Changing the face of human rights photo gallery

Beverly Reid

Beverly Reid

I specialize in discrimination law in employment and help the 'man on the street' to bring claims against their employers. It is very important for me to contribute to my community and to find ways by which I can help to make life easier for people who face disadvantage in society.

I believe that God has given me the skills to do law.

The object I chose is my bible. If you were to read it from cover to cover you would find every human situation there, including stuff even the most faint hearted would be shocked at. I believe it is the key to raise ourselves out of the circumstances we are in and to seek the solutions to our problems.

We should treat each other with dignity and respect and forgive people for the wrongs they do and to give to others in the ways we can.

Bob Charles John Emery

Bob Charles John Emery

When I became a committed Christian 22 yrs ago I had the privilege to work in some of the Asian countries where human rights, I felt was at the bottom of the list. The Moebius Support Network was set up as a support group for families and adults with Moebius and other facial related syndrome.

Human rights is very much part of what we do, as even in the 21st century the stigma of not looking “normal” or having facial disfigurement still plays a major factor especially when you go for job interviews. I chose a facemask so that people would not reject you because of your disabilities.

There were many people in my life who challenged me, but I believe the main one was God. I have chosen the bible because it gave me a whole new dimension and a world of discovery. I think the biggest challenge of human rights is education.

Carmen Gonzalez

Carmen Gonzalez

I work with deprived communities in Haringey. We are all about helping people to help themselves, to adapt to a new country, to empower them to face new challenges and to have fulfilled happy lives.

I chose a handful of shoes to represent human rights. It is easy to talk about human rights and think we are doing our bit. Getting into someone else's shoes represents caring. It is about making an effort to get out of our own space and getting into the world, space, worries and concerns of those around us. We cannot all be campaigners, writers, politicians or community workers but we can all care! We should challenge ourselves to make other people’s days better.

Chris Chang

Chris Chang

I am an investigator at the Guantanamo team at Reprieve – an organisation that represents over 30 prisoners held in Guantanamo.

I am passionate about civil liberties. Everyone should have the right to be represented. It stems from being inspired by people who give a voice to the voiceless. We are entering a period where certain classes of people or races of people are becoming less important than others. Their liberties and freedoms are seen as less important. That is a dangerous thing.

For me some of the biggest rewards have been really small things. A prisoner who is released who chooses to call me first and say thank you. It’s immeasurable - someone going home, someone going free, someone going to be with his or her family.

I chose a key, because it represents freedom. The key symbolises opening a door, because that is what I am trying to do with my work. I am trying to be that key that opens a door for someone to come out.

Jonathan Cooper OBE

Jonathan Cooper OBE

I am a human rights specialist and advise on all aspects of domestic and international human rights law. When I first left university I worked at the Haemophilia Society in the early days of the AIDS crisis. It was based on Westminster Bridge Road and I walked across the bridge each day, as well as lobbied Parliament for the rights of people with haemophilia. I chose to be photographed in front of Parliament as it can make explicit and take away, human rights.

The object I chose is a first edition of the Declaration of the Rights of Man (in French and it still refers to the King!)

Kim Parkinson

Kim Parkinson

I live independently in a non-supported peabody trust flat as a registered severely visually impaired human woman. Human rights taught me that equality ought to be replaced, by qualitative diversity through advocacy.

My object is a stratifying dove tree seed. Like the deeply dormant issues surmounting to human rights, the dove tree seeds require stratification in a cold place to trigger germination.

Refkha Gabrasadig

Refkha Gabrasadig

My name is Refkha. I am 9 and I chose to be photographed in my communion dress. I chose this to represent the right to religious freedom/expression. People should have the right to follow God in the way that they want to.

I think that people of all religions and traditions should be able to practice them, even though their beliefs and practices may seem strange to others. I think people should respect other faiths and let them coexist in peace together without oppression or discrimination.

Sally Leigh

Sally Leigh

My name is Sally Leigh and I was christened as Sarah Margaret Greenwood. I work for an organisation called ‘housing justice’ which is a Christian membership organisation and we represent and do things to try and help homeless people and those with inadequate housing.

I am also trying to set up a befriending and mentoring network of people who are prepared to befriend homeless people in order to try and make there lives better and make them feel more included in society.

I campaign for the rights of rough sleepers. I chose my allotment and a handful of earth as representative of human rights. The earth should be for all of us, to enjoy and prosper in – but not all people do.

Thomas Barker

Thomas Barker

I live in Acorn lodge in Tolworth. Once a month I go to the Down to Earth club in Teddington. I love going there because I have a lot of friends in the group.

I think it is an important human right to be able to travel around independently. I have a Freedom Pass, so that I can travel on buses and trains. I also have a taxi card which allows me to travel in taxis on my own. I am holding my taxi card in my photo because it is very important for me. It allows me to travel on my own and to be more independent.

Being able to communicate is important for me.I think we should all be aware that there are great differences between people, but we should try to treat everybody equally.