Giving Compass' Take:

• Joe McCarthy highlights four rules that Obama laid out for people who want to continue Nelson Mandela's work in his speech at the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture.

• How can philanthropy live and promote the ideals laid out here? 

• Take action by donating to the Fund for Global Human Rights, vetted by Giving Compass. 


Since the great human rights leader Nelson Mandela was born 100 years ago, the world has improved for billions of people. But on his centennial, global progress is at risk of stalling — and even reversing.

That was the primary theme of former US President Barack Obama’s historically sweeping and politically pointed speech at the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, sponsored in part by Global Citizen partner Motsepe Foundation, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Obama had four rules for people who want to continue Mandela’s work.

1. Fight inequality:

Madiba shows those of us who believe in freedom and democracy, we’re going to have to fight harder to reduce inequality and promote lasting economic opportunity for all people.

Obama said that progressive taxation, laws that break up monopolies, strong collective bargaining rights, universal health care, anti-corruption efforts, and investments in scientific research are some of the goals that have to be pursued.

2. Recognize the shared humanity of all people:

We are bound together by a common humanity and each individual has inherent dignity and worth.

3. Promote democracy:

Focus more on the grassroots — that’s where democratic legitimacy comes. Not from the top down, not from abstract theories, but from the bottom up.

4. Empower young people:

We don’t just need one leader. We don’t just need one inspiration. What we badly need right now is that collective spirit. And I know that those young people, those hope-carriers, are gathering around the world.

Read the full article about Obama's rules for continuing Nelson Mandela's work by Joe McCarthy at Global Citizen.