Citizen Rights Forum
Who is a Citizen?
In a narrow sense it means the resident of a city or one who enjoys the privilege of living in a city. In a broad sense citizen means a person who resides within the territorial limits of the state. Speaking in terms of political science, citizen means a person who is in the members of the state & who enjoys social & political rights.
According to Aristotle: A Citizen is he who has a power to take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of any state in said by us to be a citizen of that state.
On the basis of the description we can identify the following factors of a citizen: A citizen is;
I. The member of the state
II. The social and political rights
III. Sentiment of devotion to the state
What are Citizen Rights?
“Citizenship rights is a set of rights and rules that governs in macro society, state-country and is a mixture of tasks and responsibilities of citizens toward each other and/ or government in its common meaning and also rights and privileges that government should satisfy them. Citizenship essentially is not held a normal system, because it has extended links with values and historical and social evolutions. In addition, values of human rights claim have extended the entire world, but basic framework of citizenship is compliance. Citizenship rights have four basic domains, including civil, political, economical and cultural, but participation is the central pillar of all mentioned domains.”
Citizenship rights or public freedoms or citizenship freedoms are a set of civil, political, social and economical rights that a person as a citizen of state or country enjoys them and the pillar guarantee of rights is law that in each society, state as representative of its citizens is mandated to approve them as (rights of nation or public freedoms) in framework of the declaration of human rights and enforce them and state-country is a framework that inside its boundaries, those fundamental rights are applied and in this relation, all concepts related to personal rights in the society emerges its meaning and concept (Ghazi 2004, page 122).
The above citizen rights are simply the wider inherent human rights that a participating citizen is entitled to. However unlike the wider concept of “human rights”, citizen rights also cover citizen’s obligations to the Nation State, to other citizens and in return what each individual is owed by the state. Hence it goes beyond the limits of Human rights to a wider socio-political debate. In contrast Human rights are the controller of human’s natural rights of free human beings and are inevitable, and irrevocable, and guaranteeing this donation for safeguarding the basic freedom of human beings is very important.
Another Important discussion would be that Citizenship rights is placed as a subsidiary of political science and further includes participation rights of citizens in handling of country’s affairs and different dimensions of it. Therefore, approaches to political and public rights (as special meaning), but this meanings do not separate citizenship rights from human rights and both of these two concepts are so similar that their common similarity makes difficult their differentiation. Hence a discussion/conference of citizen rights would have significant links to the human rights issues and human rights.
This topic is further relevant as with globalization, we have evolved to the notions of global citizenry and rights that extend geographical limitations. Hence a key are that needs wider debate
Importance of the topic
The topic the importance of Exercising, Protecting and Advancing Citizen Rights is a timely topic that needs to be discussed widely as Sri Lanka:
Is a nation that is still struggling with reconciliation, following a thirty year conflict. Therefore both students and younger generations need to understand the limits, benefits and identities of their citizen rights in the process of creating social harmony among our different and diverse ethnic and religious groups.
The literacy on rights is minimal among our citizenry. Improving this, can further reduce inter-communal conflict, leading to a more politically active citizenry.
Marginalized communities need further empowerment and such a conference will open avenues to promote the rights of marginalized citizens.
- According to the UNFPA gender based violence is especially prevalent while sexual violence and torture is vastly underreported.
A vast majority of the citizenry aren’t aware of their socio-political rights.
These rights must be altered to meet emerging challenges as we evolve from a developing Nation.
Promotion of such rights is essential for a vibrant democracy.
The Discussion would cover:
- Political rights, Public rights, Private Rights and Social Rights.
The Relationship between Citizen Rights and Human rights.
Citizen Rights Issues Faced by Sri Lanka.
Modern Citizen Rights.
- Limitations of these Citizen Rights at the face of areas such as National Security.
Conflicts surrounding these areas.
Relationship with the state and the effect of recent political developments on such rights.
Obligations of Citizens to the state.
A comprehensive resolution after discussions
Procedure:
The proposed Event would follow General Conference Procedure. The conference would be moderated/chaired by a head table/ chairperson whilst participants will deliver speeches on the topic. A comprehensive resolution would be formulated following these discussions
Speech (Speaks for a predetermined time period after being recognized by the chairperson)
Question or Points of Information from Each Speaker
Participants Formuate a resolution after the Discussions are concluded ( following the completion of speeches by the participants)
If you have an interest in the Citizen Rights Forum, you can pre-register below!