Quote of the Day
“Every individual shall have the duty to respect and consider his fellow beings without discrimination”
— Article 28, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Source: African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Articles 27–29.
When Disagreement Reaches the Neighbourhood
Two neighbours have lived on the same street for fifteen years. Their children grew up playing together. They attended each other’s family celebrations, borrowed household items and helped one another when someone was sick.
Then an election comes. One supports the ruling party. The other supports the opposition. At first, they argue about candidates and government policies. Then the arguments become personal. One accuses the other of supporting everything wrong with the country. The other questions his neighbour’s intelligence and loyalty. Soon, they stop greeting each other. Their children notice.
This is an imagined situation, but it raises a question worth considering: At what point did disagreement become a reason to stop treating someone as a fellow human being?
We are not expected to agree on everything. People will have different opinions about politics, religion, culture, leadership and the direction their communities should take. The problem begins when we decide that someone who disagrees with us no longer deserves our respect.
In Cameroon, political and social disagreements can be particularly sensitive because they touch on people’s experiences, identities and hopes for the future. Understanding that does not require us to abandon our convictions. We can oppose a policy without insulting everyone who supports it. We can criticize a leader without attacking the dignity of ordinary citizens who voted for that leader. We can defend our rights without denying someone else’s.
Of course, respect does not mean tolerating threats, discrimination or abuse. Challenging wrongdoing is different from treating entire groups of people as enemies.
After an election, people still have to live together. They use the same roads. Their children attend the same schools. They buy from the same markets. They face many of the same problems: unemployment, rising household expenses, unreliable services and concerns about their children’s future.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights speaks not only about the rights people enjoy but also about their responsibilities towards others. We often ask whether our own rights are being respected. We should. But perhaps we should also ask whether we respect the dignity of people whose views we dislike.
Sometimes, that begins with something ordinary: greeting a neighbour, listening without interrupting, refusing to spread an unverified accusation, or offering help regardless of political affiliation.
We do not have to agree with our neighbours to recognize their humanity. Perhaps the strength of a community is revealed not when everyone agrees, but when people disagree and still find ways to care for one another.
Did You Know?
The African Charter recognizes responsibilities as well as rights
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights was adopted by the Organisation of African Unity on June 27, 1981, and entered into force on October 21, 1986.
Unlike many discussions of human rights that focus mainly on what individuals are entitled to receive, the Charter also contains a chapter devoted to individual duties.
Articles 27–29 address responsibilities towards families, communities, society and other people. Article 28 calls on individuals to respect others without discrimination and maintain relationships based on mutual respect and tolerance.
Article 29 includes duties relating to family life, community service, social solidarity and the preservation of positive African cultural values.
These provisions reflect an understanding that people live within communities and that their actions can affect others.
But there is an important distinction. Recognizing individual responsibilities does not mean that governments can ignore their obligations to protect human rights. The Charter separately requires states to recognize and give effect to the rights it guarantees. Nor should appeals to unity or respect be used to silence legitimate criticism.
The Charter also protects freedom of expression, association and participation in public affairs, subject to its provisions.
A person can defend their rights while respecting the rights of others. Someone can criticize public authorities while remaining committed to peaceful community life. And people can disagree about political decisions without abandoning their responsibilities towards one another.
Rights protect our dignity. Responsibilities remind us that other people’s dignity matters too.
Sources: African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Chapter II: Duties, Articles 27–29.
For Discussion
Should political differences ever be allowed to destroy relationships between neighbours, friends or family members?
How can communities encourage open political discussions without turning disagreement into hostility? When does an appeal for tolerance become an excuse for overlooking harmful behaviour?
Can we disagree about the future of our country without forgetting that we still have to build that future together?
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