Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University | Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Posts Tagged ‘Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University’

Poetry Challenge for Human Rights Defenders

November 16, 2021

Protection International, ProtectDefenders.eu and the Centre for Applied Human Rights of the University of York have been promoting a Human Rights Defenders Poetry Challenge:

This poetry challenge is for all activists and artists irrespective of previous experience with this form of art. As the global pandemic continues, we’d like to encourage those that work in support of human rights to take a moment to reflect on the past year, take a break from the current context in which we are situated and ponder about where we should be go from here.

We are accepting poetry of all styles (haiku, slam poems, free verse, limericks, etc.) and multimedia submissions are also welcome. Poems can be submitted in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swahili and Thai, and the top poems in each language will be published in a digital booklet. The top three poems overall will win a cash prize, the authors be granted free access to our e-learning course on preventative protection and security and they will also be invited to a virtual poetry reading with key stakeholders and celebrity guests. The Poetry Challenge is completely free to participate, with no submission or entry fees.

More detailed information about the poetry challenge can be found on Protection International’s website or within our sharable explainer document (available in all Poetry Challenge languages).

We have also prepared a social media kit including draft posts and graphics in multiple languages.

Contact Meredith Veit (meredith.veit@protectioninternational.org) or Tommaso Ripani (tommaso.ripani@protectioninternational.org) if you have any questions!

Deadline for submissions: 30 November 2021

For the first results see: https://www.protectioninternational.org/en/news/human-rights-defenders-poetry-challenge-finalists

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Tags: art, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, Human Rights Defenders, poetry challenge, ProtectDefenders.eu, Protection International

University of York names new college after David Kato

June 16, 2021

The University of York has decided to name its new college after Ugandan David Kato who went to the university in 2010 for six months as a Protective Fellow on the Human Rights Defenders Programme at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR).

The announcement comes during national Refugee Week (June 14-20 ) as the university celebrates its newly-awarded status as a University of Sanctuary with a launch event on today (Wednesday).

David’s time in York provided respite from his role in Uganda as a human rights activist, and his legacy supports the University’s continued commitment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities (LGBT+).

An award in David Kato’s name was established in 2012: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/94EE8123-09C7-410A-9DE9-A0077FA87F31

He returned home to Uganda to fight the country’s controversial anti-homosexuality act. But he was murdered in Kampala in 2011, weeks after winning a court victory over a tabloid paper that called for homosexuals to be killed.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charlie Jeffery said: “Colleges are an integral part of university life here at York and we knew we wanted an inspiring role model when naming our new college – one which would also reflect our belief in equality, diversity and inclusion.

Director of the Centre for Applied Human Rights, Professor Paul Gready said:“The naming of the David Kato College also symbolises and demonstrates our admiration of, and solidarity with, human rights defenders across the world and with all previous Protective Fellows, of which there have been over 90 from more than 45 countries over the last 12 years.

The University will mark its newly-awarded status as a University of Sanctuary with an online event tonight (June 16) at 6.30pm. The event will include the launch of a film which tells the story of how York became a University of Sanctuary for refugees, asylum seekers, human rights defenders and those in need of humanitarian protection. The film will be followed by a round-table discussion. Go to http://www.refugeeactionyork.org/refugee-week.

https://www.york press.co.uk/news/public-notices/19373685.new-university-york-college-named-david-kato/

Posted in awards, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, David Kato, digest of human rights awards and laureates, human right defender, LGBTI, Paul Gready, protection of HRDs, York university

What can human rights defenders expect from diplomatic support? – the case of the UK

February 25, 2021

On Wednesday 24 February 2021 Megan Thornberry writes about a report by the University of York and others concluding that human rights defenders have been at increased risk during pandemic, and calls for UK government to provide better protection.

There is a dearth of serious and quantitative research into how human rights defenders experience diplomatic support and interest in their work. So, this report – published by Amnesty International UK and the Center for Applied Human Rights, in collaboration with the Law Society of England and Wales, Peace Brigades International UK, Bond and other NGOs – is most welcome.

Research by the University’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) and Amnesty International UK shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 94 per cent of human rights defenders interviewed reported face threats, death threats, abuse, and harassment.

It is reported that only 6 per cent of these activists, including lawyers, journalists, women’s rights defenders, and LGBTQ+ activists, received support from the UK government.

Researchers interviewed 82 human rights defenders from seven countries about their experiences with UK government support:

40% had contacted the UK government embassy as part of their work in the last two years, where as 70% had contacted other embassies
75% could not recall a time in which their resident country’s UK embassy had spoken out in support of specific at-risk human rights defenders
31% had been in contacted by their UK embassy seeking to further its knowledge about the struggles for human rights

The report highlights the increased threats to LGBTQ+ rights during the pandemic, as poor job security has driven many to return to unsafe and unaccepting hometowns in order to live with family. Particularly in countries such as Russia and the Philippines, this has placed LGBTQ+ activists at a higher risk of abuse. LGBTQ+ activists have also reported an increase in discrimination towards LGBTQ+ groups due to their being blamed for the pandemic.

Dr Piergiuseppe Parisi, a research associate at the Human Rights Defender Hub at CAHR and direct contributor to the report, said: “Human rights defenders are active agents of positive change. The UK should make sure that they are recognised as such, that they have the means to carry on with their crucial work and that they have access to rapid response protection mechanisms when they are in danger.”

Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, said: “The UK government has pledged to stand up for human rights defenders around the world. We now need to see words turned into action. The UK’s voice has power. It’s time to use it and to be a world leader.”

https://nouse.co.uk/2021/02/24/human-rights-defenders-have-been-silenced-during-the-pandemic-says-york-report

Posted in Amnesty international, books, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: AI UK, Amnesty International, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, diplomatic action, Human Rights Defenders, LGBTQ+, Piergiuseppe Parisi, UK

Arctivism Projects: human rights and artists collaborating

May 18, 2020

Letters from the Front (Greece)

Bevaru (India)

Politics of Displacement (South Africa)

COVIDStateWatch

Memory is a Weapon (South Africa)

Duna (Brazil / Spain)

Youth Experience (Uganda)

Conservation Arts (Malawi)

Towards an Ordinary Day (Indonesia)

https://www.hrdhub.org/arctivism-projects

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Tags: Arctivism, artists, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, Covid-19, funding, human rights defender hub, Human Rights Defenders, projects

Call for applications: COVID-19 funding for artists and human rights defenders working together

April 14, 2020

Ano Shumba writing for Music in Africa on 14 April 2020 refers to a call for applications: COVID-19 funding for artists and activists. The University of York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR), through a grant from Open Society Foundations, is calling on artists and activists around the world to apply for COVID-19 funding of up to £3 000 ($3 750).

The CAHR recognises that collaborative endeavours between activists and artists have the potential to provide innovative responses to the current COVID-19 emergency, whether in a reactive, therapeutic or imaginative form. The centre seeks applications from artists and activists to address one or more of the following three objectives:

Document, monitor and analyse events in real time.
Reflect on well-being, both your own and that of your communities/organisations.
Go beyond a reactive response to imagine new, alternative futures. This future oriented work could assess how crises and disruption open up new possibilities for creativity and innovation, as well as for regressive and repressive measures, and/or build on positive responses to the virus itself (local and global forms of solidarity).

Expected outputs

Activists could write a diary, make a weekly podcast, write a blog, etc. Artists could work in their chosen media to respond to the activist’s contribution and/or to wider developments in their country/region. The CAHR is open to innovative suggestions on the nature of the collaboration between activists and artists.

Project proposals

Activists and artists should apply by presenting a single collaborative project proposal that does not exceed two pages in length and includes the following:

A brief profile/bio of the artist(s) and activist(s) involved.
A brief description of the project/programme of work, highlighting in particular how it responds to the COVID-19 emergency and its links to activism and civic/political space; which of the three objectives set out above it responds to; any safety, security and ethical concerns, and how these will be addressed; whether it builds on existing initiatives or is a new collaboration, and through which media/methodologies it will be carried out.
The main beneficiaries and audiences of the project/programme of work and why the methodology/medium is appropriate for the local context.
Details of additional sources of funding or contributions.
The envisioned output(s) of the project/programme of work, for both the activist(s) and artist(s).
The amount of funding you are applying for, and a brief justification for the specific amount requested in the form of a basic budget and justification of resources (subsistence/salary costs can be included). It is envisaged that most grants will be for between £1 000 and £2 000. Additional justification will be required for larger awards, up to £3 000, for example, that the application involves groups of activists and/or artists.
One appendix featuring examples of artistic work can be included in the application. The appendix can be additional to the two-page application.

While applications need to be in English, activist and artist outputs that are in part or completely in local languages are welcome.

Criteria for assessment

Clear description of the link between COVID-19, and responses to the virus, on the one hand, and threats to activism and civic/political space on the other, affecting either the artists/activists making the application and/or their country.
Evidence of a strong working relationship between the artist(s) and activist(s).
Feasibility and relevance of the project in challenging and difficult circumstances (including consideration of safety, security and ethics).
Evidence of innovation and creativity.

Deliverables

Artists and activists are expected to provide a timeline for outputs in their application, between now and 31 December 2020. Artists and activists are also expected to submit a short joint report (two pages) detailing the activities undertaken as well as all expenses incurred, by 31 January 2021.

All inquiries and submissions should be directed to Piergiuseppe Parisiat at piergiuseppe.parisi@york.ac.uk (link sends e-mail)and Pippa Cooper at pippa.cooper@york.ac.uk(link sends e-mail).

Timeline

There is no fixed deadline for proposals – applications will be considered on a rolling basis over the coming months. The CAHR will endeavour to get back to applicants within two weeks. Successful proposals will be selected by a panel that will include CAHR staff and associates from a variety of backgrounds.

Copyright

Copyright for the outputs remains the sole and exclusive property of the artist and the activist. Terms of reference/contracts will provide the CAHR with the limited right to reproduce, publicly display, distribute and otherwise use the expected outputs in relation to the CAHR’s work, and as an example of work commissioned through the Open Society Foundations’ grant. Copyright will be addressed in terms of reference/contracts developed with successful applicants.

Confidentiality and ethics

The CAHR will discuss anonymity, confidentiality and other ethical issues with artists and activists as they arise in relation to specific projects.

Read the full call callforarctivists.pdf

https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/call-applications-covid-19-funding-artists-and-activists

Posted in Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: artist, CAHR, call for applications, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, communication, Corona virus, Covid-19, donors, funding, Human Rights Defenders, Music in Africa, Open Society Foundations, Policy response from Human Rights NGOs to COVID, projects

‘Risk and Protection’ – continuing research work for HRDs

May 11, 2015

On Tuesday the 5th May CAHR [Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York, UK] hosted a one-day workshop on Risk and Protection.

Protection and HRDs panel

from left to right, Jamshid Gaziyev (Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs); James Savage (Amnesty International UK); Andrew Anderson (Frontline Defenders); and Alice Nah (CAHR).

The workshop examined the lessons, synergies and tensions that emerge when considering the approaches to protection that have been taken by human rights, development and humanitarian actors. The workshop sought to address how actors from adjacent fields could work together, and learn from each other, to build safe and enabling environments for HRDs and broader communities at-risk.

The workshop brought together practitioners, academics and donors from across fields. Speakers included representatives from the office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Amnesty International, Frontline, Global Witness, the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre and the Overseas Development Institute (Humanitarian Policy Group). It was supported by a grant from the Open Society Foundations Human Rights Initiative. The learnings for the workshop will be written up as an article and will feed into CAHR’s ongoing work on HRDs.

via HRD protection workshop 2015 – Centre for Applied Human Rights, The University of York.

Posted in AI, Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OHCHR | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Alice Nah, Andrew Anderson, CAHR, Centre for Applied Human Rights, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, Human Rights Defenders, protection, research, York university

Human Rights Defenders from York: Hikma Rabih, Sudan

January 26, 2015

On 16 February 2015, the York Press carried a feature story by Stephen Lewis about 5 human rights defenders in the temporary shelter programme at York University. The aim of the placements is to give those fighting for human rights around the world a breather, as well as the chance to forge contacts with other human rights workers and organisations around the world.

In York, Hikma can wear jeans – something she’d never be able to do in her own country. “Sudan is a very patriarchal society,” the 33-year-old human rights lawyer says. “Women cannot wear trousers, and I cannot go out in public without a scarf on my head. I want to wear my trousers.“

Born in North Darfur, she graduated with a law degree from Elnileen University in Khartoum in 2002, then started work as a protection officer at a refugee camp in South Darfur for civil war victims. In 2009, her organisation was closed down by the government.

York Press:
Hikma Rabih

Undeterred, in 2011 she set up a legal aid centre in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. Her organisation provides legal aid and representation for women who would otherwise have no chance of getting justice. Because of strict adultery laws, women who have sex outside marriage face 100 lashes, she says: married women who commit adultery can be stoned. If a woman is raped, but fails to prove it in court, she can be given 100 lashes as an adulteress. “The men always go free,” Hikma says.

5 human rights defenders in York tell their incredible stories (From York Press).

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Tags: Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, Darfur, Hikma Rabih, human rights lawyer, islamic fundamentalists, legal aid, refugees, rights of women, Sudan, woman human rights defender, York Press

Human Rights Defenders from York: Katsiaryna Borsuk

January 25, 2015

Katsiaryna Borsuk was born in a village not far from Chernobyl, Belarus, a year after the nuclear accident which made it infamous. The village was radioactively polluted. When she was four, her family were evacuated to the city of Gomel where, as a child, she was taunted for being ‘radioactive’ herself. Many people of her generation have chronic health problems, she says – her own brother has problems with his eyes and his throat.

Interested in environmental protection, she studied natural sciences at university in Gomel. She got caught up in student environmental protests, then became involved with the youth movement. When she graduated, she began working for a banned youth organisation – one that promoted democracy and civil rights. She was several times questioned by the KGB. “They pretended to not be KGB. But they took notes,” she says. “They mostly took you somewhere. Once, they came by car, and interviewed me in the car.”

York Press:
Katsiaryna Borsuk

In 2012, although heterosexual herself, she became involved with Gay Belarus. Homophobia is widespread in Belarus, and there are very few people willing to stand up for LGBT people, she says. They are regularly subjected to homophobic attacks – attacks which are often filmed and posted on social media. Her organisation works with the victims of homophobia, trying to convince families to prosecute cases, talking to police and prosecutors’ offices, arranging free legal representation and even psychological support. But it is not easy. “The police are homophobic. They won’t protect you. Even if people are killed – there have been murders – the police don’t take the case.”

5 human rights defenders in York tell their incredible stories (From York Press).

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Belarus, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, Chernobyl, environmental activists, homophobia, Katsiaryna Borsuk, KGB, LGBTI, police brutality, students, woman human rights defender, York Post

Human rights defenders from York: Valdênia Paulino Lanfranchi

January 24, 2015

Valdênia grew up in the slums – or favelas – of Sao Paolo, Brazil’s biggest city. Home for her mother, father, three brothers, two sisters and herself was a small house with a tin roof. Her mother took in sewing. Her father worked in a factory until, in his mid-40s, he became ill. Because of poverty, many children end up on the streets, where they’re at risk of violence, abuse, disease and hunger. They have little chance of an education – and many girls end up in prostitution, Valdênia says.

When she was 14, Valdênia helped open a ‘safe’ house for young girls who worked as prostitutes. The police didn’t approve. “Who controls prostitution?” she says. “The policemen, and the men who have money.”

York Press:
Valdênia Paulino Lanfranchi

She lived with the girls for ten years, then helped open two human rights centres to help families in the favelas. She went to university, and got degrees in education and law. Eventually, after suffering repeated attacks and threats, she and her husband Renato, also a human rights worker, moved to Paraiba, in north-eastern Brazil. There Valdênia, now 47, joined the Oscar Romero human rights centre, working to protect the rights of local ‘indigenous’ people.

She also, in 2011, became Police Ombudsman for Paraiba – the first woman to hold the post. It brought her into conflicts with ‘those in power’. “I was then a victim of everything from raids on the headquarters of our organisations to sexual violence and death threats.” Brazil is supposed to be one of the world’s emerging democracies. “But we have more than 100 human rights defenders threatened with death,” she says. “We have inequality, poverty, hunger. Why? What has happened?”

5 human rights defenders in York tell their incredible stories (From York Press).

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Brazil, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, indigenous peoples, Ombudsman, Oscar Romero human rights centre, poverty, rights of women, Valdênia Paulino Lanfranchi, woman human rights defender, York Press

Human rights defender from York: Ahmed Al-Kolaibi, Yemen

January 23, 2015

Ahmed Al-Kolaibi grew up in a mountain village in Dhamar in rural Yemen where the law counts for little, and what matters is tradition and custom. For more than 30 years, there have been ‘revenge’ wars between neighbouring villages. When he was seven, Ahmed lost his own father in one of these revenge killings. An uncle was also badly hurt As he grew older, Ahmed, now 27, began trying to persuade other young men in his village that the killings were senseless. The village elders, incensed that he didn’t want to fight for the ‘honour’ of his village, decided to make an example of him.

í
Ahmed Al-Kolaibi

“They punished me. They took my house, they took my land, because they wanted me to be an example,” he says. He went to Sana’a, the Yemeni capital, where he began to work for a peace-keeping organisation, the Dar Al-Salam Organisation. He works as a mediator in the warring villages, trying to arrange truces between rival sheikhs. He has helped train 360 other mediators – and has even secured the release of abducted foreigners. But being a mediator is very dangerous. “We have lost 15 people,” he says quietly.

It can also be deeply frustrating. Once, trying to negotiate a peace between two villages, he was told that 25 people had been killed in one, and ‘only’ 23 people in the other. Before the fighting could be resolved, he was told, ‘we have to kill two people from that village so it is 25/25′.

5 human rights defenders in York tell their incredible stories (From York Press).

Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Ahmed Al-Kolaibi, Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University, conflict and peace, Human rights defender, mediation, risk, social custom, Yemen, York Press

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Posts Tagged ‘Centre for Applied Human Rights at York University’

Poetry Challenge for Human Rights Defenders

University of York names new college after David Kato

What can human rights defenders expect from diplomatic support? – the case of the UK

Arctivism Projects: human rights and artists collaborating

Call for applications: COVID-19 funding for artists and human rights defenders working together

‘Risk and Protection’ – continuing research work for HRDs

from left to right, Jamshid Gaziyev (Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs); James Savage (Amnesty International UK); Andrew Anderson (Frontline Defenders); and Alice Nah (CAHR).

Human Rights Defenders from York: Hikma Rabih, Sudan

Human Rights Defenders from York: Katsiaryna Borsuk

Human rights defenders from York: Valdênia Paulino Lanfranchi

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