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Syria: Disclose Fate of Detainees

Human Rights Watch

3 Jul 2009 | 9:01 pm

(New York) - Syrian authorities should immediately make public the fate of all detainees at Sednaya prison, at least nine of whom are believed to have been killed when military police used lethal force during unrest in the prison last July, Human Rights Watch said today. Syria should also free those who have finished serving their sentences, Human Rights Watch said. read more
Russia/US: Obama Should Press Medvedev on Rights at Summit

Human Rights Watch

3 Jul 2009 | 8:08 am

President Barack Obama should signal clearly to people in Russia when he visits Moscow on July 6, 2009, that human rights in their country remain one of his administration's central concerns, Human Rights Watch said today. read more
UAE: Ruling Undermines Press Freedom

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 1:34 pm

(New York) - A ruling by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal to suspend a local newspaper and fine its editor-in-chief further undermines press freedom in the United Arab Emirates, Human Rights Watch said today. read more
Honduras: Decree Suspends Basic Rights

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 11:10 am

The Organization of American States (OAS), should press Honduras' de facto government to ensure full respect for human rights guarantees, Human Rights Watch said in a letter released today to OAS Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza. read more
India: Court Strikes Down ‘Sodomy’ Law

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 8:32 am

(New York) – The ruling today by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) can no longer be used to treat consensual homosexual conduct between adults as a criminal offense is a victory for basic rights to privacy, non-discrimination, and liberty, Human Rights Watch said today. read more

IRIN
SENEGAL: Casamance residents warn of attacks’ impact

ZIGUINCHOR, 3 July 2009 (IRIN) - In Senegal's Casamance region one youth remains missing five days after armed men attacked a group of people collecting cashews, one of the region's main cash crops.
GLOBAL: “Hunger season” neglected

DAKAR, 3 July 2009 (IRIN) - Most of the world's 600 million hungry and under-nourished people suffer seasonal hunger rather than effects of conflict or natural disasters, but donors and governments often treat recurring nutritional problems as one-off emergencies and this weakens their response actions.
GLOBAL: Rice production high but imports steady

DAKAR, 3 July 2009 (IRIN) - Paddy rice production in Africa is forecast to be 25.6 million tons this year, virtually unchanged from the record harvest of 2008 (link). But despite the projections most countries are also expected to increase rice imports, says the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
NAMIBIA: Court case highlights workers rights

JOHANNESBURG, 3 July 2009 (IRIN) - In a landmark case in Namibia, 22 hotel workers are taking their employer and a doctor to court for allegedly testing them for HIV without their informed consent.
MYANMAR: Cyclone survivors struggle with debt burden

OUTKWIN, 3 July 2009 (IRIN) - A year ago, Soe Soe was US$20 in debt. Like many survivors of Nargis who lost their homes, she had no choice but to borrow from money lenders to feed her family - often at extortionate interest rates.

ReliefWeb - Headlines
Pakistan: Thousands of displaced children need urgent support - UNICEF

3 Jul 2009 | 8:11 pm

Date: 04 Jul 2009Source: UN Children's Fund
India: Monsoon floods displace 200,000

3 Jul 2009 | 1:16 pm

Date: 04 Jul 2009Source: Sphere India
Global: "Hunger season" neglected

3 Jul 2009 | 12:54 pm

Date: 03 Jul 2009Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks
Rwanda: Water rationing warning, prolonged drought

3 Jul 2009 | 2:57 am

Date: 03 Jul 2009Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks
Progress in West Africa remains fragile, despite positive trends – UN report

2 Jul 2009 | 9:52 pm

Date: 03 Jul 2009Source: UN News Service

Global Voices Online » Humanitarian
Japan: Aokigahara and Suicide

Tomomi Sasaki

3 Jul 2009 | 9:58 am

Matt Holland at Feedbackward on Aokigahara, and Meaningful Suicide in Japan - “The ubiquitous and accessible nature of trains in Japan make them a logical and effective choice for those attempting suicide, but it is Aokigahara, the forest situated at the base of iconic Mount Fuji that hosts the most suicides of any location in Japan, and is second in the world only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.”
Sri Lanka: Eye-witness Account From An IDP Camp

Rezwan

2 Jul 2009 | 2:49 am

Groundviews publishes an eye-witness account from an IDP camp in Sri Lanka describing the conditions of the refugees in a post-war situation. Separation of family members, no freedom of movement, corruption, bad hygiene conditions, diseases and epidemic are some of the problems cited in that report.
Israel: Gaza Humanitarian Ferry Intercepted

Amira Al Hussaini

1 Jul 2009 | 5:58 am

Tikun Olam's Richard Silverstein, who is based in the US, writes about the capture of a ferry carrying 23 human rights activists who were attempting to break the siege on Gaza by the IDF. “Israel had no right to intercept this ship, nor to impound it or detain its passengers. It has no right to forcibly transfer them to Israeli territory,” he notes.
Palestine: Support Requested For West Bank Villagers

Ayesha Saldanha

28 Jun 2009 | 5:45 am

The activists of The Villages Group are requesting support for the villagers of Susya in the southern Hebron Hills in the West Bank.
Israel/Palestine: Human Rights Activist Reports on Mission

Maya Norton

27 Jun 2009 | 10:42 pm

Reporting from Israel, human rights activist Rae Abileah reflects on her recent Gaza solidarity mission. “It felt really powerful to be taking a stand against occupation in this very tangible way.” She adds, “While I know that we enjoy the privileges of these fun-filled actions, there is an ever-present awareness of the reality for the people who are suffering at the hands of occupation.”

...My heart's in Accra
John Hagel on serendipity

Ethan

3 Jul 2009 | 5:21 pm

Futurist and consultant John Hagel caught my attention with a talk titled “Shaping Serendipity”. He’s introduced by John Seely Brown, his frequent collaborator. Brown and Hagel are writing a new book together, and a chapter focuses on serendipity. (And as a chapter in the book I’m failing to write is also on serendipity, I made a point of attending…) Hagel offers a definition of serendipity: “Unexpected encounters that surprise and delight.” He notes that, in telling people about the session, they’d react first with delight, and then with…
Aspen Ideas Festival: Immigration Reform

Ethan

3 Jul 2009 | 1:14 pm

I jogged (yes, me, jogging!) from Tim O’Reilly’s talk to a session on immigration reform at Aspen. I was still late, so I arrived during David Kennedy’s historical perspectives on American immigration. He reminds us that, despite our myths about people coming to the US out of a love of freedom, before World War 1, 44% of immigrants to America went home. Immigration was at a historical high, which dropped sharply between the wars and after WWII. During that period of time, less than 5% of population was foreign born. We tend to think of this as “normal” in terms…
Tim O’Reilly on Government 2.0

Ethan

3 Jul 2009 | 12:12 pm

Pioneering technology publisher Tim O’Reilly tells us that “government as a platform” is the definition of government 2.0. To explain to a non-technical audience what this means, he explains that his company specializes in finding innovations at the edge and amplifying them, through events, publishing and market research. This involves watching alpha geeks like Rob Flickenger. Tim says he knew Wifi was important when he saw Flickenger on the roof of the O’Reilly building using a cantenna to bring Wifi to his favorite coffee shop. Similarly, they were able to anticipate…
Aspen Ideas Festival: Surveillance society

Ethan

3 Jul 2009 | 10:47 am

Elliot Gerson of the Aspen Institute introduces a conversation titled, “Your life in a surveillance society”. The discussants are Jack Balkin, legal scholar and philosopher at Yale Law School and Admiral Mike McConnell, former director of the National Security Agency. Gerson offers examples of surveillance in our lives, including the airport, cameras to detect speeding, but also activities like Twitter. He suggests that there’s an increasing acceptance of devices and mechanisms which we might have past thought as totalitarian. Balkin rejects the term surveillance, and breaks…
Aspen Ideas Festival: Digital Natives

Ethan

3 Jul 2009 | 8:06 am

This morning at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Brian Lehrer show is being broadcast live as we act as breakfast-eating studio audience. The first guest is Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty. Lehrer introduces Pawlenty as the Republican’s Obama - young, smart, charismatic and a party leader, who was considered a front-runner for McCain’s running mate. Pawlenty admits that he didn’t get the result he would have liked in the Coleman/Franken recount, “but the process was fair.” The problems, he says, weren’t with the voting process but with absentee ballots -…

UN Dispatch
Ban to Burma

Mark Leon Goldberg

3 Jul 2009 | 8:53 am

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is en route to Burma/Myanmar to press for the release of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Evelyn Leopold, a long time United Nations correspondent, previews the trip and the political gamble that the Secretary General is undertaking. Also, see this interview with Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis (IL) IL: It is a tough mission. We believe in the man, we believe in his office and we believe if ever there was a test of the United Nations relevance Burma is that test. That’s why we’ve been strongly supportive of the…
Meet your new IAEA chief

Mark Leon Goldberg

3 Jul 2009 | 7:18 am

Posting will be light today, but I wanted to flag this news: Yeterday, the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors elected Japan's Yukiya Amano to be the next Director General of the IAEA. He will succeed Mohammed elBaradei in November. After six rounds of voting Amano finally secured the 2/3rds majoriry required by the IAEA charter. Here is a just-released IAEA video announcing Amano's selection.
Ban Ki Moon saying useful things in the New York Times

Alanna Shaikh

2 Jul 2009 | 1:50 pm

I have an embarrassing crush on Ban Ki Moon. You really can’t blame me. He raps! He married his high school sweetheart! His op-ed in the New York Times tomorrow just made it worse. In it, he announces the launch of the Global Impact and Vulnerability Alert System: “We know the big picture: countries with low financial reserves; countries that face shrinking foreign investment, remittances and aid; countries where demand for exports has fallen. But we need a sharper lens with finer resolution. I am marshalling the resources of the United Nations to monitor the impact of the…
UN enlisting religious support to promote women's health in Afghanistan

Mark Leon Goldberg

2 Jul 2009 | 8:59 am

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman--literally. The country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. As this video from UN TV explains, the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan is trying to enlist Afghanistan's religious leaders to advance womens' health and improve women's access to healthcare.
India annuls anti-sodomy law

Mark Leon Goldberg

2 Jul 2009 | 6:46 am

The Indian High Court formally annuled a 150 year old provision criminalizing “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” known as Section 337. UNAIDS is pleased: “The Delhi High Court has restored the dignity and human rights of millions of men who have sex with men and transgendered people in India,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé. “Oppressive laws such as Section 377, drive people underground making it much harder to reach them with HIV prevention, treatment and care services.” According to UNAIDS technical advisor Pradeep Kakkattil this ruling…

Violence Against Women
Indonesia: Unfinished business: Police accountability in Indonesia

23 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Impunity is deeply engrained throughout Indonesias criminal justice system, whereby perpetrators of human rights violations are rarely brought to justice for their crimes. In this report, Amnesty International examines the extent to which the Indonesian government has failed to develop strong internal and external police accountability mechanisms. Strong mechanisms would help to prevent human rights violations by punishing perpetrators and providing reparations and assistance to victims through a free, fair and transparent process.
Colombia: Everything Left Behind: Internal displacement in Colombia

19 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm
USA:Amnesty International Urges Senate to Pass Foreign Relations Authorization Act As Key Step Toward Reducing Violence Against Women Worldwide

10 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Amnesty International today urged the Senate to act on legislation passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that permanently establishes a State Department office focusing on preventing epidemic levels of violence against women worldwide. The human rights organization said passage of H.R.2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, will make permanent the Office for Global Women's Issues, which President Obama created by Executive Order.
US:Musician Chad Stokes of State Radio and Dispatch Teams Up with Amnesty International for June 11 Teach-in On Women's Human Rights

10 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Chad Stokes, lead singer for the socially and politically-charged rock band State Radio, is teaming up with Amnesty International on Thursday evening, June 11, for a teach-in on women's human rights. On Friday evening, Stokes reunites with Dispatch for a sold-out event at the Kennedy Center.
One killed, 150 injured as protests continue in Jammu & Kashmir following rape and murder of two young women

9 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Protesters in Jammu & Kashmir continued to press for the Indian government to seriously pursue allegations that members of the Central Reserve Police Force raped and murdered two women.

Darfur Daily News
Africa and the International Court

30 Jun 2009 | 4:47 am

Eleven years ago when I opened the Rome conference that led to the founding of the International Criminal Court, I reminded the delegates that the eyes of the victims of past crimes and the potential victims of future ones were fixed firmly upon them. The delegates, many of whom were African, acted on that unique opportunity and created an institution to strengthen justice and the rule of law.Now that important legacy rests once more in the hands of African leaders as they meet in Libya on Wednesday. The African Union summit meeting will be the first since the I.C.C. issued an arrest warrant…
Fast draws attention to ongoing Darfur tragedy

22 Jun 2009 | 1:16 am

As I write this letter on Thursday, I am joining rabbis across the country in a fast of solidarity with the people of Darfur. Thousands of people, celebrities, politicians, activists, and clergy from 35 different countries have fasted in an ongoing chain since Mia Farrow started the fast on April 27. The goals of this ongoing fast are to command the world's attention to genocide in Darfur and demand the restoration of humanitarian aid to the people there.It has been almost three months since humanitarian groups were expelled from Sudan. Communities are suffering without adequate food,…
On the Re-writing of the Darfur Narrative

20 Jun 2009 | 2:23 am

The historical narrative of the Darfur genocide is presently being re-written. Despite dozens of human rights reports that have established the basic realities of ethnically-targeted human destruction in Darfur and Eastern Chad over the past seven years, an effort is being made to minimise the scale of that destruction, elide the role of ethnicity in the conflict and downplay the responsibility of the Khartoum regime.This large-scale revision has been taken up by those – particularly on the left – with an ideological aversion to humanitarian intervention. If the catastrophe can be…
Obama's Darfur policy lacks clarity, advocates say

20 Jun 2009 | 2:20 am

By WILLIAM C. MANN WASHINGTON (AP) — Human rights groups working to end the dying in Darfur fear for the survival of 2.5 million people huddled in refugee camps if the Obama administration doesn't put on record its plans to bring security to them.The administration said Thursday it still considers the Darfur problem genocide. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley emphasized that to counter a comment by President Barack Obama's special envoy on Sudan, retired Air Force Gen. Scott Gration.Gration said Wednesday from the same State Department podium that what is being seen in the vast…
UN rights body votes to continue Sudan scrutiny

18 Jun 2009 | 8:02 am

GENEVA -- The U.N. Human Rights Council has voted 20-18 to continue its close scrutiny of the situation in Sudan. Western countries want the 47-member body to keep its independent expert who is probing abuses in Darfur and elsewhere in the African nation. Thursday's vote, with nine abstentions, is a defeat for some African countries, who have argued that Sudan can protect its citizens without outside interference. Read more >>>>>>>Darfur Daily News

Survival International
Peru: ‘Cover-up’ storm over uncontacted tribes

3 Jul 2009 | 4:00 pm

An article in today’s Guardian newspaper alleges that a consultancy firm working for Anglo-French oil company Perenco ‘edited out’ evidence showing that uncontacted Indians are living in the area of the company’s project. The company has claimed that the tribes do not exist.‘Certain nomadic groups are there,’ said one of the lead authors of the report. ‘There is no doubt in my mind that there are uncontacted groups there,’ said another consultant. ‘I was really upset when I saw the final report.’The Guardian also quotes a forestry…
Peru: Government prepares to investigate 'Amazon's Tiananmen'

29 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pm

Peru’s government is gearing up to investigate the tragic violence in the Amazon last month that left more than 30 people dead, over a hundred injured, and many still missing. A government committee has ten days to choose the investigating team, which will be led by members of the Catholic Church and is being created after a recommendation by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya. Peru’s prime minister, Yehude Simon, has said that the team will include representatives from all sectors of society to avoid any accusations of bias.The preparations are…
Peru: ‘Business as usual’: Peru approves massive oil project just days after ‘Amazon’s Tiananmen’

29 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pm

Peru's government has given the green light to an Anglo-French company to drill for oil in the Amazon, just thirteen days after more than 30 people died in protests against the exploitation of the rainforest.The project, located on land inhabited by two tribes of uncontacted Indians, is believed to be Peru’s biggest oil discovery in thirty years. The company, Perenco, a major gas supplier to the UK, has in the past denied any uncontacted Indians live there.Until recently, Perenco had been blocked from entering the area by local indigenous protesters. With help from Peru’s…
Malaysia: Destroyer of Penan’s forests given honorary knighthood

29 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pm

The founder and chairman of a Malaysian timber company that has logged the forests of the Penan tribe for decades has been given an honorary knighthood.Tiong Hiew King, the billionaire founder of the Rimbunan Hijau Group, has been awarded the honorary knighthood by the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II, reportedly for services to commerce, the community and charitable organizations in Papua New Guinea, where his company also operates. The hunter-gatherer Penan tribe of Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo, have been struggling for more than twenty years to prevent logging…
Peru: Congress repeals controversial Amazon laws

21 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pm

The Peruvian Congress has voted to repeal two controversial Amazonian laws after protests that led to the death of an unknown number of policemen and indigenous people.The Congress voted to repeal the laws at the end of last week. The laws undermined indigenous peoples’ rights and made it easier for outsiders to take control of their land. Peru’s Amazon Indian organisation, AIDESEP, described the government’s decision as ‘historic’. ‘Our struggle and the lives of our indigenous brothers and sisters have not been in vain,’ said AIDESEP’s…

HUMANITARIAN NEWS - Google News
Michael Jackson's - MyFox Los Angeles

4 Jul 2009 | 5:09 am

Telegraph.co.ukMichael Jackson'sMyFox Los Angeles"Michael was a tremendous humanitarian," says reknowned music manager and producer, Ken Kragen. "I don't think he got the credit certainly in the later Michael Jackson's unreleased song his 'greatest ever work'Telegraph.co.ukJackson Tour Producer Larry LarsonMyFox Los Angelesall 4 news articles »
Refugees In Pakistan Need Urgent Support - NEWS JUNKIE POST

4 Jul 2009 | 12:03 am

Voice of AmericaRefugees In Pakistan Need Urgent SupportNEWS JUNKIE POSTSome humanitarian organization, such as Doctors Without Borders, are also expressing grave concerns regarding disease such as cholera spreading within the UN agencies, Pakistan working on IDPs returnXinhuaUNICEF Concerned About Displaced Children in Northwest PakistanVoice of AmericaIn Refugee Aid, Pakistan's War Has New FrontNew York TimesSANA -Bloomberg -MiamiHerald.comall 79 news articles »
A Political History of American Patriotism - Washington Post

3 Jul 2009 | 9:15 pm

A Political History of American PatriotismWashington PostYet, as the author notes, the flag also partook of humanitarian patriotism. The pledge of allegiance, intended to promote assimilation of immigrants, and more »
Internationally aclaimed humanitarian hero Blase Bonpane Sunday ... - Examiner.com

3 Jul 2009 | 5:07 pm

Internationally aclaimed humanitarian hero Blase Bonpane Sunday Examiner.comAmong numerous other humanitarian activities, Bonpane hosts radio program "World Focus" in Los Angeles on Pacifica network station KPFK. and more »
Humanitarian operation a model for the world: Rajapaksa - Hindu

3 Jul 2009 | 3:23 pm

Telegraph.co.ukHumanitarian operation a model for the world: RajapaksaHinduHence, this mission was called a humanitarian operation,” he told the gathering. The Defence Ministry, in a separate announcement, said the government had Sri Lanka: Vanni Emergency OCHA Situation Report No. 24ReliefWeb (press release)Rumors on ties with Sri Lanka dismissedChina DailySri Lanka creates special economic zone for Chinese investorsTimes of IndiaWorld Socialist Web Site -ReliefWeb (press release)all 66 news articles »

The Ushahidi Blog
Stop Stock-Outs: Mapping Access to Essential Medicines

Ory Okolloh

2 Jul 2009 | 2:45 pm

Over the last few months, the team at Ushahidi has been pleasantly surprised by all the innovative uses of Ushahidi that are popping up globally. Stop Stockouts is one of them. Stop Stock-Outs is a campaign to ensure access to essential medicines by using Ushahidi and Frontline SMS to map the availability of essential medicines at public health facilities in several African countries. These are medicines used to treat common diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, HIV, TB, diabetes and hypertension. Ken Banks of Frontline SMS has a nice post up describing how the campaign works.
Cuidemos el Voto: Monitoring Federal Elections in Mexico

juliana

25 Jun 2009 | 2:34 am

The Cuidemos el Voto mashup is an independent platform to help monitor the federal elections of 5 July 2009 in Mexico. The information collected is generated from text messages (SMS# 5532690062), emails, twitter, and reports, then aggregated onto the mapping. The main objective of the project is to report incidents and irregularities in the electoral process that determines the Federal Criminal Code and Federal Code of Electoral Institutions and Procedures. The will also couple citizen journalist reports together with information from press releases, photos and videos related to elections.
Ushahidi one of the Knight News Challenge Winners for 2009

Ory Okolloh

17 Jun 2009 | 1:19 pm

Ushahidi is extremely excited to be one of the Knight News Challenge Winners for 2009! We have received a grant in the amount of $70,000 to allow us to focus on testing and building partnerships in Kenya, where the idea of Ushahidi was born. We at Ushahidi have undertaken to maintain a special commitment to Kenya, not just because of the origins of Ushahidi but also because we believe our long-term involvement in implementations and testing in Kenya will allow us to continue to improve the platform both technically and in terms of its on the ground impact. In addition, we will be able to test…
“We copied THEIR pattern”

Erik Hersman

16 Jun 2009 | 1:33 pm

Clay Shirky is one of my favorite authors and speakers. As always, he puts together a “must watch” presentation for anyone dealing with social media and the democratization of information. Today his latest TED Talk on social media, which was given at the US State Department last month, was pushed live. In it Clay talks about the way that patterns for technology use are being transferred from places like Africa. He uses the example of FrontlineSMS being used by civilians to monitor elections in Nigeria, and how we finally see that same type of activity in the US. It’s…
Ushahidi at 1% Club Event in Amsterdam

juliana

9 Jun 2009 | 2:08 pm

Last friday, I had the pleasure to represent Ushahidi at the 1% Club Event in Amsterdam, where I ran a workshop with Hajo Van Beijma of TextToChange. During the workshop we presented our projects and discussed with the participants how mobiles and platforms such as Ushahidi can be used for activism. The 1%Club is an organization of people who believe in setting aside 1% of their income and time to work on a project that is close to their heart. It was founded by Bart Lacroix and Anna Chojnacka. A new website that shows the members and their chosen projects will launch soon, do check their…

United Nations Good Works
Nasty Nematodes Beware!

1 Jul 2009 | 1:26 pm

Can you imagine never seeing the sun rise? How about never seeing the smile on your child’s face? Thanks to a new drug called Moxidectin, some 100 million people across the African continent will be saved from such a dire reality. These individuals currently suffer from river blindness, a debilitating disease caused by the worm Onchocerca volvulus. Transmitted by the bite of the Black Fly, which breeds in fast-flowing rivers, these nasty parasites spread rapidly and can survive for up to fifteen years in the human body.At present, the drug ivormectin is used to control river blindness…
Women, Work, and Family: Lessons from Latin America

29 Jun 2009 | 12:39 pm

It’s normal thing in the United States for husbands help their wives with cleaning the house, cooking, or doing the laundry. This is especially true in cases when wives, along with their husbands, work and make their own contribution to the family budget. However, in Latin America, the situation is completely different – such behavior on the part of men would be ridiculed and considered challenging the traditional “machist” perception of manhood. Today, when more than 100 million (!) women throughout Latin America and the Caribbean work, a traditional Latin American perception of…
Emergency? Dial 9-1-Camel

26 Jun 2009 | 6:37 am

When someone is seriously injured here in the US, they’re whisked away in a fast-moving ambulance. But try to drive that ambulance in a rural desert with no roads, and you’ve got yourself a problem. To solve this predicament, the UNDP in Ethiopia is turning camels into emergency transport vehicles.Ok, so they don’t have sirens or flashing lights. But these humped, spitting beasts of burden are ideally suited to transport seriously ill patients across the deserts of rural Ethiopia to hospitals. The UNDP has also trained men and women in basic healthcare to ride along with the camels, and…
Picture This: Environmental Sustainability in Pictures!

23 Jun 2009 | 9:05 am

Last week, UNDP, Olympus and AFP partnered to launch Picturethis, an Africa based photo competition designed to highlight the work of African natives to negate and reverse the effects of climate change. The competition aims to demonstrate the people of Africa as ‘stewards of their natural environment’. The contest is inspired by the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, which will bring together over 15,000 officials from 200 countries to address climate change and explore options to extend the Kyoto Protocol’s treaty’s into the future. The contest is exclusively for…
Sneaky Sands Threaten Livelihoods Around the World

17 Jun 2009 | 1:55 pm

With the majority of news broadcasts covering incidents of death, disease, and destruction, the major threat of desertification to the lives of millions around the world is often overlooked. However, on June 17—officially marked World Day to Combat Desertification—Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon made it his personal mission to emphasize the danger of encroaching deserts, especially to populations already marginalized by poverty. A process that is accelerating rapidly as a result of climate change, desertification is an issue that, like many others, will disproportionately affect the poor.

united-nations « WordPress.com Tag Feed
Afghanistan: 'NATO led troops per country'...

markdowe

4 Jul 2009 | 5:11 am

Image/Data Credit: International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/Economist, July 2008.
Articles on Discerning the World2

Swarna Jha

4 Jul 2009 | 4:33 am

South African Compulsory Regulation to Intercept Communications – RICA (1 July 2009) Satan the Trickster – Embracing the Emerging Snake Elza Meyer To Save 10 Million Souls Because of Demonic Attack The Fire Born Again Christians are Now Compared to Inquisitors of the Inquisitions God Does Not Exist, Man Does He Comes Bearing Gifts… The Positive and The Negative of a One World Religion Christianity Defaced as Emergent Movement Embraces Mysticism To Emergents and All Others With the Same ‘Intentions’ Brian McLaren Blames The Christian Faith…
ONU vs. Creştinismul: Cazul IUGOSLAVIA (scurt)

VreuMantuire

4 Jul 2009 | 3:33 am

Motto:“Pentru ce s-au întărâtat neamurile şi popoarele au cugetat cele deşarte? Ridicatu-s-au regii pământului şi căpeteniile s-au adunat laolaltă împotriva Domnului şi împotriva Unsului Lui” (F. Ap. 4, 26) Pentru impunerea Noii Ordini Mondiale, arhitecţii acesteia, au avut în vedere distrugerea naţiunii-stat, a familiei şi a credinţei creştine. Atingerea acestor scopuri este posibilă doar prin elaborarea unor strategii prin care să fie subminaţi şi distruşi aceşti trei piloni pe care se sprijină edificiul social. Una dintre aceste strategii urmăreşte…
Pirates Of The Mediterranean

agaahipk

3 Jul 2009 | 9:46 pm

By Paul Craig Roberts On June 30, the government of Israel committed an act of piracy when the Israeli Navy in international waters illegally boarded the “Spirit of Humanity,” kidnapped its 21-person crew from 11 countries, including former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Laureate Mairead MaGuire, and confiscated the cargo of medical supplies, olive trees, reconstruction materials, and children’s toys that were on the way to the Mediterranean coast of Gaza. The “Spirit of Humanity,” along with the kidnapped 21 persons is being towed to Israel as I write. Gaza has been…
The Global Report – Radio Edition: July 03, 2009

theglobalreportradioedition

3 Jul 2009 | 7:35 pm

This week’s broadcast includes: Obama moves against workers on $106 bilion war bill 50,000 Bangladesh garment workers in wage protest Amnesty report cites Israel for indiscriminate drone bombing and use of human shields in Gaza Loophole helps GE benefit from bank rescue program Key leaders of Honduras military coup trained in US CIA crucified captive in Abu Ghraib prison Faulty database overcharges patients billions Bagram detainees treated ‘worse than animals’ Afghanistan: 800 civilians killed in conflict in January-May – UN report Study: Infants with HIV at risk from…

Forced Migration Current Awareness Blog
Summer Break

26 Jun 2009 | 2:20 pm

This blog will be on hold from Saturday, June 27th to Saturday, July 4th. It's a busy week with both IASFM12 (28 June - 2 July) and UNHCR's Annual Consultations with NGOs (29 June - 1 July) holding meetings. I look forward to learning more about these discussions and presentations via webcast, podcast and/or conference report, and sharing them with you accordingly.
Publications: Attitudes towards Refugees, Climate Change, IDPs/Europe, Irregular Migrants/Return, Pakistan, Right to Asylum & Intl. Law

26 Jun 2009 | 12:00 pm

Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Internal Displacement (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, June 2009) [text]The Enforced Return of Irregular Migrants: Rules and Practices in Norway, France, Poland and Sweden (ECON, June 2009) [text]"Foreword," The Right to Asylum between Islamic Shari'ah and International Refugee Law: A Comparative Study (UNHCR, June 2009) [text]Pakistan:
Resources for Journalists

26 Jun 2009 | 7:30 am

Refugee Resettlement Reform featured a post about "Finding Refuge," a series on the CPJ blog on how an Iraqi interpreter/journalist became a refugee and found protection in the U.S.There is little information available specifically for journalists who are forced to flee persecution. Reporters without Borders recently prepared "Guidelines for Exiled Journalists" (June 2009) to provide "
New Issues of ICRC Review, Intl. J. HR, Mig. Rts. News, Women's Asylum News

25 Jun 2009 | 6:50 am

International Journal of Human Rights, vol. 13, nos. 2&3 (2009) [contents]- Special issue on "Protection of Sexual Minorities since Stonewall: Progress and Stalemate in Developed and Developing Countries." Includes three articles on the refugee determination process.International Review of the Red Cross, vol. 90, no. 872 (Dec. 2008) [contents]- Theme is "Direct Participation in Hostilities."
Publications: Armed Conflict, Development Assistance, Refugee Protection/South Africa, Roma/Kosovo, Uganda Refugees Act

24 Jun 2009 | 5:45 am

Development assistance and refugees: Towards a North-South grand bargain?, Forced Migration Policy Briefing 2 (Refugee Studies Centre, June 2009) [text]Kosovo: Poisoned by Lead: A Health and Human Rights Crisis in Mitrovica’s Roma Camps (HRW, June 2009) [text]Our World. Views from the Field. Opinion Survey, Part 1: The Impact of Armed Conflict (ICRC, June 2009) [access]Protecting Refugees,

ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace)
US federal IT investment visualizations: Storyboards for citizens

Sanjana Hattotuwa

2 Jul 2009 | 7:11 pm

Looking a lot like an updated version of Gapminder, the newly launched US Federal IT dashboard reminds us that the visualisation of information in the public domain can be a powerful mechanism to animate voters to hold government accountable and transparent. For the record, this is not something our own ICT Agency or Central Bank will even remotely consider doing. Though the outrageous corruption in government flagged in the two COPE reports would make for some interesting visualisations, both ICTA and the CB, far from being thought-leaders in ICTs are sadly factories for irrelevant policies…
Arianna Huffington on Citizen Journalism

Sanjana Hattotuwa

30 Jun 2009 | 3:46 pm

Arianna Huffington, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post, takes a look at the recent success of citizen journalism and the role it can play in the years to come. Arianna is better read than viewed (she is overwhelmingly soporific), but the examples she presents in this video, though largely from a US centric perspective, point to the potential of new media to add value to stories reported in traditional media, and bear witness to issues that journalists are barred from or fearful of covering. Posted in ICTs and other stuff Tagged: Citizen journalism, New media
Quick take: BBC’s Nik Gowing on new media

Sanjana Hattotuwa

30 Jun 2009 | 3:51 am

The BBC’s Nik Gowing writes an excellent piece in the Guardian on how new media is subverting traditional media’s vice grip on news and information. As Nik notes in Real-time media is changing our world, Institutional assumptions of commanding the information high ground in a crisis are from a different era. The instant scrutiny created by the new digital media landscape subverts their effectiveness and leaves reputations more vulnerable than ever in a crisis. It usually does so with breathtaking speed. A good example of this in Sri Lanka was the atrocious use of wikipedia by the…
Are we all writers now?

Sanjana Hattotuwa

29 Jun 2009 | 6:21 am

Image from Agile Thoughts I post this in response to an interesting essay published recently on the More Intelligent Life website by the Economist group. In We are all writers now, Anne Trubek avers, Yes, we need to darken the line between what is verifiable and what is hearsay. The financial downturn and its disastrous impact on print publishing has led some to think we can do without trained reporters and editors–professionals who know how to check facts and strip the gloss off hasty pronouncements. We need this work, perhaps now more than ever. But not at the expense of silencing the…
Computer models for predicting conflict outcomes

Sanjana Hattotuwa

28 Jun 2009 | 1:30 pm

From Bill Waters came a great heads-up on a paper that informs a model to predict the outcome of conflict. Political scientist Bruce Bueno de Mesquita uses rational choice theory as the basis of this tool, which I would love to see with a dataset populated with Sri Lanka’s conflict metrics. Bill also points to a detailed paper entitled Game Theory, Political Economy, and the Evolving Study of War and Peace by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita’s that is well worth a read. Question is, even if (and this is a big if) war is based on rational choice theory as expounded here by this political…

Information Technology and Emergency & Crisis Response
Live Video Social Apps and Public Protests

26 Jun 2009 | 2:04 pm

Videosequences from the Bambuser Over the last few months, live video social media apps has been used to broadcast live from public protests, demonstrations and riots. What will this mean for the future protest practice. Does this mean that a mobile phone will become equally important as burning trashcans and flying stones. We are not there yet but there seems to be a trend to cover protests and demonstrations using cheap and simple social media apps. A quick browse through the one such social media site´s archieves resulted in a set of short live video sequences from protests in Norway,…
Great meeting with Sintef researchers

24 Jun 2009 | 8:54 am

This week, I have visited SINTEF in Norway as a guest researcher in their EMERGENCY project. I have had three great and sunny days in Fredrikstad together with Keitil Stölen and his research group. My role was to learn more about their work in the field of emergency response and provide feedback to the PhD-fellows work. The Emergency-project is a user-driven innovation project and includes both end-user organizations as well as industrial partners. It is always very valauble to meet new researchers and discuss the challenges in doing research in the domain of emergency response. This meeting…
Mobile Crisis Response App-store

11 Jun 2009 | 1:09 pm

Today, I had an excellent talk with Aida and Negar at the Software Engineering & Management Program at the Department of Applied IT at the Gothenburg University. Aida and Negar has started to work on a project where they will explore the idea of a work-domain specific app-store for crisis response. Such type of an App-store is to some extent i sharp contrast to the platform specific App-stores developed by Apple. Google, RIM, Nokia, SonyEricsson, and LG. Aida and Negar presented their results from an initial survey of the different platforms and it was evident in the discussion that…
Live video in emergency response work becomes more common

10 Jun 2009 | 1:19 am

Yesterday, Mats Bomström at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) informed me about the news that FDNY is now using live video as part of emergency response work. According to the news, FDNY use live video in order to provide safety on location when there is a risk for building collapses or other types of risks for their own personnel. What is a bit exciting here is how they use live video not only to provide a "situation view" for the command centre, but activley use the video as material for decision making on the accident site. Read more at Wall Street Journal
Medverka som talare på MSB´s Temadagar i augusti

8 Jun 2009 | 2:33 am

I slutet av augusti kommer jag att medverka på MSB´s temadagar kring värderingar som hot. Jag kommer att tala om social mjukvara och krishantering.Värderingar som hot – en temadag för dig med engagemang i aktuella samhällsfrågorÅrets temadag tar upp frågor kopplade till yttrandefrihet och demokrati, i ett samhälle med många olika värderingar. Hur skapar vi ett samhälle där olika värderingar inte uppfattas som ett hot? Vilka argument har vi för att bemöta antidemokratiska värderingar i klassrummet eller på nätet? Målgruppen för ”Värderingar som hot” är främst…

DARFUR NEWS - Google News
AU ruling means Bashir can travel in Africa: Sudan - Reuters

4 Jul 2009 | 6:02 am

BBC NewsAU ruling means Bashir can travel in Africa: SudanReutersThe global court has issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on charges he masterminded human rights abuses in Sudan's western Darfur AU criticised over Bashir decisionAljazeera.netAfrican Union in rift with courtBBC NewsAfrica refuses to act on Sudan war crimes warrantAFPABC Online -AllAfrica.com -Aljazeera.netall 294 news articles »
Sudan tries to contact Darfur kidnappers - AFP

4 Jul 2009 | 4:02 am

Aljazeera.netSudan tries to contact Darfur kidnappersAFPGunmen kidnapped the Irish and Ugandan women from the office of the Irish aid group Goal in the North Darfur city of Kutum on Friday night. Darfur rebels sign deal with Sudan opposition partyWashington PostTwo foreign aid workers kidnapped in Sudan's DarfurXinhuaDarfur Rebels, Sudanese Opposition Party Sign AgreementVoice of AmericaReuters -Ynetnews -AFPall 235 news articles »
World Digest - Annapolis Capital

3 Jul 2009 | 10:24 pm

World DigestAnnapolis CapitalCAIRO - Gunmen abducted two female aid workers in Darfur yesterday, said the international peacekeeping mission in the western region of Sudan. and more »
Don Cheadle Poker For Darfur - Examiner.com

3 Jul 2009 | 4:46 pm

PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)Don Cheadle Poker For DarfurExaminer.comIf you don't have anything to do this weekend, then pack your bags and head to Vegas NOW! MO is reporting: Don Cheadle is hosting the third annual Ante Up Celebrities Come Out To Play Poker For CharitySocialite LifeCelebs 'Ante Up for Africa' Tonight at the World SeriesFlopTurnRiver.comAnte Up For Africa charity event takes place todayBluff Europe MagazinePokerNews.com -Bodog Beat -Look To The Starsall 39 news articles »
'Genocide-free' proposal rejected at Vanguard - The Associated Press

2 Jul 2009 | 1:51 pm

'Genocide-free' proposal rejected at VanguardThe Associated Press saying it recently adopted its own policy to screen out investments that may be linked to genocide in places like Sudan's Darfur region. Vanguard Shareholders Vote on Genocide-Free Investing Proposal Earthtimes (press release)all 140 news articles »

TIBET NEWS - Google News
Australia to hold 'Harmony March' in solidarity with Indian students - Times of India

4 Jul 2009 | 7:53 am

Australia to hold 'Harmony March' in solidarity with Indian studentsTimes of IndiaThe group of Australian lawmakers arrived in Dharamsala on Wednesday to meet the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, and representatives of Tibet's and more »
Our pick of the Best Bets July 3-11 - Cape Cod Times

4 Jul 2009 | 3:31 am

Our pick of the Best Bets July 3-11Cape Cod TimesCape Cod Times/Matt Seuss The Tibetan Buddhist monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery of India return this summer on the Mystical Arts of Tibet world tour, and more »
Big Day for the Winners-Linda's Tour in Tibet - CRIENGLISH.com

3 Jul 2009 | 2:43 pm

CRIENGLISH.comBig Day for the Winners-Linda's Tour in TibetCRIENGLISH.comTop winners of CRI's 'Beautiful Tibet' knowledge contest pose for a photo at the Lalu wetland in Lhasa, capital of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region and more »
Miracle drug adds muscle to hill economy - Chandigarh Tribune

3 Jul 2009 | 2:14 pm

Gulf TimesMiracle drug adds muscle to hill economyChandigarh TribuneBut because of Olympics and a strict vigil on the borders, the sale was less with few buyers from Tibet and Nepal. “Villagers in and around Chiplakot hills Nine Nepalese Killed in Turf War for Valuable Aphrodisiac FungusJournal of Turkish Weeklyall 28 news articles »
Australian Lawmakers Visit Dalai Lama in India - Voice of America

3 Jul 2009 | 8:25 am

Northern Voices OnlineAustralian Lawmakers Visit Dalai Lama in IndiaVoice of AmericaTibet's spiritual leader spent more than an hour with members of the first parliamentary delegation from Australia to visit him in Dharamsala, The beauty of Tibet in reel lifeDaily News & AnalysisNew Challenges for the Tibet Movement in Europe -K GyaltsenPhayulSupporting the Tibetan causeTimes of India -SamayLive -DigitalJournal.comall 28 news articles »

Phayul Latest News
'Companies need hearts and brains'

4 Jul 2009 | 5:15 am

Buddhism, economics and management are all interconnected. The Dalai Lama believes the financial crisis is a moral crisis. Jörg Eigendorf spoke with the Tibetan spiritual leader in his Indian exile.
Tibet exhibition opens in Taipei

4 Jul 2009 | 1:27 am

A month-long special exhibition on the culture, religion, life and political system of Tibetans living in exile was inaugurated in Taipei yesterday. The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the flight of the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of
Dalai Lama’s Birthday clouded by news of ongoing repression

3 Jul 2009 | 7:13 pm

A representative of the Tibetan government in exile, Sonam Tenzing, has called on the international media to investigate the situation in Tibet. He says conditions have not changed since the clampdown began in 2008
China students upset over mandatory summer drills

3 Jul 2009 | 1:30 am

For many students in Beijing, the summer holidays will instead center around government-mandated drills for an elaborate parade to mark the Oct. 1 event. "I'm really furious!" said 21-year-old Li, furrowing her brow as she sipped
Security and Scarcity, the Two-headed Problem of Asian Hydropolitics

3 Jul 2009 | 12:37 am

As the rift has widened between the Chinese government and the Tibetan leadership in exile during the past year, it is high time that innovative strategies be considered for conflict resolution. During a recent visit to the

TIBETBLOGS.COM - Feeds
The Obscenity of Tibet Tourism

4 Jul 2009 | 5:19 am

Smile For the Propaganda! Image:xinhua The equation is simple, visiting Tibet as a tourist does not in any meaningful way benefit the Tibetan people, it may well be a wonderfully exotic personal experience, one that draws the admiring attention of friends and family, but it does not service Tibet or its culture. There was a time when those considering a trip to the region could ease any prangs of conscience, about entering a nation under oppressive occupation, by drawing comfort from the views of the Dalai Lama, who has advocated tourism to Tibet, on the basis that people could see for…
'Companies need hearts and brains'

4 Jul 2009 | 5:15 am

Buddhism, economics and management are all interconnected. The Dalai Lama believes the financial crisis is a moral crisis. Jörg Eigendorf spoke with the Tibetan spiritual leader in his Indian exile.
Australian delegation talksTibet with H.H the Dalai lama:"We wished him to live to 120"

3 Jul 2009 | 12:53 pm

Dharamshala: A delegation of six parliamentary members representing the Australian All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet presently…
What Independence Brings

3 Jul 2009 | 9:03 am

It is easy to become cynical about America, but today is a good day to throw that attitude away. Instead, we can remember the refuge that America provided our shared tradition at its darkest hour.Look at the great stupa of America, built by Tarthang Rinpoche at Odiyan, the seat of Nyingma in the West.Happy 4th of July, everyone. Enjoy the fireworks.Write to rinpoche2006@gmail.com http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com
Falun Gong helps crack Iran's web filter

2 Jul 2009 | 12:24 pm

By Desmond Ang for Radio Australia / ABC Updated Thu Jul 2, 2009 1:32pm AEST Neda Agha-Soltan was watching post-election protests in Tehran when she was shot in the chest. (Reuters/Flickr) Computer software invented to beat China's stringent internet controls is being used by pro-democracy activists in Iran to manoeuvre around authorities there. Developed and managed by a team of volunteers from the Falun Gong spiritual group, Freegate was created to allow net users to bypass Beijing government censorship. Now it is estimated as many as a million Iranians use the free service each day, as…

Tibet Will Be Free
“Tibetan Lawyers: Why Don’t They Come Forward?” By Woeser

High Peaks Pure Earth

1 Jul 2009 | 7:00 am

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a blogpost by Woeser originally written for Radio Free Asia and posted on her blog on June 8th 2009.Since the protests in Tibet that started last year in March, some Chinese lawyers have emerged publicly in support of Tibetans. As Woeser has written below, high-profile cases such as the case of Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche in Kham and of Labrang monk Lama Jigme have benefitted from their involvement.Amnesty International also reports that amateur Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen "now has legal representation of two family-appointed lawyers" but the outcome of…
10,000 People Petition Against Death Sentences in Tibet

From London to Lhasa: Students for a Free Tibet UK

27 Jun 2009 | 6:36 am

LONDON, 25th June- On April 8th, 2009 the Chinese government sentenced Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak to death for their alleged involvement in the March 2008 protests in Lhasa, Tibet. A number of other Tibetans have also received harsh prison sentences, including: Tenzin Phuntsok and Kangtsuk (sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve), Dawa Sangpo (life imprisonment), and three Tibetan women in their early twenties - Penkyi (death sentence with a two-year reprieve), Penkyi (life imprisonment), and Chime Lhamo (10 years' imprisonment). Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetans their basic…
SFT Canada Confronts Continental Minerals Executives

Home

26 Jun 2009 | 7:25 pm

Tibetans and supporters held two protests in Vancouver this past week; Saturday, June 20th in front in downtown Vancouver, and then again on Wednesday June 24th outside the Metropolitan Hotel where Continental Minerals held their annual general meeting. SFT Canada's National Director, Tsering Lama, was able to enter the AGM and confront Continental Minerals' executives, including CEO David Copeland, before being escorted out. Several SFT members from Vancouver and Victoria took part in a "die-in" action right outside the meeting room after being kicked out.For media coverage about this…
Tibetans and Supporters Confront Continental Minerals at their AGM

tenzinlobsang

26 Jun 2009 | 11:48 am

It was a rainy Vancouver day, but Tibetans and supporters organized by SFT and CTC came out to hold a second protest on Wednesday June 24th, outside the Metropolitan Hotel where the Continental Minerals AGM took place, to protest the company mining in Tibet. Earlier that morning, Tsering Lama, SFT Canada National Director, went head-to-head [...] Read more on SFT Canada's blog
SFT “Welcomes” Chinese Foreign Mininster to Ottawa

tenzinlobsang

26 Jun 2009 | 10:38 am

SFT Ottawa “welcomed” Chinese foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on June 22nd as he arrived in Ottawa to meet with the Canadian Foreign Minister, Lawrence Cannon. Below is a report from SFT Ottawa’s Wangdu Duntak and photos from Lodoe Laura. We started our protest against the arrival of foreign minister Yang Jiechi at 5:30 pm. There [...] Read more on SFT Canada's blog

hrw.org
Syria: Disclose Fate of Detainees

Human Rights Watch

3 Jul 2009 | 9:01 pm

(New York) - Syrian authorities should immediately make public the fate of all detainees at Sednaya prison, at least nine of whom are believed to have been killed when military police used lethal force during unrest in the prison last July, Human Rights Watch said today. Syria should also free those who have finished serving their sentences, Human Rights Watch said. read more
Russia/US: Obama Should Press Medvedev on Rights at Summit

Human Rights Watch

3 Jul 2009 | 8:08 am

President Barack Obama should signal clearly to people in Russia when he visits Moscow on July 6, 2009, that human rights in their country remain one of his administration's central concerns, Human Rights Watch said today. read more
UAE: Ruling Undermines Press Freedom

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 1:34 pm

(New York) - A ruling by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal to suspend a local newspaper and fine its editor-in-chief further undermines press freedom in the United Arab Emirates, Human Rights Watch said today. read more
Honduras: Decree Suspends Basic Rights

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 11:10 am

The Organization of American States (OAS), should press Honduras' de facto government to ensure full respect for human rights guarantees, Human Rights Watch said in a letter released today to OAS Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza. read more
India: Court Strikes Down ‘Sodomy’ Law

Human Rights Watch

2 Jul 2009 | 8:32 am

(New York) – The ruling today by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) can no longer be used to treat consensual homosexual conduct between adults as a criminal offense is a victory for basic rights to privacy, non-discrimination, and liberty, Human Rights Watch said today. read more

Derechos: Human Rights Listings
Europe: Bioethics and Human Rights go hand in hand

3 Jul 2009 | 7:19 pm

Three important meetings on Human Rights and Bioethics will be held during this month. From the “Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation” meeting, 7-8 July in Paris (France), and the “Right to Enjoy the Benefits of Scientific Progress and its Applications”, 16-17 July in Venice (Italy), to the “Meeting of the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee”, 9-10 July in Paris (France).
UK - Responsibility to the Story: Testimony and Ethics in Human Rights

3 Jul 2009 | 12:40 pm

Research and Narratives Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York (UK) 9-11 September 2009 This international conference will launch an important new journal: the Journal of Human Rights Practice. It is hosted by the Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York (UK), and Oxford University Press, in collaboration with Amnesty International, the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, and Panos London.
OAK - Nisgua seeks director

23 Jun 2009 | 1:31 pm

The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) links people in the U.S. and Guatemala with a focus on their common struggles for justice, human rights, environmental protection, and dignity. Formed at the height of Guatemala's war in 1981, NISGUA's network today is comprised of thousands of people across the U.S. who demand justice for genocidal crimes of the past, push to change current U.S. policies, support communities challenging corporate-led development in Guatemala, and advocate for grassroots alternatives.
22nd Francophone Course on International Humanitarian Law

23 Jun 2009 | 11:22 am

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss Red Cross are co-organising the 22e Cours francophone de droit international humanitaire from 31 August to 9 September 2009, in Sion, Switzerland. Through lectures and case studies, participants will acquire a solid understanding of the law regulating armed conflicts. The course in open to European- and North American-based graduate students and lecturers with knowledge of public international law, as well as to professionals dealing with IHL-related situations in their work.
Brussels: Universal Jurisdiction Project Coordinator

17 Jun 2009 | 11:03 am

The Project Coordinator is responsible for the general implementation of a joint REDRESS FIDH project on universal jurisdiction funded by the European Union. The purpose of the project is to: • Enhance cooperation among Member States in the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators located in the EU. • Develop among practitioners regular exchanges of views on common problems faced in their countries in the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture. • Strengthen victims' protection and access to justice in the EU in relation to the…

UUSC Blog
At GA, a Water Drop Enchants and a Cloud Lifts

Patricia Jones

2 Jul 2009 | 1:23 pm
More News from Salt Lake City

Constance Kane

29 Jun 2009 | 8:46 am
Finding Fellowship, Solidarity at My First G.A.

Constance Kane

26 Jun 2009 | 7:35 am
A Year of Making NAFTA a Priority

Meredith Barges

5 Jun 2009 | 8:26 am

PhD studies in human rights
Another Right to a Passport Case

3 Jul 2009 | 4:27 am

Some weeks ago, I reported on a Canadian case ordering the issuance of a passport. The Canadian authorities have issued the passport, and are not appealing the ruling. Yesterday, the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment against Bulgaria, ordering issuance of a passport.On 20 June 2001, Mihail Ignatov, made an urgent application for a passport in order to travel to Romania to fetch his daughter from Bucharest Airport three days later. The application was refused on the ground that he was barred from obtaining a passport as a result of an administrative measure taken in the context…
Judge Sotomayor on Death Penalty

28 Jun 2009 | 8:24 am

it is difficult to pin down the position of Obama's first nominee for the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, on the issue of capital punishment. Of course, coming from New York State, where there has really been no effective death penalty for several decades, it is not strange that she would not have had a chance to express judicial views on the matter. Moreover, under the bizarre system of judicial appointments in the United States, a person who expresses views on issues like capital punishment and abortion can be pretty certain of ruling themselves out for appointment to higher courts. The New…
Annual Report of European Fundamental Rights Agence

28 Jun 2009 | 8:20 am

The Annual Report of the European Fundamental Rights Agency has just been released: http://fra.europa.eu.It deals specifically with racist crimes, homophobic crimes, compensation for victims of crime, protection of children, and use and abuse of video surveillance and personal data.
Human Rights and Drug Policy

28 Jun 2009 | 8:17 am

Damon Barrett, one of our graduates, has an article on the website of The Guardian concerning human rights, security policy and drugs: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/24/un-world-drug-report
Togo Abolishes the Death Penalty

28 Jun 2009 | 8:05 am

Togo has become the fifteenth African country to abolish the death penalty de jure: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/good-news/togo-fifteenth-country-in-africa-to-abolish-the-death-penalty-20090623Legislation was enacted to this effect by the country's parliament last week. Togo has not actually imposed the death penalty for three decades and has long been considered a de facto abolitionist state. This confirms evidence of two important trends: the general trend towards abolition in the world; and the very pronounced trend of states that abolish the death penalty in practice to…

Annie's letters
The difference a [Palestinian-American] "comedian, actress, activist and dancing gimp” can make... By Deema Dabis

3 Jul 2009 | 8:41 am

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=38994The difference a "comedian, actress, activist and dancing gimp” can make- By Deema Dabis Date: 03 / 07 / 2009 [Ma'anImages] "I think that the biggest difference I make is that I actually show people that a disabled person can be members of society."They look at me and they go woah, she walks funny but she seems to have all this power and she has no fear and her eyes are always looking straight ahead, she doesn't look down,” said founder of Maysoon’s Kids, Maysoon Zaayid. “I want people to think that hey, if I can do…
Palestine Walking Trails By George Rishmawi

3 Jul 2009 | 4:17 am

http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=2821&ed=171&edid=171Palestine Walking Trails By George Rishmawi Picture from the Nablus areaWalking trails in Palestine are as old as the stones of Jerusalem. Caravan routes used to cross Palestine through three different areas: the Jordan Valley (rift valley), the Central or Patriarch’s Route, and Via Maris. Caravans used to trade and exchange goods with the people who lived in Palestine through all ages and civilisations. The people of Palestine have always offered great hospitality to first-time visitors, not knowing where they…
Israel's Sale of Palestinian Refugee Property Violates Israeli and International Law :

1 Jul 2009 | 11:38 am

http://www.adalah.org/eng/pressreleases/pr.php?file=09_06_22_9 Adalah's NewsletterVolume 61, June 2009 Adalah to Attorney General and Custodian of Absentee Property: Israel's Sale of Palestinian Refugee Property Violates Israeli and International Law Adalah Launches New Internet-Based Interactive Map and Database on Land Expropriations by Israel Adalah: "Selling these properties constitutes the final expropriation of the right to property of Palestinian refugees, despite the special legal, historical and political status of these properties." (Haifa, Israel) Adalah sent a letter to the…
How Can U.S. Give Away Others' Land?

1 Jul 2009 | 10:39 am

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A12http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124640793520077065.htmlLETTERSJULY 1, 2009 How Can U.S. Give Away Others' Land?Regarding "Hillary Is Wrong About the Settlements" by Elliott Abrams (op-ed, June 25): Pray tell, under what jurisdiction did President George W. Bush have the right to deed Palestinian land to Israel? Under international law all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. The right of the refugees to return to their homes after hostilities is guaranteed by the United Nations. Who gave the authority to President Bush to alter the…
Marking 60 years of UN assistance, Ban honours courage of Palestinians

30 Jun 2009 | 5:57 pm

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31321&Cr=unrwa&Cr1=Marking 60 years of UN assistance, Ban honours courage of PalestiniansGazan refugees taking shelter in an UNRWA classroom30 June 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute today to Palestinian refugees, who he said had shown great courage in the face of conflict, as well as to the efforts over the past 60 years of the United Nations agency tasked with assisting them. When the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was set up in 1949, no on anticipated that its humanitarian and…

Business & Human Rights in Vancouver
Petition to Obama: Call for reinstatement Honduran president Zelaya

28 Jun 2009 | 9:13 pm

Please sign this petition calling for the reinstatement of Honduran president Manuel Zaleya. The European Union and other Latin American leaders have all called for a reinstatement, but Obama's statement fell short of such a call.
Al Jazeera: military coup in Honduras.

28 Jun 2009 | 9:02 pm

From the Al Jazeera, here's their report of the miltary coup in Honduras:Manuel Zelaya, the president of Honduras, has called for "peaceful resistance" after the country's military forced him to leave the country.After arriving in Costa Rica on Sunday, Zelaya said that he had been a "victim of kidnapping" when Honduran soldiers raided his home earlier in the day.The military made its move after Zelaya vowed to go ahead with a referendum on constitutional changes, which the Central American nation's supreme court and attorney-general had declared illegal."They came to my house in the early…
HRW: Diamonds in the Rough.

28 Jun 2009 | 2:44 pm

Human Rights Watch reports on human rights abuses in the diamond fields of Zimbabwe. Here's the summary from the full report:Zimbabwe's armed forces, under the control of President Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), are engaging in forced labor of children and adults and are torturing and beating local villagers on the diamond fields of Marange district. The military seized control of these diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe after killing more than 200 people in Chiadzwa, a previously peaceful but impoverished part of Marange, in late October 2008.
URGENT: Vancouver-based Canadian mining company Continental Minerals is on the verge of starting mining production in Tibet.

22 Jun 2009 | 6:05 pm

E-mail from Students for a Free Tibet that was forwarded to me: Join Tibetans and supporters in Vancouver, BC June 24th and say NO! to Canadian mining in Tibet.In the past few months, Continental Minerals has received over 1,200 faxes from Canadians and faced protests in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and New York City calling on them to pull out of Tibet. Now as they hold their Annual General Meeting with shareholders and executives in Vancouver BC, join Tibetans and supporters in saying NO! to Canadian mining in Tibet.After five years of exploratory drilling, if Continental Minerals is…
Picket June 27 at MP Mario Silva's Toronto Office

22 Jun 2009 | 5:56 pm

For those of you in the Toronto area -- message I received from the Facebook group Stop the Canada-Colombia Trade Agreement: On Saturday, June 27th, the Colombian Action Solidarity Alliance, CASA, will be picketing outside the Toronto office of Liberal MP Mario Silva and providing information to local residents. CASA is asking Mr. Silva and the Federal Liberal Party to oppose Bill C-23 and demand that an independent comprehensive Human Rights Impact Assessment, HRIA, be performed and any concerns arising from such an assessment be satisfactorily addressed, before any further consideration of…

Chez Rémi
Desert storm

2 Jul 2009 | 3:56 pm

I took this photo yesterday in the Monegros Desert in Aragon, Spain. Los Monegros is a rare arid ecosystem with a landscape of stunning beauty which is unique in Europe [there are only two other ecosystems with the same characteristics anywhere in the world; they're located in Mauritania and Turkey respectively].But there is a dodgy operation underway there now, consisting in turning the area into some sort of European Las Vegas with 32 [thirty two !!] casinos, 70 [seventy !!] hotels and numerous golf courses [don't ask me where the water to irrigate them is supposed to come from] according…
Whale Watching massacre

30 Jun 2009 | 1:48 pm

I wrote quite a bit about whale watching last week on this blog, from Madeira during the meeting of the International Whaling Commission. One positive political development at last week's meeting was that no country anymore opposes the consideration by the IWC of whale watching as a management option, although disagreements remain on whether whale watching and whaling are compatible. A couple of years ago, I've heard Joji Morishita of Japan argue that eating a whale steak after a whale watching trip was not very different than when Western urban families go eat hamburgers after visiting a cow…
Whale watch

26 Jun 2009 | 3:52 am

A fairly large group of IWC delegates, observers and staff went whale watching yesterday after the annual meeting of the Whaling Commission ended.The whale on this photo is a Bryde's whale, a species found in tropical and sub-tropical waters. In the 1970s the population of whales to which this whale belongs was hunted indiscrimately by two infamous pirate whaling boats called the Sierra and the Tonna flying flags of convenience. Around the same time also, Japanese whaling entrepreneurs approached the then traditional whalers from Madeira and offered to upgrade and modernize their operation.
Chairman Richard

24 Jun 2009 | 9:06 am

The man chatting with Kelly on the photo here at the IWC meeting is Richard Black of the BBC. Richard has just published this afternoon an excellent sober blogpiece that all non-governmental and governmental advocates here [pro- and anti-whaling advocates alike] should read carefully, I think.The IWC will elect its new chairman in the next two days. There are several excellent [undeclared] candidates. But when I read his blogpiece this afternoon I thought that in a way it's a pity Richard can't be one of them. He'd do a good job reminding everyone to change the tune.
Whales with golden eggs

23 Jun 2009 | 2:05 pm

My opinion piece published yesterday by the BBC ended with the following remark:"The people of the island of Madeira, where the IWC is meeting this year, pride themselves on having ended their traditional whaling in the mid-1980s. Now, whale-watching contributes more to the local economy than whale hunting did, and this form of eco-tourism creates employment for former whale hunters and boatmen. The same could be true for Japan as well. If the IWC decides this week to continue the dialogue on the future of whale conservation, this annual meeting in Madeira may exhaust its agenda fairly…

Children
Happy Independence Day

Cassandra Clifford

4 Jul 2009 | 4:00 am

Today we Americans gather and celebrate as a nation, our independence our freedom, taking pride in our country and our history. We honor those who have fought and died to give us the ability to walk this land without fear of persecution. A nation built on the back of injustice, a nation with dark slave past (mention here and link to slave apology). We celebrate today a nation which stands for justice, the right to free speech, the right of religious choice, the right to live our lives how we choose to live. However while we may not always agree with each other, and our country is not by far…
The Truth of Justice from a Child

Cassandra Clifford

2 Jul 2009 | 9:04 pm

We often give children little input into matters of foreign affairs, politics or human rights, however children are the most observant and astute and regardless of weather or not we teach them about the world or not, they are watching and learning. Recently I was sitting around with my friends son, who is the ripe old inquisitive age of 7 years-old, and he was asking me question after question about what I do. I told him I try to help people and sometimes share their stories so that others will help them. When I told him I write things he wanted to see them and began to ask more questions…
Help pass the Child Protection Compact Act of 2009 (HR 2737)

Cassandra Clifford

29 Jun 2009 | 3:12 pm

Human trafficking is the worlds fastest growing industry, according to the 2009 State Department Trafficking in Persons Report over 80% of those victimized by transnational trafficking are women and children. According to the International Labor Organization (End of Child Labor Within Reach 2006), each year, some 1.2 million children are trafficked for the purposes of labor, while another 1 million are trafficked into the sex trade. Do watch the news, read news articles, or my blog posts and question what you can actually do that will make a difference? Feel you are stretched for time or…
News…

Cassandra Clifford

27 Jun 2009 | 9:26 pm

Tanzania orphan program may set example for continent Supporters believe an innovative program in Tanzania to care for infants of mothers who die in childbirth might hold the key to cutting infant mortality rates and caring for Africa’s 50 million orphans. Infants are cared for during the first two to three years of life at the Berega Orphanage, where female members of their extended families also reside, before returning home to their villages. Officials to review “blood diamond” designation The human-rights group Global Witness says the Kimberley Process used to certify…
Putting words into action

Cassandra Clifford

25 Jun 2009 | 6:25 pm

In previous posts such as; The renewed debate over potential U.S. ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child andThe United States and The Rights of the Child, I have mentioned the heavy importance for the United States to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This past November we saw the November 20th Aniversery of Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which again thrust the signing of the Convention into the spotlight. The US stands alone with the exception of Somalia, on their indecision to ratify the Convention, an action which has been the center of…

ICT - UN Declaration
NCAI endorses UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

WASHINGTON – The National Congress of American Indians has passed a resolution supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and urging its endorsement by state governments and Congress.
Newcomb: World Conservation Congress endorses Declaration

On Oct. 13, 2008 (Columbus Day), in Barcelona Spain, the World Conservation Congress (WCC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), voted to endorse and begin implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 13, 2007.
Letter to all political parties

Tomorrow, Sept. 13, 2008, we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Sept.13, 2007, after more than two decades of negotiation and debate. Despite having previously played a positive role in building international support for this human rights instrument, Canada was one of only four states to oppose the Declaration.

Bahai Faith in Egypt
The New York Times on the Baha'is of Iran

Bilo

3 Jul 2009 | 8:42 am

In a story published in The New York Times on 26 June 2009, and entitled "For Bahais, a Crackdown Is Old News," its author Samuel G. Freedman writes: The Bahais have long served as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine of Iran’s theocracy. Their persecution, as documented over nearly 30 years in numerous human rights reports, has contradicted all the näively hopeful predictions that the hard-line surface of Iran obscures a deeper wellspring of moderation and tolerance. In 1983, the Iranian... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
And Then They Came for Me!

Bilo

24 Jun 2009 | 4:24 pm

Here is an award-winning video on the plight of the Baha'is of Iran. It was put together by Bobby Aazami and became the overall winner of a contest conducted by the external affairs office of the Bahá’ís of the United States. In light of the video's context, one cannot help but contemplate the following poem by Martin Niemöller (1892–1984): In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more!
Baha'i Spokesman Interviewed on NPR Regarding Iran

Bilo

20 Jun 2009 | 1:50 pm

A spokesman for the Baha'i International Community was interviewed two days ago by the US National Public Radio (NPR). On its website, NPR writes the following: Iran's Religious Minority Speaks Out On Elections Listen Now [5 min 26 sec] June 18, 2009 · Members of the Baha'i faith, Iran's largest religious minority, have long been discriminated against and persecuted by the Islamic Republic of Iran government. Farhad Sabetan, an official within the Baha'i faith community, offers a reaction to... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Remarkable Words for a University Graduation

Bilo

10 Jun 2009 | 5:28 pm

This is an actual video recording from the opening remarks by the Chaplain of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. These remarks were made during the graduation ceremonies, given seven times this year for a total graduating class of approximately 4,900 students. The Chaplain uses the words of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Baha'i Faith--who had visited Montreal in August 1912--in her description of the beauty of diversity in these young graduates and of their hopes and dreams... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more!
Egypt Moving Forward With its Commitment to Human Rights

Bilo

4 Jun 2009 | 6:06 pm

Based on recent developments and reliable reports, the Egyptian Government should be acknowledged for its efforts in treating its Baha'i religious minority, as well as other minorities, with dignity and respect. Among several examples, related recently and reported by some Egyptian media outlets, Baha'is are increasingly being recognized for their positive role in their society and for being an integral part of its fabric. As a first step in the Government's efforts to improve the civil rights... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Change.org's Women's Rights Blog
Self-Evident? "All Men and Women Are Created Equal"

Jen Nedeau

4 Jul 2009 | 6:49 am

We all know that Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. While Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies - I am going to pose a more provocative question for the readers of Change.org: What does Independence Day mean for women? Historically and then in the present? It's no secret that the Declaration of Independence was written and signed by…
Friday Femme Fatale: Sarah Palin, VAWA & Health Reform

Jen Nedeau

3 Jul 2009 | 4:58 pm

I hope everyone has a lovely 4th of July! Here are the top stories of the week in the fem-o-sphere: Stonewall's unfinished legacy (The Guardian) Vice President Biden Announces Appointment of White House Advisor on Violence Against Women (White House Press Room) Study: Women Are "Emotional," Men Are "Having A Bad Day" (Jezebel) Important Steps Towards Financial Self-Sufficiency (Mexican Legal Defense and Educational Fund) 63 women out of 176 invitees (that's 36%) (America Blog) Clinton, Truman, Obama and Gays in the Military (The Atlantic) Promoting Equal Pay: Lilly Ledbetter States Her Case…
Why Health Care Reform Is a Women's Issue

Danine Spencer

3 Jul 2009 | 11:17 am

We all know stories of women who have gone through hell just to get medical care: A co-worker who spent hours on the phone pleading with the insurance company to cover a life-saving procedure A friend with diabetes who had to choose between buying groceries for her kids or filling her insulin prescription A cousin who paid through the nose for private insurance because her job didn't offer insurance and she has a very rare genetic disorder A neighbor who stayed in a bad relationship because her husband's job offered good health insurance These are all women I know. They could be women you…
Interview with Sheena Matheiken of The Uniform Project

Dorothee Royal-Hedinger

2 Jul 2009 | 10:21 am

Starting Starting May 2009, Sheena Matheiken pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. As if this wasn't cool enough, The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for slum children in India. I got a chance to catch up with Sheena, who is based in New York, in the midst of a whirlwind of press and excitement around her project:…
And The War Against Ovaries Continues

Jen Nedeau

1 Jul 2009 | 7:19 pm

Well, Al Franken's election win yesterday may make 60 Democratic votes in the Senate, but that doesn't mean that health care reform is going to be passed. Not when women still have a uterus, are able to get pregnant and continue to have the legal right to a reproductive medical procedure commonly known as abortion. Take a look at this letter from 19 anti-choice Democrats who are writing to Speaker Nancy Pelosi to say that healthcare reform must avoid ushering in government-funded abortion: June 25, 2009 Dear Honorable Pelosi: As the debate on health care reform continues and legislation is…

It Dawned On Me
Michael Jackson: The Sad Legacy of Child Abuse

Diane Beeler

27 Jun 2009 | 9:10 pm

No doubt the music was superb, the dancing mesmerizing, the videos innovative, the costumes eye-popping, the energy unbelievable. After his death this week, Michael Jackson, the proclaimed King of Pop, leaves a legacy of 13 Grammy awards, 13 number one singles, the best selling record of all time (Thriller), 750 million records sold, and many other accolades and awards. He also leaves behind three children, $500 million in debt, a tangled legal mess, and the sad legacy of child abuse. Michael Jackson was an abused child and he was (allegedly) an abuser. It’s easy to forget all this…
Rage Against the Machine: Protests in Iran

Diane Beeler

21 Jun 2009 | 8:56 am

This is a POWERFUL video of Iranian protests. It is posted on Huffington Post with the accompanying description: Rage against the machine. An Iranian-American writes: “In my spare time, I make short documentaries and music videos, and my 22 year old cousin in Iran asked that I make a video for him with his favorite song. I just spoke with him and he told me that his friends and him are watching it before they go out to protest. He was stepping out the door to protest when I spoke with him just a few minutes ago. A lot of Iranians from Iran rely on huffingtonpost.com for their…
Celebrating World Refugee Day by Becoming a U.S. Citizen

Diane Beeler

20 Jun 2009 | 9:25 pm

June 20 is World Refugee Day. 42 million people worldwide are refugees. Angelina Jolie serves as UNHCR (United Nations High Commission on Refugees) Goodwill Ambassador. She and Brad Pitt have donated $1 million to help Pakistani refugees displaced because of war. Angelina says that the number of Pakistani refugees is jumping at a really high rate…as much as 100,000 people a day…and 2 million Pakistanis are now refugees. Austin, Texas (where I live) takes in about 500 – 600 refugees per month; the most challenging thing is helping them find work. Here’s an article that…
The Audacity of Having a Voice

Diane Beeler

17 Jun 2009 | 1:39 pm

We have so villified the Iranians. Made them to be the enemy. Bush called them part of the “axis of evil.” We have feared them, mistrusted them, hated them, wanted to harm them. Credit: Huffington Post I am in awe of the Iranian people. These are people standing up for freedom and for having a voice. Would you have such courage to protest as they are doing now? Why, when Bush stole the election in 2000, did people in the United States not stand up and protest? Why, when Bush tortured people and we knew about it, did we not cast him and Cheney out of office? Why, when we knew that…
Chris Gardner and The Pursuit of Happyness

Diane Beeler

14 Jun 2009 | 4:09 pm

Chris Gardner, Jaden, and Will Smith I heard the powerful, and formerly homeless, Chris Gardner speak at the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in Austin on January 20, 2007. His booming voice and charismatic personality filled the large hall during his talk and enthralled me when I shook his hand afterward. Chris is best known as the subject of the 2006 $300 million+ grossing movie “The Pursuit of Happyness.” The movie, for which Will Smith won an Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe award, is based on Chris’ New York Times #1 best selling book The Pursuit of…

SWOPBlogger
A Trip to New York

Aurea

2 Jul 2009 | 8:47 am

Awesome would be the perfect word to describe my experience in New York City. It was an incredible journey that made me realize that there are so many new things for youth to explore. I could certainly say that I was able to gain many incredible skills as a person and as a future community organizer. One of the new skills that I obtained was learning how oppression is often portrayed through a game of tug-o-war, where it’s either a win or lose situation. I was also able to comprehend that in reality, it doesn’t have to be like this, if we can all work together we can make it so that both…
SWOP Circle of Life fundraiser

Aurea

30 Jun 2009 | 12:45 pm

Here's a short little video of the fundraiser we held recently:
Free Minds Free People - Education for Liberation Reflections

Celia Fraire

29 Jun 2009 | 1:28 pm

Here are some reflections from two delegates who attended Free Minds Free People in Houston:The education for liberation conference was great. I participated in many good workshops but the one that caught my eye the most was the End Zero tolerance in school workshop. I learned a lot about the ways that we could educate our youth on how important it is to know your rights and know that the answer to making school environments better is not to kick out our young people from school. Which many times leaves young people with no other option but to be on the streets and many times they go to…
SWOPistas represent at Pushback Network National Convening in Las Vegas, Nevada

tomas garduno

29 Jun 2009 | 10:32 am

Listen to radio story: The SWOP crew returned safe and sound from3 days in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday.We attended the Pushback Network's 2nd National Convening, "Pushing Back, Moving Forward". A group of 10 staff, board, and members came together with the SAGE Council to represent the New Mexico Pushback State Alliance. We taught, learned, shared, and strategized with other community organizers from around the country.What brings us together as a Network is that we know that building true political power for our communities means continuing to organize our communities around the issues that…
Education for Liberation

Celia Fraire

26 Jun 2009 | 5:42 pm

Holla from Houston! Inspiration abounds in Houston at the Free Minds Free People conference. The SWOP delegation includes parents, students, educators with varying levels of experience who are each finding different sources of inspiration and connection at the conference.Conference planners welcomed us to an opening event Thursday night at a local community center, where local spoken word artist Seven hosted an open mic session that brought out the best in young people from Salt Lake City, to Chicago, to Oakland, to Rhode Island.It was an interactive evening, and it was fun.We even got a…

Roma Rights Network
Government Failing to Address Roma Issues

admin

1 Jul 2009 | 11:38 am

The Slovak Government is failing to deal with the Roma issue, representatives of the Milan Simecka Foundation, the Roma Public Policy Institute and In Minorita stated at a press conference on Tuesday. The three groups pointed out that Slovakia is behind schedule in drawing European Union funds designated for the Roma, and the question of their education always remains at the level of priorities without any specific steps being taken. "There's no visible sign that the Government has used EU funds to improve the situation of Roma. On the contrary, the situation is getting worse," said Laco…
Ethnic minority communities struggle to break a cycle of poverty in Kosovo

admin

1 Jul 2009 | 11:35 am

In a desolate corner on the outskirts of Pristina, Kosovo, two men sit on the bare ground, mending a bicycle that is a lifeline for their families. Without their bicycles they could not earn the money they need to keep their large families alive. And what they earn is little enough because their days are spent sifting through the city’s garbage for what others throw away. “We work in the garbage containers, collecting tin cans, copper, scrap metal, aluminium, whatever we can find,” Besnik Hasanik says with a sad, gap-toothed smile. “Sometimes I can’t find anything because I’m not…
Roma who fled violence in Belfast face poverty and despair back home

admin

28 Jun 2009 | 11:26 am

Source: Times At the end of a potholed road lies the village to which a hundred Romanians are returning after fleeing racist attacks in Belfast and where their fear will soon turn to despair. Twenty hours of journey time separate Belfast, via Dublin and Budapest, from Batar but, surveying the medieval conditions in which the Roma live here, one might do better to take as a measure of distance not years, nor even decades, but centuries. On the farthermost margins of the European Union a man’s legs and arms were smeared with dirt as he toiled to make bricks from straw and mud to build another…
Arson victims still homeless

admin

26 Jun 2009 | 11:35 am

Kudrik, his mother Božena Bandurová, daughter Pavlína Anna Siváková burst into tears when she saw the cramped, two-room shelter that the town of Vítkov assigned to her family. The Roma family had just lost its home in an apparently racially motivated arson attack April 19. Siváková and her husband, Pavel Kudrik, suffered severe burns that kept them hospitalized in nearby Ostrava for nearly two weeks, while their youngest daughter, 2-year-old Natálka, remained in intensive care, struggling to survive. To Siváková, it felt like yet another blow to return to Vítkov after her May 2…
Istanbul heritage at risk, says report

admin

25 Jun 2009 | 3:50 pm

Parade in Sulukule A report prepared by inspectors from UNESCO that is being debated currently by the body’s world cultural heritage committee states the government’s policies are putting Istanbul’s rich heritage at risk and the city is in danger of being removed from the list of heritage sites. Istanbul heritage at risk, says report a report has been submitted to UNESCO’s world cultural heritage committee that puts Istanbul in a very bad light when it comes to preserving its heritage and threatens the city’s status as a world heritage site. read more

UNICEF News
Rwanda: Rebuilding stronger schools for earthquake survivors

3 Jul 2009 | 6:09 pm

KIGALI, Rwanda, 2 June 2009 – The day began like any other quiet Sunday in the western province of Rwanda. Lake Kivu glimmered in the sun and the hills surrounding it were green and filled with life.
Côte d'Ivoire: Improving access to birth registration for children

3 Jul 2009 | 6:09 pm

ABIDJAN, Côte d'Ivoire, 2 June 2009 – It's Tuesday morning and the children of the heavily populated neighbourhood of Abobo are warming up for a day of study.
Zimbabwe: Cholera cases near 100,000 as 'Twin Disaster' continues

3 Jul 2009 | 6:07 pm

HARARE, Zimbabwe, 3 June 2009 – Zimbabweans continue to suffer through the worst cholera outbreak in Africa in fifteen years. According to a new report by the Red Cross, nearly 100,000 cases of cholera have been reported throughout the country, and over four thousand people have died.
Niger: Teaming up to fight polio with Niger and Nigeria's synchronized immunization

3 Jul 2009 | 6:07 pm

MARADI, Niger, 5 June 2009 – Aboubacar Sidikou used to be an active two-year-old, running after goats in the courtyard or playing hide-and-seek all day long with his brothers. Now, the once enthusiastic boy has now become very shy. He rests in the arms of his grandmother and suddenly does not pay attention to anyone anymore.
Kenya: Experts call for urgent action on PMTCT and Paediatric HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa

3 Jul 2009 | 6:07 pm

NAIROBI, Kenya, 4 June 2009 – In 2007, there were 2.7 million new cases of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the recent Regional Consultation on Accelerating Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Paediatric Care and Treatment, governments of nine countries with high HIV prevalence were urged to take immediate action to expand and strengthen existing PMTCT services, as well as to increase treatment to infected mothers and children.

Oxfam International News
G8: Action needed on Climate Change

Joel M Bassuk

3 Jul 2009 | 4:27 am

Climate change is exacerbating poverty and vulnerability among the world’s poorest people who are least responsible for the problem, and are least able and resourced to bear itread more
Major issues – Oxfam G8 – Italy 2009

Joel M Bassuk

2 Jul 2009 | 9:30 am

This July the eight richest countries – the G8 – will meet in Italy. read more
G8 must deliver on Aid for Health and Education

Joel M Bassuk

2 Jul 2009 | 7:09 am

We live in a world where every minute of every day somewhere in the developing world a woman dies needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth, and where millions of children do not go toread more
G8 Summit, Italy 2009

Joel M Bassuk

1 Jul 2009 | 11:00 am

Poverty and inequality are getting worse in developing countries as a result of the global economic crisis. read more
G8 Summit Italy 2009

Joel M Bassuk

1 Jul 2009 | 9:03 am

We'll be at the Group of Eight Summit in Italy lobbying to get rich country heads of state to boost development aid, tackle climate change, and invest in developing country agriculture so that poor read more

ONE
What the Archbishop says

Weldon Kennedy

4 Jul 2009 | 7:22 am

One of my favourite moments of the U2 360 show is Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s stirring speech about taking action together as ONE. The Archbishop is ONE’s international patron, and has more authority to talk about the power of collective action than just about anyone. It is humbling to hear him say that as we take action against extreme poverty we are proving ourselves to be the same people as those who have engaged in other great humanitarian movements, like the struggle to end apartheid which he championed. I’m including a video here from the folks at U2.com, but really you have to be…
Dear G8,

Nora Coghlan

2 Jul 2009 | 4:45 pm

On Tuesday, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus and the former President of Ireland Mary Robinson joined together to present the G8 with one simple request: send every child to school. In an open letter to the leaders of the G8 countries, the group asked for the G8 to commit to launching a Global Fund for Education. The proposal comes from a pledge made by President Obama himself, which you may have read about here before. The letter reads: We are heartened by the commitment of the United States President, Barack Obama, to provide a contribution of at least $2 billion…
HIV Travel Ban Set to be Lifted

Rena Pacheco-Theard

2 Jul 2009 | 3:36 pm

The Obama administration is moving forward with a rule change that would end the current regulation preventing HIV-positive individuals from entering the U.S. The proposed change, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within HHS, appeared in today’s Federal Register. The posting is a request for public comment, due by August 17, 2009. CDC will then review the comments and make any appropriate modifications, issuing a final rule later in the year. In the CDC/HHS post, the agency notes, “While HIV infection is a serious health condition, it does not represent a…
Petition Drop in Florida!

Alix Gordon, ONE Member, Miami, FL

2 Jul 2009 | 2:29 pm

Recently I discovered that Miami is one of the top cities for access to clean water. As a resident of Miami-Dade county this is great news. However, I am also quickly reminded how lucky we are. The very things we take for granted, opening a faucet, grabbing a glass of water are not possible for millions of people worldwide. Yesterday Danielle DePas, Sara Paterni and I visited the offices of Senators Martinez and Nelson to ask for their support on the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009 (s. 624). This important bill will help provide 100 million people with sustainable access to…
Bring What You Love

Kim Smith, ONE Regional Field Organizer

2 Jul 2009 | 1:29 pm

Tomorrow, July 3rd, ONE is proud to present “Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love” a new film from one of Africa’s most celebrated musicians (and past A-Lister). The screening will be in West Hollywood, CA at 7:00 pm. In his home country of Senegal, Youssou N’Dour is a powerful cultural icon and an important voice on social issues. Youssou is also a member of the ONE Policy Advisory Board, reflecting his deep commitment to the fight against poverty. His new film I Bring What I Love is a music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man’s voice to inspire change.

Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth
Bashir, Bashir, Bashir

John

2 Jul 2009 | 1:54 pm

Indicting Bashir is Right Indicting Bashir Is Wrong Strategic Dialogue: Bashir Indictment enjoy Posted in Africa, Darfur, get educated, opinion, The Sudan
Darfur Midweek links

John

30 Jun 2009 | 4:49 pm

Sudan Elections and Southern Self-Determination: At Growing Risk Sudan’s significantly delayed national elections, now scheduled for February 2010, have been very poorly supported by the international community and are at risk of even further delay. A host of technical, logistical, administrative, as well as legal and policy issues have yet to be resolved. A complex electoral calendar is far behind schedule in many critical respects, even as the rainy season has begun in both Southern Sudan and Darfur; this will badly hinder the critical task of effective voter registration, only now…

Sponsor Impact
Leeland in Cambodia

sponsorimpact

30 Jun 2009 | 11:27 am

One of our artists that partners with us to promote child sponsorship recently went to Cambodia to visit some of the communities where Food for the Hungry has Child Development Programs. They made this video, there are parts of it that are pretty shaky, but it gives a great picture of the lives of these families and children and how sponsorship is helping in the country of Cambodia.
Uganda Tragedy Update

sponsorimpact

25 Jun 2009 | 1:45 pm

Many of you will remember the Uganda Tragedy that happened a few months ago in one of the communities where FH has a Child Development Program. It has been more than two months since this tragedy occurred and I wanted to make sure that we continued to update you on the process of healing, both physically and emotionally that this community is going through. Our Uganda staff have worked hard these past two months as they met with community leaders and families to try and understand what they need. They have submitted a proposal for how they wish to work in the community in the next few months…
Nothing goes unnoticed

sponsorimpact

23 Jun 2009 | 7:41 am

This past weekend there was a large festival (Alive) in Ohio where we were able to speak to many about partnering with Food for the Hungry in Child Sponsorship. Below is a letter that one of our artists received from a young woman that attended the festival. Hi, I am a 16 year old from the Detriot area and I was at the Alive Festival. I wanted to message you, not as a fan, but as a fellow disciple of an unmatched King and Creator. I realize, of course, that you probably get tons of mail from people and I don’t know how high the chances are that you’ll actually read this, but I…
World Refugee Day

sponsorimpact

20 Jun 2009 | 9:00 am

Today is the official United Nations recognized World Refugee Day. This is a day set aside to “recognize and celebrate the contribution of refugees around the world.” According to a report put out in 2008, there are over 14 million refugees worldwide. The highest number of refugees are located on the continent of Africa. The theme for this year is “Real People, Real Needs”. It is important for us to remember that refugees are not simply a statistic, instead each refugee is a person, and each person has a story. In the United States these people are located mostly in…
The impact of simple words

sponsorimpact

19 Jun 2009 | 7:24 am

Do you ever sit down to write your sponsored child and just have no idea what to say? Do you find it hard to write to someone that you have never met? Ever wonder if the words that you put on paper really make a difference in the life of the child who receives it or even if the child receives it at all? The most common question that we get in our office comes from sponsors asking what they can send to their sponsored child. So I thought that I would answer some of these questions here. Q: Can I send gifts to my sponsored child? A: The field staff has asked us to limit items that sponsors send…

social he(art)
Shana R. Goetsch

admin

28 Jun 2009 | 5:45 pm

This week: more on art therapy! Shana R. Goetsch is an artist who found me through a connection I have to the Break the Silence Project. The Break the Silence Project is geared toward creating dialogue around issues of sexual abuse, and encourages the use of art as a means of expression. I recently stumbled on the project while doing research regarding human trafficking and have been so thrilled to connect with its creator, Dawn. Shana found social he(art) after Dawn decided to feature my blog on her site, under a list of several other similar resources. So, I’m absolutely honored to be…
Rich Simmons

admin

15 Jun 2009 | 9:16 am

This week, our featured artist was inspired by the previous post, Julie Fordham. Julie passed Rich’s name along to me, and I’m tremendously excited to be featuring him and his organization, Art Is The Cure. Art Is The Cure helps people deal with pretty much any kind of problem imaginable as a positive release of pain and emotion through creative outlets. Photo Credit: gobuttit photography Rich had this to say about how he got started: “I’ve always been into art and was the art geek in school. It came naturally to me that I would use art as a release and escape when I…
Freedom in Creation

admin

28 May 2009 | 10:23 am

A big thanks to Alex Mejias for passing this info along to me. Art therapy and art as a means of healing seem to be exploding everywhere, and this series of events sounds fantastic. Be sure to check out more on the Freedom in Creation website for more background on the organization, as well as the Freedom in Creation Tour website for more specifics and information on the tour itself. Here’s the run down: The Freedom In Creation Tour is a unique concert and art exhibition experience to benefit the work of Freedom In Creation in Northern Uganda. Visiting six cities from June 12 to June…
Julie Fordham

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24 May 2009 | 4:32 pm

I continue to be amazed by all the stories that keep coming in from all of you. I hope you’ve all enjoyed hearing the stories of others using their art to affect some kind of positive change. This week, I’m featuring Julie Fordham, an artist that stumbled upon my blog recently and has been an incredible encouragement and has passed several other names along to me that I hope to feature in the future. I encourage you to check out her blog, which can be found by clicking here, or taking a further look at some of her art, which is posted on her Deviant Art page. Julie considers…
Leah Wiedemer

admin

14 May 2009 | 10:59 am

I definitely have a heart for a great number of social justice causes, but I make no secrets about the fact that my true passion lies in ending human trafficking. In the future, I hope to create blog posts that have more of an article slant, informing you all about the issues behind the artists here, where I’ll be able to talk a bit more about my own thoughts and experiences, how they relate to art, and what you can do (as well as featuring guest writers who will do the same). My guess is that a good deal of that content will focus around human trafficking, because in my own research,…

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
[video] What is corporate social responsibility and how accurate should corporate entities be?

3 Jul 2009 | 10:33 am

What obligation do businesses have to be good citizens, and how do corporations committed to ethical practices fare against competitors who focus first and foremost on the bottom line? [interview of Chip Pitts, Stanford Law School Lecturer, former Chair of Amnesty International USA, co-author & editor of "Corporate Social Responsibility: A Legal Analysis"]
Court case highlights workers rights [Namibia]

3 Jul 2009 | 9:10 am

In a landmark case in Namibia, 22 hotel workers are taking their employer and a doctor to court for allegedly testing them for HIV without their informed consent...According to the [plaintiffs'] lawyer...Linda Dumba Chikalu, of the...Legal Assistance Centre...the test results were displayed on notice boards in the lodge's kitchen and reception area. Those who tested HIV positive were still not told what they had been tested for, but listed only as "reactive" and advised to see a doctor...Chikalu [said] she was confidant about the outcome of the case, which she predicted would set an important…
Oil industry has brought poverty and pollution to Niger Delta

3 Jul 2009 | 8:28 am

The oil industry in the Niger Delta of Nigeria has brought impoverishment, conflict, human rights abuses and despair to the majority of the people in the oil-producing areas, according to a new Amnesty International report...[T]he report...also details how the Nigerian government is failing to hold oil companies to account for the pollution they have caused. Oil companies have been exploiting Nigeria's weak regulatory system for too long, said Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty International. They do not adequately prevent environmental damage and they frequently fail to properly address the…
Local coal-miner wins global recognition for its HIV/Aids programme [So. Africa]

3 Jul 2009 | 8:02 am

Anglo Coal has been recognised by the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria for its pioneering workplace programme focused on tackling HIV/Aids in South Africa...The award was made in recognition of the groundbreaking work the...company does in South Africa, namely its comprehensive HIV/Aids programme for employees and their families...Employees who test positive can enrol on a free HIV management programme offering care, support and treatment...These awards are given to an elite group of companies who set the standard for excellence in business action to…
[PDF] When Nike Equals Strike [Vietnam]

3 Jul 2009 | 5:39 am

When 20,000 workers at a big Nike contractor near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam went on strike one year ago, Mr. T was fired. He can never again work for the factory, but some of his colleagues have paid an even higher price. They were harassed by the police and put under long-term surveillanceInternal Nike documents in our possession reveal that at this time the strike was handled in a close collaboration between government officials and the management at the factory with Nike on the sidelinesIn a statement the sportswear giant says that the company has never heard of threats to workers. Nike…

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