On the 10th of December, it was International Human Rights Day. As human rights are the cornerstone of the Netherlands foreign policy, this is a very important day to us.
The Netherlands has different priorities in its human rights policy, under which freedom of expression and freedom of press, equal rights for women and girls and protection of human rights defenders and civic space.
To raise awareness for human rights, the Netherlands embassy in Singapore, in collaboration with Movies that Matter, hosted a one-night-only screening of the documentary Nasrin on December 14, 2021.
About 70 invitees attended the screening in ‘The Green Room’ of independent cinema ‘The Projector’. H.E. Ambassador Margriet Vonno, as well as Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross, director & producer of Nasrin, pre-recorded welcome messages for the captive audience.
About the documentary
Nasrin, a secretly filmed personal portrait of Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, particularly addresses one of the priorities in the Dutch human rights policy; the protection of human rights defenders and civic space. Nasrin paints a portrait of her work and life, up until her second imprisonment in 2018, and of the broader Iranian women’s right movement. The fact that Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently in prison for standing up for human and women’s rights, makes this documentary all the more urgent.
The year 2020 was a difficult one for human rights defenders and civil society around the world. Human rights defenders and Civil Society Organisations play a crucial role in the achievement of human rights and in consolidating the social contract between citizens and the state. It is therefore extremely alarming that human rights defenders are increasingly under attack.
About Movies that Matter
The mission of Movies that Matter is to open people’s eyes to human rights through film. Each year, Movies that Matter offers all diplomatic missions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands the opportunity to organise physical film screening events around International Human Rights Day.
What better way to raise awareness about human rights than through movies and documentaries? Movies that Matter believes that the film camera is a powerful weapon against social indifference. With its unprecedented capacity to open eyes, film is an excellent way to stir debate and promote human rights.
Read more about Movies that Matter, their mission and their films, via www.moviesthatmatter.nl
Dutch human rights policy
Human rights are rights that apply worldwide, to all people, in all places, at all times. They are the foundations of a democracy in which every person counts. The Netherlands strives to protect and promote human rights all over the world.
Change is difficult to achieve, however, and these efforts do not always lead to immediate or tangible results. Precisely for this reason it is vital that we continue to emphasize the importance of human rights for all, and even small steps we take in the right direction will make an impact.
Click here for more information about the Dutch human rights policy.
