Posts Tagged ‘Advocacy Organizations’

Incorporating Social Media into Human Rights Campaigning – join the on-line conversation on 13 May

April 20, 2013

You can join the ‘engine room’ and the New Tactics online community for an online conversation on “Incorporating Social Media into Your Human Rights Campaigning“. This will take place from 13 to 17 May 2013.

Social media are increasingly being used by human rights organizations around the world, but the question remains how do organizations use these tools strategically and creatively to reach their goals?  The online conversation will explore topics such as:

  • How to define your social media goals and targets;
  • Strategizing about how to reach your stakeholders with social media;
  • Making decisions about the resources you should devote to building and maintaining a social media presence;
  • How to use social media without putting your staff and your constituents at risk.

This online conversation will be an opportunity to exchange experiences, lessons-learned and best practices among practitioners using social media strategically in human rights work.

To learn more and sign up: Incorporating Social Media into Your Human Rights Campaigning | New Tactics in Human Rights.

PBI demand guarantees of security for human rights defenders in Mexico

April 12, 2013

During the night of April 3rd, the offices of the Mexican Committee for the Integral Defense of Human Rights Gobixha (Código DH) were forcibly entered. Personnel noticed the entry when they arrived at the office at 8:20am and found the door unlocked and the padlock partially open. They found the computer was turned on and that someone had gone through the records kept at the desk, taking several of them. It is also probable that they went through digital documents found on the computer. These events were denounced before SEGOB, the Special Prosecutors Office for Crimes of Social Significance of the Attorney Generals Office and the Federal Police. In Oaxaca in recent months a climate of intimidation and harassment of community defenders, to whom Peace Brigades International (PBI) provide accompaniment, has been generated. Some of these defenders have also recently been detained. PBI demand that the state and federal government of Mexico secure conditions for the work of human rights defenders!

via Codigo-DH: We demand guarantees of security for human rights defenders: PBI.

 

Amnesty International seeks volunteers for International Secretariat to work for HRDs

April 10, 2013

Voluntary work in one of the world’s leading human rights organisations can provide valuable experience and is a great opportunity to contribute to the international human rights movement. The voluntary work is unpaid, although travel and lunch expenses are provided. Amnesty International can also act as a sponsor to enable you to arrange your own right to be in the UK as a volunteer. Please note that volunteering does not lead directly to employment with Amnesty International.

The volunteers will work in the ‘Individuals at Risk’ team to ensure the development and coordination of a strategic, sustainable body of casework for effective action. The volunteers will work directly with the Individuals at Risk Research and Policy Advisor, under whose supervision the volunteers will contribute to work on human rights defenders protection, with a specific focus on women human rights defenders, as well as work related to relationship management and ethics policy of human rights engagement.  The deadline is 17 April.

via Amnesty International – International Secretariat Careers – Volunteer – Individuals at Risk Research and Policy 0194.

Vacancy announcement for Coordinator of Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition

April 10, 2013

The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) is a resource and advocacy network for the protection and support of women human rights defenders worldwide, which is looking to recruit a full-time Coordinator to liaise with members, represent the Coalition, carry out fundraising activities and facilitate and steer the WHRD IC in meeting its strategic objectives.  The position will be primarily based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Salary and conditions will be commensurate with skills, experience and cost of living in the host country (with current funding until the end of 2013). Deadline for applications: 23rd April

To apply:
 send CV and a letter of interest to:  whrd@apwld.org (with the names and contact details of two referees who will not be contacted without permission).
For more information on the WHRD- IC and its work:  http://www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org/index.php

Human Rights Defender Dar issued card by Front Line

April 3, 2013

For many years Dublin-based Front Line Defenders has continued a practice of issuing official-looking cards to whom they judge to be genuine human rights defenders. It is interesting to note that the news service Authint has picked up on this and issued a statement on 2 April 2013 saying: Defenders has issued an identity card to local human rights activist Abdul Qadeer Dar [in Kashmir]. Dar is an Executive Director of Voice of Victims and Chairman Peoples Rights Movement.” “The card is for those human rights defenders who have worked very closely with or have attended one of the Dublin Platforms or trainings”, Front Line told KNS. The “Card doesn’t empower the holder to represent Front Line defenders as it is not a membership organization. The card is intended to demonstrate that its holder is human rights defender with whom front Line Defenders has worked”.Frontline NEWlogo-2 full version - cropped

via Defenders issued I Card to local HRA | Authint Mail.

Resources used by Human Rights Defenders to create effective strategies are collected by New Tactics in Human Rights

March 29, 2013

Strategic thinking is a discipline used in all types of work. In order to build a house, you need a plan. In order to win votes to get elected for a political position, you need a plan. Human rights work is no exception – in order to make change, you need a plan and hopefully, it’s a good one!. New Tactics in Human Rights wants to build a collection of stratHomeegic-thinking resources and tools for human rights defenders to help in the selection and application of successful tactics. They have been working closely with human rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa region to share a methodology to apply strategy and tactics to human rights work, and are eager to share with you the tools they have been using.

Civil Rights Defenders organizes annual “Defenders’ Days” from 2 – 5 April 2013

March 19, 2013

From 2-5 April 2013, Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders is organising Defenders’ Days, a conference in its home town for human rights defenders from the world’s most repressive regions. The objective of Defenders’ Days is to advocate for international recognition of human rights defenders at risk, to increase understanding about their vital work, and to create a forum for capacity-building and networking.

Our aim is to create an annual event that empowers human rights defenders, and gathers key persons and institutions for the advancement of human rights. Defenders’ Days will be a place for networking, constructive coöperation and personal and institutional development”, says Robert Hårdh, Executive Director at Civil Rights Defenders. The conference will be held on 4 April, which is the date of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1968.

During the conference there will be training sessions in digital security, video campaigning and effective lobbying, along with the chance to listen to panel discussions with representatives from the international community such as Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. There will also be presentations, which include “The Escape from Camp 14” with Mr. Shin Dong-hyuk, a defector from North Korea.

The conference is on invitation basis only and consists of a closed part and an open session. The closed part is for human rights defenders at risk, and relevant stakeholders, while the open session is open to everyone.

During the conference “The Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award” will be given to one of the most outstanding human rights defenders in the world. A report on the situation for human rights defenders in the award-winner’s country will be presented in connection to the conference.

For more information concerning the conference, contact Ms. Kim Matthis: kim.matthis at civilrightsdefenders.org

via Civil Rights Defenders – Annual conference to empower human rights defenders at risk.

New Network launched today:Infrastructures for Peace (I4P)

March 13, 2013

The new International Civil Society Network on Infrastructures for Peace (I4P) is launched today with its website: www.I4Pinternational.org 

Many countries lack capacities and structures to deal adequately with on-going and potential violent conflict. This has emerged as a central obstacle to the attainment of equitable and sustainable development. In recent years, the number of conflicts has been increasing once again. What is needed – in the same way as for threatening natural disasters – is a comprehensive, inclusive and long-term approaches to peacebuilding, which involves the main stakeholders. Infrastructures for peace and Local Peace Committees can be important pillars to counter these dangerous developments or substantially reduce their impact. Several local peacebuilding NGOs and practitioners felt the need to exchange experiences and best practices about this approach and make I4P more recognised:the network was born and counts now some seventy members. There is an Interim Steering Committee with members from three continents.

Human rights and human rights defenders play a crucial role in this process – even if not spelled out in the main pages of the new website. The local peace groups mentioned as members however frequently refer to the need for human rights and social justice as they realise that lasting peace cannot be the ‘peace of the graveyard’. Moreover, it is the local Human Rights Defenders who suffer most from the absence of peace as this blog and many more sources regularly demonstrate.

 

Job opportunity for a fundraiser with Protection International

March 12, 2013

Brussels-based Protection International is looking for a fundraiser with a strong capacity to investigate and follow up possible funding opportunities. What PI is looking for is a person with at least two-year experience in fundraising for NGOs or relevant organisations, a strong capacity to elaborate budgets and write proposals and reports, an interest in human rights related issues, and extensive skills to work with donors constructively.

Please read the full job description on the website: http://protectioninternational.org/2013/03/12/job-opportunity-protection-international-is-looking-for-a-fundraiser/ and send your applications to recruitment@protectioninternational.org.

The deadline for submitting your applications is : 31 March 2013.

Eight human rights defenders speak at York University on International Women’s Day

March 4, 2013

It seems that International Women’s Day is increasingly becoming a day on which human rights defenders become a central theme. An example is York University in the UK where 8 international human rights defenders studying at the University of York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) spoke in recognition of International Women’s Day on Saturday 2 March about their experiences as “Women of the Front Line”. Relaying their own backgrounds and the influences that encouraged them to begin defending human rights, the women spoke for over an hour on displacement of women and children in periods of conflict, inequalities of women’s rights in their countries’ legal systems, and on cases of domestic violence including beating and rape. The speakers included, Karak Denyok Miakol, a social worker and the founder of Diar for Rehabilitation and Development Association DRDA, Samira Hamidi, the Country Director of the Afghan Women’s Network, Kultan Sh. Hassan, the human rights officer of the Women’s Action for Advocacy and Progress Organisation in Somaliland and Lineo Tsikoane, a human rights defender from Lesotho. Challenging the traditions and cultures of society presents these women with constant challenges and threats; Lineo Tsikoane admitted how “on many occasions I do not sleep at home” for fear of being arrested by the government. Questioned on the conflict between being a human rights defender and a mother, all acknowledged the challenge, but as Kultan Sh. Hussan stated, they accept that “we have a responsibility more than that”. They also emphasised the importance of engaging men in their campaigns and ensuring that women had equal access to education. They encouraged the use of letter writing, internet petitions and campaigns here in support of their causes as a source of solidarity and inspiration that their plight is being acknowledged humanrightslogo_Goodies_14_LogoVorlageninternationally. Sanna Eriksson, the Centre Coordinator for the CAHR, hoped that the event would foster a better engagement of these International Human Rights Defenders and the local community in York as well as raise awareness of International Women’s Day. The event also showcased poetry by the Human Rights Defenders, depicting personal insights on issues of female genital mutilation and the continuing oppression of women’s voices around the world.

York’s CAHR is planning a special issue of its respected Journal of Human Rights Practice on the topic of the Protection of Human Rights Defenders for the last quarter of this year.

via Showcase of International Human Rights Campaigners | Nouse.