Today, I had the privilege of speaking at the Cape Town Central Library’s Human Rights Day event, reflecting on the importance of dignity, and collective action in building a more just society.

Read the speech:
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Good morning, everyone.

It is an honour to stand here today in a space filled with stories - some written in books, some lived out in the streets around us, and some beating in our hearts right now.

Human rights are not just words. They are about you. They are about us. They mean being seen, being heard, and being valued - not because of where you sleep at night, not because of what you have, but because you are human. And that alone is enough.

But let’s be honest. Dignity is too often treated like a privilege, when in truth, it is a right. A right that belongs to you, to me, to every single person. And yet, too many people act as if some lives matter more than others.

That is why we must rise. And the only way we rise - truly rise - is by lifting each other. No one should have to fight alone. No one should have to feel invisible. Because we are not invisible. We matter.

But human rights are not just something we deserve - they come with responsibility too. We are not just entitled to dignity; we have a duty to uphold it for others. A kind word, a helping hand, a moment of understanding - these things may seem small, but they are not. Because it is the small things that come together to create greater change.

Each of us has something to give, and when we all do what we can - when we each play our part - we build something bigger than ourselves. We create a movement. We create change.

So let this be a reminder: your worth is not defined by your circumstances. Your dignity is not something that can be taken away. And as long as we stand together - as long as we lift one another up - we will rise.

Because in the end, we do not rise alone - we rise by lifting others.

Thank you.