The Pope asks us to pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis, that they may see their sacrifice and their work bear abundant fruit.

Pope Francis – April 2021

Defending fundamental human rights demands courage and determination.
I’m referring to actively combatting poverty, inequality, the lack of work, land and housing, and the denial of social and labor rights.
Often, in practice, fundamental human rights are not equal for all.
There are first-, second-, and third-class people, and those who are disposable.
No. They must be equal for all.
In some places, defending people’s dignity can mean going to prison, even without a trial. Or it might mean slander.
Every human being has the right to develop fully, and this fundamental right cannot be denied by any country.
Let us pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis, that they may see their sacrifice and their work bear abundant fruit.