I am pleased to send you PWESCR’s e-paper “Thoughts on Dignity” written by Barbara Phillips with assistance in research by Anupriya Ghosh.

 

Equality is the mantra of the women’s movement. However, women’s realities in South Asia made us think more about principles of dignity. What is human dignity? It is one of the key principles of human rights. How can we make dignity ‘real’—in terms of indicators and benchmarks? What is the state role to promote, protect human dignity? And more importantly, from women’s perspective, can there be equality without dignity? Is equality just ‘fluff’ without dignity? The floor is sinking. People are surviving for less and less everyday. In such severe situations what do we understand by human life/human dignity? Can we expand the principles of dignity to provide the much needed floor that would prevent human life from sinking below a certain standard?

 

This essay discusses the possibility that the concept of “dignity” may help in advancing a holistic approach to theory and practice.  After discussing the political utility of the concept of dignity to strengthen and unite social justice movements, the essay considers the challenges inherent in coming to a common understanding of the term “dignity”, raises the significance of globalization, highlights the importance of developing appropriate measurement mechanisms, grapples with the role of the State, and concludes with an urgent call for activists to pursue engagement with the potential of this concept to advance social justice.  This contribution to the on-going discussion is intended to raise, not answer, questions and to suggest areas for further and deeper exploration. 

 

We hope you will find this e-paper useful, and would be very grateful to receive any feedback you might have for us. At PWESCR we are compiling how everyone thinks, talks and understands dignity. Your inputs based on your experiences would be critical as we start developing a shared agenda for this work. Please send us your responses to the following questions:

 

1. What is dignity to you?
2. Share your thoughts, comments, suggestions and experiences regarding any idea raised in this paper.
3. How can we move forward to make the right to dignity real?

 

Please send your comments to pdarooka@pwescr.org. 

 

Thank you.  

Priti Darooka

Executive Director 

PWESCR (Programme on Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)

E-173 Kalkaji, Second Floor

New Delhi, India 110019

Phone: +91 (0)11-40536091/92

Mobile: +91 (0) 9910040419

Fax: +91 (0)11-40536095