Looking all around us, we see that the world we live in right now is all about technology and the internet. We can do just about anything, anywhere, all over the world by clicking or punch buttons sitting at our desks. The United States and Russia are two of the most powerful nations in the world right now, because they have the technology and the largest amount of nuclear weapons. However, with so much technology, these nations have not done enough to stop human rights violations. Many people around the world use different forms of media like movies and songs to strictly promote themselves. However, others use media forms because they want their voice to be heard all over the world. Some of the songs and films that people have made in order to bring attention to human rights were highlighted by the National Human Rights Commission Award Winning Short Film, Black and White, and the Egyptian music, Mahraganat.

Black and White was made by a group of young Indians, who tried to show the problems they face in the world. The film illustrates what will happen if they change some of their culture in order to save their children and women from going through problems Indians face every day. The video starts by showing how people don’t take care of their parents once they become elderly. It then shows how their kids will be doing the same exact thing to their children. It is known in many countries, all over the world, that when people pass the age of 65, they are treated very poorly. Older people are often treated like animals with no one taking care of them.  This violates the human rights of these older people, because these people have the right to live in good conditions. Families and governments should be making the care of older people a top priority. Then, the film goes on to show how women, religious groups, and the poor are mistreated. We all are born equal with the same human rights, including the right to freedom, to be educated, to be recognized as a human before any laws, and to not be punished, tortured,or killed for no reason. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is being violated by too many countries and people. The film does a good job of highlighting the common issues we see too often in our world. FDR students should checkout the film, Black and White. It is truly worthy of the recognition it has received.

Another form of media, which deals with human rights issues is called Mahraganat. This form of Egyptian music is popular for people that live in over populated cities, where most of them are struggling to survive. This form of Egyptian music started with a group of young people that did not have jobs, even though they were educated. Some of them were doctors and engineers, but they could not find jobs. They started using music to get their voice heard all over the country, as well as reaching the outside world. They sing about people selling drugs, stealing, and killing for money, and the government corruption connected to it. In addition, the music deals with inequality in education. The music is a great way to learn about the human rights violation which occur in Egypt.

As you can see, there are many forms of media that people use in order to show how their human rights are being violated. These are only two examples of how people our using different forms of media to fight for human rights.