Once you have drafted your human rights-based narrative in step 4, and answered the reflection questions, you should be ready to construct your own message now.

Your message says the essence of your narrative in one or two words, a short sentence or punch line. Such words can also be expressed in an image.

However, remember: Responding through human rights means that any action undertaken should be guided by and reflect the values and principles of human rights. See the ‘Human rights based messages can’… below for inspiration and guidance.

If in doubt go back to the ‘Questions for reflection - on your first response messages’ in step 3, and the reflective questions in step 4.

 Explanation

A message typically says the essence of your narrative is an image of a few key words. Don’t forget (and don’t doubt) that your human rights narrative appeals to many other people around you and in society in general. It is often part of common wisdom and common feeling of what is right. You therefore need to only say the key words to trigger the human rights narrative within others. Admittedly with some target audiences you need to find a creative or convincing way in, but human rights principle and need for human dignity are innate to most of us.

So take your narrative from step, highlight the key word or words, and think creatively how you can communicate that word to others. You can try to:

• find synonyms to the words
• find a word play
• complete the sentence Image the world without [ word ], it would be… or different variations on that sentence.
• find images that express the key words (remember the saying: one image can say a thousand words!).

It is good to come up with few messages, not only is it easier to keep in the flow of creation, but different messages might be appreciated differently by different target audiences.

Once you have a (few) message created, its time to check again if they hold up human rights principles and values. Check the ‘Questions for reflection - on your first response messages’ in step 3, and reflective questions in step 4 again.

The final choice of your message(s) also depends on your target audience and what you expect them to learn, feel and do after they received your message. This is part of developing a communication strategy, more on how to do that see the ‘Communication Strategy tool’ and the WE CAN manual proposed below.

You might need to adapt your message following feedback from others and the evaluations of your communication strategy. But your human rights-based narrative is your frame and starting point for the new messages you continue to develop.

  Human rights based messages can...

Call for action

• Call for respect of human rights
• Call for respect of human dignity
• Call for non-discrimination
• Call for equality
• Call for responsibility to respect and protect
• Call to celebrate diversity
• Call for inclusion
• Call to generate equal opportunities\support non-discrimination
• Calling for public support for human rights
• Call to change status quo
• Calling for public support for human rights
• Call to change status quo
• Call for dialogue and understanding
• Call for peace and coexistence in dignity
• Call for accountability of duty-bearers to protect
• Call for justice
• Call for human rights to be central in decision-making

Combat inequality,
intolerance, and racism

• Demand equal opportunities/access to rights
• Combat stereotypes
• Break down/overcome prejudices
• Combat exclusion
• Combat discrimination, denigration, dehumanisation…
• Break down structural exclusion, discrimination, violence
• Break down barriers for access to equality/rights/social rights
• Changing discriminatory paradigm
• Challenge the power relations
• Combatting normalization of abusive narratives

Support, empower, celebrate

• Promote positive view/image
• Celebrate contribution to cultural heritage
• Highlight universality of human rights
• Support human rights culture
• Feature human rights values and principles
• Feature positive actions/examples
• Supporting /building capacity to see hate speech/narratives
• Celebrate critical thinking and awareness
• Enriching public dialogue with human rights issues
• Empowering to know one’s rights
• Invitation to be part of protection of own rights access facilitating policy making
• Empower duty-bearers to fulfil their obligations
• Empower right-holders to speak up
• Show new perspectives of a status quo
• Empower for equality to pursue personal goals
• Featuring of the principles of human rights
• Support people who claim their rights
• Support for people who find remedy for violations

What else would you add here ?

• Feel free to expand the list with your own human rights-based message

Check your message >>