Freedom. A powerful word, is it not? The power or right to act, speak, and think the way one wants.
I can’t help feeling, however, that most people (almost all in fact) don’t have this luxury. Some people can’t think the way they want. Some can’t act the way they want. We are STILL constantly judged by society and are supposed to follow every single ‘rule’ that it has. But there’s no pleasing society, as society is flawed!
But the thing I think is most essential is the freedom to speak. If I see something that’s not supposed to happen, or if I feel uncomfortable or if something has happened to me, I should be given the opportunity to voice my concerns. Let no person judge anyone by the color of their skin, their gender, their religion, their caste, or any other unfair thing that people sense is a minority!
Under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human right laws in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the law clearly states that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
Although the law is for all citizens of all countries, so many people don’t have this freedom. Freedom, to me, is to be able to ignore ‘the society’ and have our voices heard, so we can make today right and have a better tomorrow. There’s no point in wishing to make a difference if one can’t even voice the things they wish to change.
Isha Chaturvedi
Grade 8
Seedling The World School
