help protect civilians in the drc...

the situation in the democratic republic of congo (sic) remains on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe...the priority at the moment is reinforcing the capacity of the u.n.'s peacekeeping force, monuc to protect civilians and to ensure people have access to humanitarian assistance...

the following days are crucial as the u.n. security council is expected to vote on boosting the peacekeepers any day...your help is urgently needed to keep on calling on the u.s. government to support the troop increase...

it's high time for regional leaders and the u.n. security council to step up its efforts: at least 250,000 civilians, most of them women and children, were displaced by the recent fighting...these people are in a desperate situation, without sufficient food, water, medical supplies or shelter, and cannot wait any longer...

urge the u.s. government to strengthen u.n. peacekeepers
drc: demonstrate leadership to address crisis immediately
blog post:"drc: protect civilians now!"

peace out <3

neither violence against women nor poverty are inevitable...

below irene khan, amnesty international writes about the links between violence against women and poverty to mark the international day for the elimination of

violence against women...

as women around the world come together to celebrate the start of the 16 days of activism against gender violence, violence against women remains endemic in many forms, in all societies...

just last month, aisha ibrahim duhulow was stoned to death by a group of 50 men in somalia...the thirteen year-old was accused of adultery, though according to her father she was raped and had tried to report it...none of those accused of her rape nor murder have been arrested...

violence against women and girls is a priority concern for amnesty international and in 2004 a global campaign to stop iolence against women was launched...so far the campaign has contributed to successes that have brought a number of legislative and policy changes at national levels, as well as supported efforts in the international arena for the adoption of resolutions 1325 and 1820 by the united nations security council...

these resolutions on women peace and security aim to ensure women's equal participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding and to increase the human rights protection of women and girls in conflict situations...

despite these advances, violence against women and girls remains widespread across the globe...recent research in afghanistan, armenia, anada, cote d'ivoire, democratic republic of the congo, jamaica, haiti, liberia, mexico, nigeria, peru, sierra leone, south africa, venezuela, and the usa has shown that this violence is not only a human rights violation but also a key factor in obstructing the realization of women's and girls' rights to security, adequate housing, health, food, education and participation...millions of women find themselves locked in cycles of poverty and violence, cycles which fuel and perpetuate one another...

poverty is characterised by the daily experience of human rights abuses that lead people into deprivation, insecurity, exclusion and voicelessness...poverty is an affront to human dignity and the worst human rights crisis in the world...it exists in all countries and affects women disproportionately – 70% of the world’s poor are women...

neither violence against women nor poverty are inevitable, though they combine to restrict women’s choices and put women at risk from violence...while all girls have the right to education, which is vital in allowing them to choose their futures, this right is often curtailed by violence and poverty...in countries such as haiti, girls may have little choice but to grant sexual favours in order that they can pay their school fees...

others who go in search of a public place with lighting by which to do their homework because their home has no electricity, are attacked by groups of men...as a result of the abuse, it is likely that girls' education will be disrupted or discontinued...

violence against women is a human rights abuse for which states are responsible...amnesty international will continue to demand accountability from both national and international actors for these violations...it will continue to call upon states and the international community to ensure equal access to rights and services for women and girls...

this includes systemically incorporating the analysis of the impact on the enjoyment of women and girls' human rights into all strategies, programs and reporting related to poverty reduction and achievement of the millennium development goals...

this must also include progress made in the elimination of gender-based violence...human rights violations cannot be stopped, poverty ended, nor development achieved without the active participation of the people affected by these abuses, in particular women and girls...

peace out <3

obama's 100 day challenge...

talk of change is good...sunday a week ago, president-elect obama stated in an interview on cbs that he will follow through with his commitment to close Guantanamo... in the hope of turning words into actions, amnesty international is calling on president-elect barack obama to take concrete steps in his first 100 days in office...this means: announce a plan and date to close guantánamo issue an executive order to ban torture ensure that an independent commission to investigate abuses committed by the u.s. government in its "war on terror" is set up

taking these steps would send a clear message to the rest of the world that, once again, the u.s. will be a leader for human rights...

call on obama to demonstrate a commitment to human rights in his first 100 days
visit this blog to read zeke johnson's "3 steps for president obama

peace out <3

ensure that suspected war criminals in darfur are investigated by the international criminal court...

the crisis in darfur...you remember darfur, don't you?

well, sending mixed messages can only make things worse for the people of darfur...yet the u.s. government, my government led by the bush administration, has chosen to play with fire...sudanese president omar al-bashir may never have to answer for his alleged crimes if the investigation against him is suspended...but you can ensure justice for the people of darfur...

one week the u.s. government is telling us that they would never condone delaying the international criminal court’s (icc) investigations in darfur...another week, secretary of state condoleezza rice is reported to be supplying sudanese officials with a list of conditions that sudan would need to meet in order to discuss delaying the icc’s investigation of cashir...justice cannot be bargained away – help ensure the icc investigation of bashir...

even entertaining the idea of supporting the deferral of the icc's investigation sends the wrong signal to the people of darfur...so join me in urging u.s. officials to continue being strong advocates for justice in darfur - in both words and actions...

yes, the conflict in darfur is complex, to say the least...but we must never lose sight of the underlying issues - human rights, freedom and justice...

small steps you can take to support justice in darfur:

• check out the darfur now action guide
• order your copy of the movie, darfur now: an inspiring journey following six passionate individuals working to bring about an end to the conflict in darfur
• stand up for darfur by organizing a screening of darfur now in your home, classroom, or a local venue such as a library or community center

five long years have passed in darfur without a break in the violence...we cannot undo these senseless acts, but we demand that justice be served in the end...

peace out <3

help free a prisoner of conscience...register today for the global write-a-thon...

why do we do what we do???

consider...

a mother in the congo fights against a military responsible for assaulting her children...

a priest in eritrea is humiliated - stripped of his role in the church by a government violating basic laws and principles...

a teacher in myanmar is serving life in prison simply for criticizing the authorities...

so what can you do???

well, stories like these deserve happy endings.you can help write those endings by joining the global Write-a-thon...

these cases and others will be the focus of amnesty international's upcoming global write-a-thon on december 5 - 14, 2008...in the days surrounding international human rights day on december 10, tens of thousands of caring people around the world will take part in the world's largest letter writing event...please join this worldwide effort...be a part of the global write-a-thon...

during last year's global write-a-thon, people in more than 30 countries sent over 150,000 letters, postcards and emails on behalf of prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, and others at risk...at least three of the prisoners were freed because of your support...

you might remember that this time last year, student leader zmitser dashkevich was in prison in belarus for his peaceful political activities...just weeks after his case was included as a global write-a-thon action, authorities released zmitser...

that's the power of this event...help make this year's global write-a-thon even stronger!

last year, your letters made a difference...now others need your help...register today for amnesty international's global write-a-thon and make a real difference in someone's life...

peace out <3

president-elect obama: 100 days to demonstrate commitment to human rights...

the election of barack obama to the u.s. presidency opens new opportunities for an end to the seven-year assault on human rights by the u.s. administration...

amnesty international urged u.s. president-elect obama to make human rights central to his new administration on wednesday...the organization is calling for certain concrete steps in his first 100 days in office that would demonstrate a genuine commitment to bringing the usa into line with its international obligations...

the new president will have the authority to rectify some of the unlawful policies and practices adopted during his predecessor’s term in office in the name of counter-terrorism and national security...

counter terror with justice: a human rights challenge

in the first 100 days, the peeps over at amnesty international is calling on the new administration to:

• announce a plan and date to close guantánamo
• issue an executive order to ban torture and other ill-treatment, as defined under international law
• ensure that an independent commission to investigate abuses committed by the u.s. government in its “war on terror” is set up

these demands are part of a “checklist” of actions amnesty international is asking the new u.s. president to take during the first 100 days in office...

promoting human rights at home and abroad

amnesty international has numerous human rights concerns in relation to the usa...the organization is seeking a meeting with president-elect obama to discuss how the usa will take forward policies that will advance internationally recognized human rights both at home and abroad...

call on president-elect barack obama to demonstrate a commitment to human rights in his first 100 days in office

counter terror with justice: a human rights challenge for the next u.s. president

peace out <3

a new era for human rights in the united states...

over the weekend in memphis i had a few opportunities to chat with amnesty international usa's executive director larry cox...the great thing about larry is that amnesty is an action, activist organization and he gets it...he understands what we need to do in order to grow a broad-based, vibrant and vital grassroots human rights movement in the united states...amnesty is a non-partisan organization and does not support political candidates but political positions that align themselves with human rights laws, standards and norms...in that vein here's a letter i received from larry the morning after barack obama became this nation's president-elect...

peace out <3

Dear Randy,

Waking up this morning was like waking up to a new era. That’s because many of us remember a time when activities were segregated by race, whether going to the movies or riding a bus.

And then yesterday, the biggest racial barrier in American politics was annihilated. By record margins, America elected Barack Obama the first African-American president of the United States.

Hope overcame fear. Ordinary citizens mobilized to change the future. This is the heart of Amnesty International. Since 1961, we’ve held out hope for those enduring injustice, when all hope was lost. And through the power of your collective actions, hundreds of thousands now enjoy greater freedom and a safer, more just world.

A record 131 million people cast their vote and exercised one of the most fundamental of human rights. But as Barack Obama said last night,

"This victory alone is not the change we seek--it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

We have a great opportunity. The world faces overwhelming human rights crises. But with your help, we can turn this country’s policies on human rights back in the direction of alleviating, and not contributing, to these crises.

President-elect Obama has promised to restore the rule of law, to repair America’s damaged perception in the world, to close Guantánamo, and to renounce torture. These promises bring hope.

In the coming days, we will need you to help make those promises a reality.

Sincerely,


Larry Cox
AIUSA Executive Director

civil and human rights: keeping the dream alive II...

on monday i shared with you the memphis aerial photography event that was the culmination of this year's amnesty international southern regional conference...well here's the photo and go check out videos from the event here...

peace out <3

isolated and abused: women migrant domestic workers in jordan...

tens of thousands of women migrant domestic workers in jordan face isolation, exploitation and abuse, with little or no protection from the state...migrant domestic workers are crucial to the economy in jordan, contributing to the well-being of the households where they work and providing vital incomes for their own families and communities...many face exploitation and abuse:

• many work 16 to 19 hours daily, with no day off
• physical, psychological and sexual abuse is common
• many are effectively held captive in their employers’ home
• many women are not paid some or all of their meagre wages, sometimes for years

until this summer, the labour law in jordan excluded domestic workers from the protection offered to other workers, such as minimum wage provisions, sick leave, or days off...amendments were endorsed by the jordanian parliament to state that a separate regulation will be issued to define the terms of their working conditions...although this is a step forward, more needs to be done to ensure that the rights of women migrant domestic workers are protected in line with international human rights standards...

call on the government of jordan to ensure new measures effectively protect the rights of women migrant domestic workers...

peace out <3

keeping the dream alive in memphis, tn...

despite all setbacks challenging our basic freedoms and fundamental rights, somehow we continue to keep the dream alive...

on sunday, yesterday, nov. 2, i was part of an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people who came together in tom lee memorial park on the banks of the mighty mississippi river in memphis, tn to create an aerial image of dr. martin luther king jr...,the event was a celebration of the anniversary of dr. king’s “I have a dream” speech that launched the civil rights movement...

the keep the dream alive event represented communities coming together to honor heroes and carry their human rights work forward with 6 organizations or schools including the naacp, and afscme joining amnesty international...

it was a privilege, a privilege i'm not ashamed of, to be there to make history...

peace out <3