The International Day of Non-Violence in a Violence-Ridden World

Rasool Mogooei

PhD Student in International Relations, University of Isfahan

The United Nations General Assembly designated October 2, the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth, as the International Day of Non-Violence in 2007. This designation serves to honor Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement, and his enduring legacy. The day is intended as a platform for promoting the principles of non-violence through education and public awareness campaigns (Imna, 2020). As a staunch advocate and pioneer of non-violent philosophy, Gandhi developed and applied the concept of “Ahimsa”—a fundamental tenet that rejects all forms of violence and advocates for peaceful means to achieve one’s goals. He articulated several strategies for practicing non-violence, with the most prominent being: civil disobedience, which he utilized as a powerful tool to challenge unjust laws; peaceful strikes, aimed at disrupting oppressive systems; and boycotts of British-made goods as a form of economic resistance.

Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence has served as a foundational inspiration for numerous civil rights and liberation movements across the globe, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights campaign in the United States and Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. Moreover, the international community has recognized the critical importance of non-violence by incorporating its principles into several key human rights conventions, which include:

1. The Geneva Conventions (1864–1949): These conventions, which form the cornerstone of international humanitarian law, aim to minimize the human cost of armed conflict by protecting those who do not participate in hostilities or are no longer engaged in combat (International Committee of the Red Cross, 2024). The Conventions evolved over decades to address various dimensions of violence. The First Geneva Convention (1864) focused on the protection of wounded soldiers on the battlefield. The Second Convention (1906) extended these protections to wounded and sick personnel at sea, incorporating charities into its scope. The Third Convention established the foundation for safeguarding prisoners of war, eventually leading to the formation of the International Red Cross. The Fourth Convention, adopted in 1949 after the atrocities of World War II, extended protections to civilians caught in armed conflicts.
2. The United Nations Convention Against Torture (1984): This convention obliges state parties to take comprehensive measures to prevent acts of torture within their jurisdictions and prohibits the extradition of individuals to countries where they may face torture (Wikipedia, n.d.).
3. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979): Aimed at eliminating discrimination and achieving equality for women, this convention addresses issues of gender-based violence and calls for the protection of women from all forms of abuse.
4. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966): This treaty explicitly prohibits torture and other forms of inhumane treatment, which aligns closely with the principles of non-violence.
5. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): As one of the most significant human rights instruments, this declaration enshrines the right to life, security, and liberty, emphasizing that the protection of these fundamental rights is essential to upholding non-violent principles.

Despite Gandhi’s profound influence and the subsequent integration of his philosophy into various political and civil movements, as well as the development of these human rights conventions in the aftermath of World War II, state compliance with these principles has increasingly diminished over time. One can unequivocally state that the modern world remains deeply entangled in a web of pervasive violence.

From the brutality inflicted by armed groups against civilians in Sub-Saharan Africa to the systemic violence against innocent citizens in Gaza and the West Bank, from the continued targeting of non-combatants in Afghanistan to the massacres in Lebanon, and even the narco-violence in parts of Latin America, the reality is stark: international human rights conventions advocating non-violence have largely remained theoretical, and in practice, the world witnesses ongoing and widespread violence against civilians.

Perhaps the most tragic and glaring example of this failure is the plight of the Gaza Strip. This densely populated region has been subjected to repeated bombings, with no safe shelters for civilians, no viable escape routes for refugees, and severely damaged medical facilities. The sewage system is in a catastrophic state, and access to clean water and food is scarce. Moreover, international humanitarian organizations have been severely restricted from intervening. Gaza, with its high population density and extreme suffering, has become an emblem of modern-day violence against civilians—some even describe it as a “contemporary genocide”. The systematic disregard for human rights and non-violence principles is conspicuous, making Gaza not only a symbol but also a profound indictment of the global failure to protect innocent lives.

The severity of this issue was highlighted in the speeches of world leaders at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Leaders criticized the current state of global affairs, denounced existing laws and conventions as ineffective, and, in a rare act of collective protest, walked out during the speech of Benjamin Netanyahu, viewed as a symbol of state violence against civilians. This act, though largely symbolic, was a gesture aimed at signaling to their own citizens and the broader international community that change is possible if global powers reconsider their stance and take decisive action to forge a more humane and non-violent future for humanity.

References

• International Committee of the Red Cross. (2024). 75th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Geneva Conventions – “A Set of Rules Agreed Upon by All of Us”. Retrieved from https://blogs.icrc.org/ir/2024/08/7192/
• Imna News Agency. (2020). October 2: International Day of Non-Violence 2020 + History and Types. Retrieved from https://www.imna.ir/news/447570