More slaves today than at any other time in history
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There are more slaves today than at any point in history. They labor in fields and factories, under brutal “owners” who threaten violence if they try to escape. Continue Reading
2014’s lesson: Take action. Lives depend on it.
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December has been a terrible month for human rights—from the U.S. Senate’s report confirming the use of torture, to the slaughter of Pakastani school children, to two grand jury decisions not to indict police officers for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Overall, 2014 has been an extremely troubling year. Some human rights abuses garnered a lot of attention; many did not, taking place under the radar of the media and public conversation. Let’s consider a few examples, and let them serve as a call to action. Continue Reading
“He could take her away from us”
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I watched someone close to me become a victim of the horrific cycle of domestic violence. Her name is Kavita. Continue Reading
Bill sets to block President’s immigration action
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Today the House of Representatives takes up H.R. 5759, the “Prevent Executive Amnesty Act.”Don’t feel bad if you’ve not heard of this bill. Introduced just two days ago, the bill bypassed any committee debate or discussion, going straight to the House floor today. Continue Reading
Ferguson: “Let’s make a difference”
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The freedom to enjoy human rights without discrimination is one of the most fundamental principles of human rights law. Every human being is equal in dignity and worth and has the right not to be discriminated against. Racism, which limits peoples’ access to rights based on their identity, attacks the very concept of human rights. Continue Reading
Don’t put mothers and their children in prison
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Today’s Twitter feed is abuzz with the news that the White House intends to announce administrative action for some of the nation’s estimated 11 million undocumented Americans. While the contours of the relief remain unclear, President Obama’s action undoubtedly moves the immigration reform debate to a new place and promises to make real – at least in a limited way for the very near future – the right to family unity guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights at articles 17 and 23. Continue Reading
Native women victimized once again by Déjà Vu event, City Pages ad
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This morning I opened my e-mail to a string of comments relating to an ad in City Pages, our local Voice Media Group publication.
“Outrageous.”
“Sickening and repulsive.”
“Disgusting.”
Of course, I had to see for myself what was prompting this reaction. Continue Reading
Building momentum in Geneva with the Oromo diaspora
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This fall was a busy time for advocacy at the United Nations on human rights in Ethiopia. It was also a great time to see The Advocates for Human Rights’ new toolkit, Paving Pathways for Justice and Accountability: Human Rights Tools for Diaspora Communities, in action. Continue Reading
The NFL and the sad lessons of Ray Rice
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During [Thursday] evening’s “Thursday Night Football,” the NFL is unveiling the first of a series of public service announcements denouncing domestic violence and sexual assault. While the PSAs are a move in the right direction, they should be only the first down in the NFL’s game plan to address Ray Rice’s assault of his then-fiancée and other incidents in which NFL players have abused women. Continue Reading