The problems we are facing right now have been going on for generations before the present day. Discrimination is one of those problems that has its roots deep in history. Even though the practices of slavery were abolished after the American Civil War, racism and oppression against people of color continued to be rampant. Many now argue that these issues have improved significantly over the years, although recent events provide evidence to the contrary. Rising racism should be of concern not only to people in the West, but also to residents of the Global South. The bitter reality is that we who live in the subcontinent often overlook the various problems of discrimination that exist in our societies at large. Often in rural areas, parents who have a daughter with dark skin face an uphill task in finding a suitor for her.
The first step in getting rid of a problem is to acknowledge its existence. A large part of the population in the Global South remains oblivious to these matters and is quick to point out the shortcomings of Western countries. Although it is quite clear that the West is far from perfect, they still have relatively tolerant societies with some degree of democracy in existence. Hiding one’s shortcomings for fear of admitting guilt and hiding behind a veil of self-righteousness are often major obstacles to self-improvement.
Yet, for fundamental change in the way our societies function, change must first begin at the roots. The root of the matter is of course the family from where the main education of the present generation must be implemented. It is important to understand that education is not just the work of textbooks, but the concept of ethics, values and principles. We must absolutely ensure that the present generation learns to adapt to the modern society from the point of view of treating all human beings equally, regardless of skin colour, religion, ethnicity and gender. Only then can we set a positive example for this generation to pass on to the next generation and thus start a cycle of positivity.
* Chaudhry Tauheed Al Rabbi is a student of BUP