Posts Tagged ‘Non-governmental organization’

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Simple but effective video on human rights by Edeos: part 1 out in several languages

November 2, 2012

A small Berlin based NGO has brought out a 8 mn video that is very basic but also very clear. I think it could be especially useful for educators in at the secondary school level or as introduction for a basic class in human rights. The first part (focusing on history and civil and political rights) exists in several languages. I am interested to see what they come up with when dealing with social and economic rights and collective rights.

OOPS there was a link to alternative energy – also important but not what I meant: better go to edeos animated video on human rights part 1 in YOU TUBE 

iframe width=”640″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/3L4r47WiqMw&#8221; frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe

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Web application on detained human rights Defenders in Uzbekistan

October 16, 2012

An “Insignificant State” called “Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan” or a highly repressive regime torturing human rights defenders?

Last October(2011), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) launched a new web application to bring attention to human rights defenders still incarcerated in horrific conditions in Uzbek prisons.

US Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain stated on 8 October 2011 “When they ask me who’s the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan, I’m going to say, ’You know, I don’t know. Do you know?” Cain added that it was not a priority to know “the head of one of those small, insignificant states around the world”.

FIDH does want people to know. And to care.

At least 10 Uzbek human rights defenders remain in detention under appalling conditions ; several of them are members of FIDH member organisation, the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU).
Nevertheless, Uzbekistan has long been a key US partner, hosting US military bases servicing the Afghan military campaign. Moreover, in 2009 the EU dropped all 2005 sanctions imposed following the Andijan tragedy, despite there being no serious change in Uzbekistan’s human rights record.

On the rare occasions that the international community has sent strong messages on human rights issues these calls have been heard: on the eve of Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s last visit to Uzbekistan in December 2010, one human rights defender, Farhad Mukhtarov was released. Again, on 14 October 2011, the member of the HRSU Norboy Kholjigitov was released on parole, after 6 years and 4 months in detention, in advance of Hillary Clinton’s visit to Tashkent on 23 October 2011. I should add that in 2008 the MEA laureate Mutabar Tadjibaeva was released after concerted pressure by EU, US and a large number of NGOs!

Must we wait another 10 years to release all the imprisoned human rights defenders?

Therefore I am repeating the FIDH’s application (in English and Russian) and spread the word about this situation by linking it to my blog. Do the same and go to http://www.fidh.org/2011_UZ

The application details the history of human rights defenders, their wrongful detention, and the general political background influencing their situation.

 

Uzbekistan : New web application on detained human rights … – FIDH.

 

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Jan Egeland – human rights defender par excellence – portrayed in song

October 8, 2012

 

It is extremely rare for a HRD and especially one that has occupied high-level posts in government and the UN as well as NGOs, to be in person the subject of a song and video. This one is really worth seeing. There is some tongue in cheek but overall the tone is respectful and rightly so as Jan Egeland has made major contributions to the human rights world.

 

 

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Another Bahraini human rights activist, Said Yousif, arrested

August 16, 2012

Image from twitter.com by user @SAIDYOUSIF

Image from twitter.com by user @SAIDYOUSIF

Late last night, Wednesday 15 August, Russia Today reported that another Bahraini HRD was arrested: Said Yousif (pictured on the right with Nabeel Rajab). Both work for the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, one of the three nominees for the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. The ongoing crackdown on human rights activists completely contradicts the promised made by the Government after a government-sponsored report revealed gross violations of human rights.

 

Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Said Yousif arrested — RT.

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Human Rights Defenders have a team in the Euro 2012

June 21, 2012

Front Line Defenders has launched a new campaign during the Euro 2012 football tournament to focus attention on the treatment of human rights defenders in some UEFA countries, where they face imprisonment, attack, harassment, detention and prosecution because of their human rights work.

Visit www.sportshrd.org to view the campaign and to take action to support these brave human rights defenders by sending solidarity postcards, After the Euro 2012 tournament, the site will switch over to focus on the 2012 Olympics and each day of the Olympic fortnight there will be a focus on a defender from an Olympic nation.

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Uganda to ban 38 NGOs for “promotion” of homosexuality

June 21, 2012

As I reported recently the Ugandan Government raided a regional workshop of gay rights NGOs as part of its continuing crusade against homosexuality. It is not surprising that on 20 June the news agency AFP reported that Uganda will ban 38 nongovernmental organisations for spreading homosexuality. According to AFP the minister for ethics and integrity, Simon Lokodo: “I have investigated and established beyond reasonable doubt that these NGOs have been involved in the promotion and recruitment in terms of the [gay] issues”. Lokodo did not specify which organisations would be de-registered but said that the list included international and Ugandan group.

“We will tell them to stop operating and they will not have the legal right to practice here”. Lokodo said he submitted the names of the organisations to the internal affairs ministry and hoped they would be de-listed in the near future. “The sooner we can do this the better,” Lokodo added for good measure.

MEA Laureate Kasha is likely to be in the firing line again.

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Turkey’s Government ignores HRDs advice for National Human Rights Institution

June 19, 2012

Bianet reports as follows: Human rights organizations decried the new draft law on the Turkish Human Rights Institution (TIHK) during a press meeting at the headquarters of the Human Rights Association (IHD) on June 14.

by Serhat KORKMAZ

Human rights organizations held a press meeting at 11:00 on June 14 at the general headquarters of the Human Rights Association (IHD) in relation to the Human Rights Commission’s decision to pass the new draft law on the Turkish Human Rights institution (TIHK) to Parliament without any changes.

The organizations who participated in the meeting are nonplussed in face of the fact that the commission sent the draft law, whose preparation had been underway since 2004, to Parliament without any alterations, Metin Bakkalcı said while reading the press release on behalf of the participants.

The draft law is left null and void in its current form, he said and made number of tough comments (see article in full for details) to conclude that National Human rights Institutions ought to be autonomous from state institutions and political power in accordance with the spirit and essence of the Paris principles.

via: Government’s Soliloquy on the Human Rights Institution – Bianet.

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While Loreen sang the Government of Azerbaijan upped the pressure on HRDs

June 2, 2012


Maria Dahle is the Executive director of the Human Rights House Foundation in Oslo (<http://www.humanrightshouse.org>) and helped to organize the press meeting for Eurovision winner Loreen with HRDs in Baku as I reported earlier. She draws our attention to what was said around the same time by Ali Hasanov, head of the socio-political department of the Presidential Administration, in a speech at a conference, “The role of NGOs in the developments of civil society”. One quote tells it all: “Civil society organizations should mobilize its resistance against such groups. You – civic organizations – have to put your stance against all these. These opposition activists, journalists and media outlets shouldn’t feel dared to go out to the city and they should be felt ashamed. They shouldn’t dare to appear in the public places, streets. Public hatred should be demonstrated against to them.”
No further questions your honor!

 

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New Global Channel For Human Rights Videos launched

May 26, 2012
Image representing YouTube as depicted in Crun...

Image via CrunchBase

On 24 May 2012 two NGOs, WITNESS and Storyful, launched a new  channel devoted to human rights videos. The channel specializes in collecting and sharing citizen videos relevant to human rights. “The new human rights channel will give people an ‘on-the-ground’ perspective of underexposed stories often absent from mainstream media, highlight ways to take action and develop new collaborations amongst interested citizens,” says Sam Gregory, WITNESS’ Program Director. The exponential growth of portable video devices – especially in developing countries – has enabled everyday citizens to record otherwise hidden abuses and to advance human rights from the grassroots level.

The channel will feature:

  • Daily updates of breaking stories, alerts and related campaign videos
  • Featured stories through playlists gather videos together to provide insight into an evolving situation or an under covered issue
  • Profiles of videographers and organizations on YouTube who have made a major impact or a significant contribution to video for change
  • Tools and tactics offering 20 years of WITNESS expertise in video for change

This project will offer users new avenues for action and impact on Google+, where the broader human rights community will take part in discussions, share their material, and find collaborators.

The channel can be found at the following link:  http://www.youtube.com/humanrights

And the conversation continues on Google+:  https://plus.google.com/100621536540324323611/posts

WITNESS  http://www.witness.org.

from: WITNESS And Storyful Launch New Global Channel For Human Rights Video – PR Newswire – The Sacramento Bee

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allAfrica.com reports on UN High Commissioner meeting NGOs in Zimbabwe

May 23, 2012

The visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Zimbabwe this week got a good amount of media exposure and the report below filed by allAfrica.com gives what seems a fair reflection of her meetings with civil society. BUT why the writer has to stress in the opening line that it concerns “WESTERN-sponsored civil society organisations” which yesterday presented a damning report, is a mystery. If there were many China or Russia supported NGOs I doubt that this would have been added. What matters is whether the sponsorship affects the independence of the organisations. IF that were the case it should certainly be stated clearly but now it is only implied..

allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Civil Society Groups Present Conflicting Reports.

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