As a little girl growing up in a village in Kenya, I began noticing early in life that some things were not right in my community; why were little girls who should be in school instead carrying babies on their backs, or widows being disinherited? Fear gripped our little minds when people we knew had their lives and livestock taken during continued clashes after the Shifta War in Northern Kenya (which borders my home district to the north). All these things seemed wrong, surely, some adult somewhere, should be doing something about it!  

Much later in high school and later in university, I was introduced to the idea of the law and human rights. Human rights, and ideas of dignity and equality, long predate our modern Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The Magna Carta (1215) in England established that even kings were subject to the law and protected the church and Christians from persecution. Throughout history, Christians have played significant roles in justice movements: the abolition of slavery, the drafting of early rights charters, and global humanitarian interventions.

As a first-year law student, the core principles of universality, inalienability, equality, and non-discrimination captivated me the most! Let’s explore these principles a little bit more and how they relate to our calling and faith.

Universality is the idea that human rights belong to every human being, everywhere, regardless of sex, age, race, education, or socio-economic status. The only qualification required is to be human. This aligns  with Paul’s message to the Galatians (Galatians 3:28): “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Inalienability means that your fundamental rights cannot be arbitrarily taken away from you; they can, however, be limited in certain circumstances. Equality & Non-Discrimination, the idea of imago Dei in Genesis, articulates that we are all image bearers of God, deserving of equal opportunities and dignity. In Scripture, God consistently commands equal treatment of the foreigner, the widow, and the orphan (Deuteronomy 10:17 19). Jesus’ ministry itself, over and over, modelled radical inclusion for us to follow.

As I left college, I was energized by these principles. Armed with them, I naively thought, “I can change the world!” Fairly soon, I faced the reality that achieving human rights for everyone, everywhere, was not going to happen simply because we had laws and big global declarations and charters of rights. Beautifully written words can become hollow if they are not lived, implemented, and defended. The “real taste of the pudding,” as the saying goes, is in the eating. Rights without enforcement, resources, or collective commitment become little more than hopeful poetry.

A Season for Hope, and Lament

Today, decades after 1948 and centuries after the Magna Carta, we cautiously celebrate progress, albeit slow, and we remain relentlessly impatient with the rollback and violation of rights that the world is experiencing. Today, my heart is heavy for the millions for whom these rights remain meaningless:

Girls forced into marriage long before adulthood, denied education, childhood, and future economic opportunity.

Children who will never sit in a classroom, as they escape conflict or wait for safety in refugee camps.

Millions who have lost their lives in conflicts, which are at their highest level since the Second World War.

Families who will go to bed hungry tonight, in a world of plenty.

Communities and countries are trapped in economic systems that prevent them from achieving their full potential and dignity.

At World Renew, our work around the world remains meaningful, participating in God’s restorative mission. Every day, we join in God’s invitation to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). I ask you today, as we wrap up sixteen days of activism and commemorate International Human Rights Day, that you join us in acting justly.

To remember, actions toward human rights are not a one-day event, they are daily practices in how we treat one another,especially those at risk of marginalization, exploitation, and abuse—that will eventually build a more just world.

Human rights also come with responsibilities. We are called to honor the rights of others, even when it disrupts our comfort or challenges our privilege. Dominion over the earth is not a license for exploitation but a call to stewardship, equity, and shared power.

Above all, we are called to be a prophetic voice, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs us: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Please find the devotional and advocacy guides you can use in households, churches, and communities.