IT is imperative that we remind ourselves of the vital importance of human duties and responsibilities in the life of a society. In fact, there is a profound link between rights, on the one hand, and duties and responsibilities, on the other. It is a link that is acknowledged in almost every religious philosophy.
This is why in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi, when asked to contribute his thoughts to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that was being drafted at that time, wrote in a letter to the director of Unesco: “I learned from my illiterate but wise mother that all rights to be deserved and preserved come from duty well done.” (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec 10, 1948.)