Women Defenders

Has China become too powerful to be accountable for its human rights record?
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Introduction to: sovereign; law; admiralty; strawman; tax; legal
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Some cool human rights women images:

Human Rights Commission – coddlers of homosexual deviants (Proposition 8 victory orgy)


Image by skinnylawyer
Or so says this protest banner, part of a silent homophobic protest by North Korean defectors in front of a building next to Seoul City Hall. This building is home to United Nations High Commission for Refugee’s South Korean offices, as well as the South Korean government’s Human Rights Commission.

The Human Rights Commission issues recommendations in favor of improving human rights for everyone in South Korea, including foreign laborers, women, and of course, LGBTs. Its nonbinding recommendations often form the basis for new human rights laws that get enacted via the standard lawmaking process; already by this point, discrimination on basis of sexual orientation had become illegal in principle.

The North Koreans’ gripe is that the Commission is coddling homosexuality, a "disease that will destroy the moral fabric of South Korea’s society," rather than giving a damn about human rights in North Korea. (Sadly, North Korea is not the Human Rights Commission’s jurisdiction – that is the jurisdiction of Ministry of Unification for direct North Korean contact, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international efforts.) The protesters demand the resignation of the entire Commission.

North Korean refugees are not ready for freedom when they leave home and come to South Korea. Too often, they replace the predictability of their former personality cult with the predictability of South Korea’s own far-right authoritarians, their religion (evangelical Christianity), and their masters (US Christian Right and Republican Party). And I know too well that all of them would love to make homosexuality a criminal, if not capital, offense. Traditional Confucian social order is inherently incompatible with homosexuality, and under the far-right military dictatorships of the past, while there were no anti-sodomy laws, general indecency laws severely punished LGBTs.

South Korea’s homophobes are very heartened that President Lee Myung-bak and the ruling Grand National Party are by their side. They were even more heartened by the development the previous week in the US State of California, home to many Korean-Americans, where a voter initiative, strongly supported by the said Korean-Americans (and illegally funded by South Korean far right), re-banned gay marriages. Despite protests like this, and documented extreme homophobia within North Korea where homosexuality is considered to be a corruption of the decadent Western capitalists, the said Korean-Americans are too happy to claim that homosexuality is North Korea’s way of corrupting South Korea’s morally upright society.

In South Korea, aside from these far-right groups and North Korean refugees, homophobia is usually a function of one’s age and generation. While it is generally accepted that personal moral objections can be raised to homosexuality, it is considered unacceptable to use that personal objection to codify discrimination into law, as Korean-Americans had just done in California. And I thought most South Koreans under 40 seemed to be even more LGBT-friendly than Americans of similar age.

Most Americans are surprised to hear from me that homophobia is not the value of the average South Korean, and in turn, most South Koreans were surprised to hear from me that their brothers and sisters in Los Angeles were so proud to take civil rights away from an entire demographic.

Women’s Work


Image by The Advocacy Project
Gender Equity Training in Nepal: 18 women and 7 men from local civic societies attended a Gender Equity Training in June 2010. In this image, a Tharu woman explains the daily tasks of women from sunrise to sunset. The men similarly explained how they spend their day. All participants learned that the division of labor is unequal, with women performing the onus of work. Backward Society Education, a local human rights NGO that advocates for the rehabilitation of former bonded laborers in southwest Nepal, coordinated the two-day training in Tulsipur, Nepal.
Photo by Adrienne Henck, 2010 Peace Fellow

Malalai Joya is an Afghan human rights activist who was kicked out from the Afghan Parliament for publicly denouncing the presence of what she considered to be warlords and war criminals among MPs. An outspoken critic of President Karzai and his western supporters, she was first denied a US visa to promote her book “Woman among Warlords,” however, after the international condemnation of this step Joya was able to visit the US. She joins RT’s Lauren Lyster to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Women with disabilities in northern Uganda experience ongoing discrimination and sexual and gender-based violence, Human Rights Watch group said in a report released on Thursday. Many are marginalised, unable to gain access to basic services, including health care and justice, and they have been largely ignored in post-conflict reconstruction efforts. The 73-page report, “‘As If We Weren’t Human’: Discrimination and Violence against Women with Disabilities in Northern Uganda,”describes frequent abuse and discrimination by strangers, neighbours, and even family members against women and girls living with disabilities in the north. Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb reports from northern Uganda – a region recently emerging from over two decades of civil war between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army(LRA) and the government. [August 26, 2010]

A few nice human rights women images I found:

Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition launch of Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice: A Guidebook on Women Human Rights Defenders in French


Image by CWGL
Reception post launch of the Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice: A Guidebook on Women Human Rights Defenders in French.

Some cool human rights rights images:

Hunger Strike for Free Elections and Human Rights in Iran


Image by D.C.Atty
Hunger Strike for Free Elections and Human Rights in Iran
I am holding a 14-day hunger strike for democratic reform and human rights in Iran, at San Francisco Civic Center from Sept 8th to Sept 22nd.

The hunger strike begins with a press conference spearheaded by District Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, on the Polk Street steps of City Hall at noon on Tuesday, September 8th. Other speakers to be announced.

My fast begins immediately following the press conference, on the SW corner of Civic Center Park (Grove & Polk). It will end fourteen days later on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd, when I go to New York to speak at the rally in front of the United Nations building. There will be meditations and candlelights vigils during the fast. More details coming.

To Show Support

Send inquries to donations@turaj.com.

The fast is an act of solidarity with those fighting for free elections and basic human rights in Iran, including the right not to be imprisoned arbitrarily or with baseless charges. One thing I’ve learned with my father’s detention is that raising awareness of the regime’s abuses works. Below I’ve posted links to news coverage that I believe helped my father be transferred out of solitary confinement. Let’s keep working until arbitrary arrests and imprisonments are no longer a viable tool for oppression by this regime. We are also calling to void the June 12th election and to hold a transparent re-vote in Iran.

Human Rights Council – 7th Session


Image by United Nations Information Service – Geneva
3/03/2008 – GENEVA – SUISSE -Secretary GeneralBan ki-Moon ( left ) Ms Louise Arbour (right ) High Commissioner Human Rights and Mr Doru-Romulus Costea ( Centre ) Council President ambassador of Romania during the High-Level Segment of the 7th session of Human Rights Council . Photo UN / Jean-Marc FERRE

(UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

Human Right Council – 10th Session


Image by United Nations Information Service – Geneva
Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office at Geneva and President Human Rights Council Martin Uhomoibhi( right at the podium) addresses during the follow up to the special session on Gaza.

(UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

Partnership in Iraq/Forum on Human Rights Support


Image by Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on human rights in Iraq the Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP shakes hands with Iraq’s Minister for Women, Mrs Nawal al-Samaraie.

Human rights commission prompts diversity concerns
A lawyers’ group voiced concern this week over the makeup of the commission set up by the government to investigate the case for a UK bill of rights. The Ministry of Justice said the commission comprises ‘human rights experts’ whose remit is to help ensure that any new bill of rights ‘incorporates and builds on’ the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, and that these …
Read more on Law Society Gazette

Feminists dislike media narrative about women pushing America into Libyan war
Women advocates, both liberal and conservative, are frustrated by the media’s fascination with the narrative that for the first time in American history, women, not men, were supposedly key in pushing for the use of military force against a foreign government.
Read more on Daily Caller via Yahoo! News

International Human Rights Hearing On Rape Epidemic In Haiti
This Friday, petitioners MADRE, the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), CUNY School of Law and Women’s Link Worldwide will testify before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington, DC on the crisis of sexual violence in Haiti. In October, the aforementioned group of …
Read more on Medical News Today

A few nice human rights rights images I found:

Uzbekistan, Human Rights, Uznews.net


Image by UZNEWS.NET
Protest in front of the president’s office never last long. Human rights activist Nigmatulla Nazaraliev and policeman, Tashkent, 2003.

Uzbekistan, Human Rights, Uznews.net


Image by UZNEWS.NET
Prominent Uzbek Human Rights activist – Talib Yakubov, lives in exile in France since 2006

Iranian Human Rights Abuses Against Women Spotlighted Near UN
Follow Israel news on and . Graphic depictions of the most egregious forms of human rights abuses against women in Iran took center stage at a special seminar in New York City on March 3rd.
Read more on Israel National News

Lorraine Devon Wilke: The Indefensible Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
Marriage does not need defending. If your marriage does, I feel for you and suspect your problems lie much deeper than whether or not gay couples can marry.
Read more on The Huffington Post

Some cool human rights rights images:

Uzbekistan, Human Rights, Uznews.net


Image by UZNEWS.NET
Tashkent city police officer Oleg Bichenov in a rare discussions with human rights activists in the Uzbek capital.

Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and Nobel peace prize winner. She recently accepted, on behalf of Abdulreza Tajik, an Iranian journalist who is in prison, the Reporters Without Borders ‘Journalist of the Year’ award. euronews used the occasion to talk to Shirin Ebadi about human rights in Iran. … www.euronews.net
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Introduction to: sovereign; law; admiralty; strawman; tax; legal
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Ezra Levant explains the situation surrounding a teacher and a pastor that was heard by the Commission. Steven Boissoin, the pastor in question, found out the hard way that in Canada your freedom of speech is surpassed by another person’s right to not be offended. A costly lesson in this case. This clip is taken from Micheal Coren’s program on CTS originally uploaded by SDAMatt. It’s from that source that the clips were edited. Libertarian Party of Canada libertarian.ca Vote Libertarian
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Some cool women defenders images:

Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders


Image by CWGL
Closing Reception for the strategic conversation on "Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders"

(l-r): Indai Sajor, Charlotte Bunch, Vivian Stromberg, Monica Aleman

Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders


Image by CWGL
Participants at the plenary session during the strategic conversation on "Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders"

Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders


Image by CWGL
Participants at the plenary session during the strategic conversation on "Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders"

(l-r): Kamala Chandrakirana, Fadzai Muparutsa, Nadine M., Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng, Nathalie Margi, Cynthia Rothschild

Human rights museum could get more funds
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is not ruling out more government money for the Canadian Museum For Human Rights.
Read more on CBC.ca

Human rights sessions on Jan. 8-9
Is there a human right to water? Can international law protect First Nations from oil and gas development? Could one decriminalize sex work and still protect the human rights of child prostitutes?
Read more on Gulf Islands Driftwood

A new low for the United Nations. Bedbugs at the UN www.reuters.com US activists lobby against UN religious defamation resolution www.huffingtonpost.com Insulting Islam risks civilisation clash blah blah www.middle-east-online.com Blasphemy laws a serious threat to human rights www.freedomhouse.org Child marriage in Saudi Arabia www.middle-east-online.com 80-year-old Saudi man marries 14-year-old www.emirates247.com Muslim slavery in Sudan undhimmi.com Saudi women vow to breastfeed their drivers www.qatarliving.com Iranian cleric blames immodestly dressed women for earthquakes news.bbc.co.uk 1195 women murdered in Pakistan in 2010 timesofindia.indiatimes.com Family waits to see if mother will be hanged for blasphemy edition.cnn.com Pakistani woman freed after 14 years in prison without trial for blasphemy www.asianews.it A woman murdered every day in Karachi www.dailytimes.com.pk Women in Pakistan en.wikipedia.org Violence against women in Pakistan www.hrcp-web.org Violence against women in Punjab tribune.com.pk Five women buried alive in Pakistan www.ahrchk.net Welcome to Pornistan www.foxnews.com Saudi Arabia spot on UN women agency triggers outcry blogs.reuters.com When it comes to women, the UN flogs its own integrity www.theglobeandmail.com The crimewave that shames the world www.independent.co.uk Want human rights? Leave the United Nations canadafreepress.com PETITION AGAINST SHARIA LAW IN BRITAIN ‪onelawforallpetition.com You can download an audio version of this …

In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of courageous women living there decided to speak out. They created a document that has come to be called the Farchana Manifesto. This short piece tells their story and discusses some of the problems with long-term refugee camps, a lack of refugee rights, a lack of citizenship, IDPs (internally displaced people), the treatment of women and the pressures and demands on the UNHCR. One of the women, knowing the risk, wanted the story to reach the West, and was willing to speak on camera. She was interviewed by my friend Ivan, who was doing humanitarian aid work there. Back home, I (Pete) then interviewed Ivan, and with additional footage from a few generous others, put together this piece (2 parts). See also Darfur Refugee Women Speak Out: The Farchana Manifest & Darfur In Ten Minutes: An Overview of the Conflict Footnotes: As to the point that “The UNHCR has not insisted upon criminal charges”, the UNHCR stated at the time that, despite knowing the identity of the perpetrators and having access to hundreds of witnesses to the torture of the women, they felt it was in the best interest of the refugee community to NOT pressure the local government to initiate judicial proceedings against these individuals (direct communication with Ivan Gayton, June 2008). Note: Ivan Gayton—interviewed here and in Darfur In Ten Minutes—is available to …
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Brett Keane – Official Site www.brettkeane.com Brett Keane on You Tube http Freedom of Speech Video Site www.freespeechvids.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

A few nice human rights rights images I found:

Human Right Commission


Image by United Nations Information Service – Geneva
2005/03/14 – GENEVA – SUISSE – During the the speech of Makarim Wibisono, Chairperson of the 61st session of th Human Rights Commission right. Photo UN / Jean-Marc FERRE

(UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

Uzbekistan, Human Rights, Uznews.net


Image by UZNEWS.NET
First ever protest in Tashkent calling president Islam Karimov to resign, November 6, 2003. Human Rights activist Abdujalil Boymatov

Marriage is a Human Right


Image by yuan2003
Proposition 8 Protest March;
Marriage is a Human Right;

Some cool human rights rights images:

Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2010


Image by Andreas H. Lunde
For commercial use, please see Demotix goo.gl/vaTK

Chair of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjørn Jagland, announces that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 is awarded to Liu Xiaobo for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.

Oslo, Norway. 08/10/2010.

Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2010


Image by Andreas H. Lunde
For commercial use, please see Demotix goo.gl/vaTK

Chair of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjørn Jagland, announces that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 is awarded to Liu Xiaobo for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.

Oslo, Norway. 08/10/2010.

Bautista urges moves to stop human trafficking
MANILA, Philippines — As a deterrent to human trafficking, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista urged the city council to enact stringent measures on the recruitment of workers for domestic and international employment to protect their rights and avoid abuses. Bautista said the measures should also include protection for children, saying that in the past syndicates have illegally recruited women …
Read more on Manila Bulletin

Malawi: Women Claim Equal Share of Family Property
Seated on a wooden bench at her Katoto township house in Mzuzu, Grace Mkandawire’s face reflects the traumatic experiences she has endured since her husband’s death in 1998. She looks lost and confused and as she narrates her story there is fear, hatred and resignation that Malawi’s Marital Property Law of (1882) disenfranchises poor women like her.
Read more on AllAfrica.com

Kyung-wha Khang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights


Image by US Mission Geneva
Kyung-wha Khang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaking at the Courage to Lead Summit in Geneva on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2009.

The Courage to Lead: A Human Rights Summit for Women Leaders, December 8-10, 2009.

The Courage to Lead Summit brought together experienced and emerging human rights leaders from over thirty countries to share and build on their experiences and to promote mentoring and
collaboration among women who play a key role in promoting human rights worldwide.

The conference is organized by The Eleanor Roosevelt Project of the George Washington University and Vital Voices Global Partnership with support from the U.S. Department of State, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Labour Organization. The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) coordinated logistics for the event.
Morning sessions of the December 8-10 summit at the ILO are also open to the public.

US Mission Photo: Photo by Eric Bridiers

Ivory Coast ‘on edge of genocide’
Ivory Coast’s new UN ambassador warns his country is “on the brink of genocide” as political unrest continues following a disputed presidential poll.
Read more on BBC News

Once A Mexican Tourist Town, Now No Man’s Land
A neighborhood just across the border from Nogales, Ariz., is so transformed by illegal immigration that it’s unrecognizable. Gone are the restaurants and shops that NPR’s Claudio Sanchez remembers from his childhood. As he revisits after years away, he finds heavily armed soldiers and police cruisers on the once-quaint main drag.
Read more on NPR

Saudi Women and Chinese Plastic Surgery Contest. How women’s rights are being abused daily in Saudi Arabia, and the Chinese TV show where you can win a new face
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Kidney donation a condition of sisters’ release in Mississippi
Two Mississippi sisters who have spent 16 years in prison over an $ 11 armed robbery will be released with an unusual stipulation — one must donate a kidney to the other.
Read more on CNN

2 Arrests At PG&E SmartMeter Protest In Marin County
Two women were arrested in Inverness Park in unincorporated Marin County Wednesday in a protest against PG&E’s installation of SmartMeters.
Read more on CBS San Francisco

Letters and comments for December 23, 2010
Upon taking office, Barack Obama took an oath to uphold and protect the U.S. Constitution, and yet it is reported by the NRA and other pro-gun organizations that he and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been negotiating to endorse a United Nations human rights doctrine that some believe would be in direct conflict with the Second Amendment and could establish a precedent for disarming the …
Read more on La Grande Observer

Some cool human rights women images:

Women Human Rights Leaders at the Courage to Lead Summit in Geneva


Image by US Mission Geneva
The Courage to Lead: A Human Rights Summit for Women Leaders, December 8-10, 2009.

The Courage to Lead Summit brought together experienced and emerging human rights leaders from over thirty countries to share and build on their experiences and to promote mentoring and
collaboration among women who play a key role in promoting human rights worldwide.

The conference is organized by The Eleanor Roosevelt Project of the George Washington University and Vital Voices Global Partnership with support from the U.S. Department of State, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Labour Organization. The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) coordinated logistics for the event.
Morning sessions of the December 8-10 summit at the ILO are also open to the public.

US Mission Photo: Photo by Eric Bridiers

Human Rights for Women ‹–› Human Rights for All


Image by CWGL
In early March, as a part of the CSW, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, partnered with Amnesty International, AWID, Global Fund for Women, MADRE, and the Women Won’t Wait, End HIV/AIDS and Violence Against Women. Now! campaign, to host an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The sponsors presented a number of global campaigns for women’s human rights and speakers from Sri Lanka, Kenya, Mexico and Zimbabwe gave inspiring accounts of women’s activism while also reminding us of the violations and discrimination that women, including women human rights defenders continue to face. They also reflected on the role women have played in expanding and securing women’s rights as part of the human rights framework.

This clip is a profile of Lechmi, a defender of Women’s Human Rights who works to protect women from domestic violence. It is produced for Radiq Radio in conjunction with the international 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women, and is dedicated to all defenders of Women’s Human Rights. Produced by Brendan McGeagh, an intern at the Centre for Independent Journalism. www.radiq.net www.cijmalaysia.org

www.unwatch.org Addressing uN Human Rights Council, UN Watch Chairman Alfred Moses exposes Iran’s policy of beating women who peacefully demonstrate for human rights.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Check out these human rights rights images:

Formal recognition of human rights?! In Australia?!


Image by moggs oceanlane
All Australian’s should be aware that there is currently a Human Rights consultation taking place in Australia. The consultation committee is charged with address the following three questions:

1. Which Human rights (including correpsonding responsibilites) should be protected and promoted?
2. Are these human rights currently sufficiently protected and promoted?
3. How could Australia better protect and promote human rights?

Sub questions to help direct your thinking were: * What are the rights and liberties of Australians? * What should the rights and liberties be? * Where do I find them? * Where should I be able to find them? * Are there responsibilities that go with having rights and liberties? * How are rights and liberties protected? * could our rights and liberties be better promoted? * should we have a document setting out our rights and liberties? * What role does the Commonwealth Goverment play in protecting human rights? Businesses? Individuals? * Who should be obliged to protect human rights – the Australian Government? Businesses? Individuals? Elected Representatives? Unelected Judges? Someone else? * Are there any circumstances in which you think your rights should be suspended? If so, when? * Which human rights should be better protected and promoted? * Do you think that particular groups need special protections? * What should you be able to do if you think your Human rights have been breached? * Do we need a new Commonwealth law to protect human rights? * should our human rights be considered more formally by Government when they are making laws? * Do we need better ways to ensure that Government and it’s agencies respect our human rights? * What do you think the role of the Courts should be in the protection of human rights?

You will find information about the national Human Rights Consultation; National Human Rights Consultation Background Paper; consultation group discussion guide at www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au/

:: :: Have your say :: ::

All Australians are invited to have their say and may parcipate in a consultation workshop or may make a submission by to the Human Rights Consultation Committe on the web or by post:

web www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au/

postal The National Human Right Consultation Secretariat
Attorney-General’s Department
Robrt Garran Offices
BARTON ACT 2600

Closing date for submissions Monday, 15 Jun 2009. All submissions will be treated as public unless the author indicates it is confidential, then it will be treated as such and will not be made public.

A range of public submission are available on the site, so you can read what others have to say.

If you are for a Charter, please share the reasons behind why you support a Charter. If you are against a Charter, please share your reasons as to why you are against it.

:: :: Important Note :: ::

At this time the Government have refused to consider having Human Rights incorporated into the constitution and as such a charter is being considered.

For those that believe strongly that Human Rights should be incorporated into the constitution it is outside of the Committee’s charter. If you feel it should be included in the constitution and raise this as a concern, the concern will be addressed in the report to the Government which will be presented by 31 August 2009.

It was suggested some postives about having a charter might be:

* Something is better than nothing
* Australia’s track record with referendums is that getting a YES vote would be unlikely
* By having a Charter in the first instance, it may manifest a cultural change, may make a YES vote in a referendum in the future more likely (we’ve tried it, we’ll buy it/cultural change)
* It provides the opportunity to road test the laws and see how they interpreted before they are embedded in the constitution (it’s very hard to change something once it in a constitution – eg. American’s right to bear arms). By road testing how the laws are interpreted, it gives us the opportunity to fine tune them before they become entrenched in the constitution.

:: :: Related resources :: ::
* Let’s talk about rights – toolkit and information – www.hreoc.gov.au/letstalkaboutrights/info.html
* National human rights consultation – www.humanrightscoalition.org.au/index.php?option=com_cont…
* Human Rights Links: www.humanrights.org.au/links.htm
* What are human rights? www.humanrights.org.au/human-rights.htm
* Universal Declaration of Human Rights: www.humanrights.org.au/declaration-human-rights.htm (This page contains links to plain language versions of the rights)
* Your rights, your say (GetUp! Campaign – relates directly to the charter) – www.getup.org.au/campaign/rights/407
* Save the ‘Net (GetUp! Campaign – freedom of information/speech) – www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/442

:: :: Discussion :: ::

Discussion, statements and questions arising from the consultation I attended (I am listing points raised regardless of my personal feelings – these are just things that came up during the course of the evening):

The need for education about rights – generally and within our education system. One group discussed that this should happen in primary school due to retention issues at the high school level (early dropouts) and that knowledge of the 30 basic human rights should be as important as reading and writing.

Such a charter may heighten accountability

Are unelected Judges the best choice in terms of fairness? (separation from Government?). Are Elected representatives in the best position to evaluate/judge community values? Do judges generally focus more on individuals than on the community? Judges are practiced in finding balance in opposing views – so woudn’t they be qualified? Wouldn’t unelected judges be more likely to represent the views of minorities who need protection? Would elected judges/representatives be more likely to do what is in the best interests of the Government?

Rights are like muscles and brains… if they are not exercised, you lose them. It is a responsibility of citizenship to actively stand up for our rights.

The right to be able to protest is important.

Is compulsory voting a huge impedement to Australia? (No further argument or explanation was given with this statement so I’m not of the rationale behind the statement – sorry.)

Freedom of thought

The right to express your culture

While many of us may agree on the basic ‘umbrella’ statements – we often don’t agree on the semantics – how would we address this conflict to ensure that if a Bill of Rights or Charter were implemented that it wouldn’t force values and beliefs on people and remove some rights of expression.

Can any piece of paper be enforced?

The constitution is the best we can aim for.

We need a government that is responsible TO the people. The people should have some way of being able to say we are not happy and demand a new government

Issues widely opposed by the people are often not addressed until there is a change of Government

We need to have a democracy in the community, workplace and in the economy

Does a charter lack enforceability?

If it is a charter, and is subject to the whim of Parliment it can be changed at any time.

International treaties and laws should override national laws and these are already in place. Australia does not enforce these laws and sometimes does not enforce/is not accountable for national laws. If these treaties/laws were enforced would we even have a need for this discussion

For something so important to all Australians, this consultation has been badly promoted and many of us here found out almost by accident – shouldn’t this be promted more widely in mainstream media (television advertising, full page ads in papers, radio, etc).

Are groups such as the homeless being consulted [answer from panel was yes - some representatives were meeting with a group of homeless people at a soup kitchen the same evening the consultation I attended was on - M.]

our system stifles debate and says that some rights are more important that others.

how do we balance two separate rights that conflict

should rights be unconditional – or are there instances where they should be revoked?

Responsibility to those who have had rights removed (eg. mental health patients who have had their rights removed for their own safety, etc and the incarcerated). When removing rights there is a responsibility to consider the rights of those who have had their rights removed and to protect them from abuse, uphold their dignity and show them respect). Don’t just take the easy way out and ignore the situation – take on the responsiblity that comes with revoking rights.

Have the incarcerated been spoken to as part of this consultation?

Often those who are unable to communicate effectively in spoken or written word are unheard and thus cannot have their rights addressed or make themselves heard and thus their rights are disregarded. As rights are often addressed by laws those who can not articulate in a spoken or written form in a language that is readily understood by the ‘system’ have no voice. How can we make it easy for them to know and address their rights.

Information about rights; where to seek assistance and general information should be available not only online and by telephone but also there should be a place to go where you can talk to someone in person (accessibilty/equity)

:: :: A relevant poem :: ::

First they came…
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.

This poem has been reworded and used in numerous rights and freedom related campaigns. The basic message, obviously, is – it may not be you now but if you don’t stand up for others and then later you find yourself the target of injustice, who will stand up for you? Don’t be ambivalent… get off your butts!

Human Rights – Ottawa 04 08


Image by Mikey G Ottawa
In October 2007, Tibet’s leader in exile, His Holiness, the Dalai Lama visited Ottawa and addressed the gathered local, provincial and federal officials and the gathered crowd with his message of peace and foregiveness. This site was chosen as his podium from which to speak. I am so very proud to be a Canadian. What a great country! www.tibet.ca/en/newsroom/news_releases/81
.

Asian ‘martyrs’ underscore poor year for human rights
In some of 2010′s most compelling images, Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi emerged from her home after years in detention and an empty chair marked the absence of Liu Xiaobo from his Nobel prize ceremony.
Read more on AFP via Yahoo! News

Women who made history in 2010
The Madame Figaro supplement to the French magazine Le Figaro has published its list of women who made history, or at least the headlines, in 2010. It includes politicians, politicians’ wives, human rights activists, wealthy heiresses, film directors and ordinary women. In some cases they made the headlines whether they wanted to or not.
Read more on Russian Information Agency Novosti

In Brazil’s Belo Monte dam project, tens of thousands of indigenous people could lose their homelands in the Amazon so that the government can increase the growing nation’s electricity output. But whose concerns should take priority in these kinds of cases? International campaigners say new global approaches must be designed to address complex human rights dilemmas.

Check out the website I got this historic speech from! www.americanrhetoric.com Hillary Rodham Clinton Remarks to the UN 4th World Conference on Women Plenary Session delivered 5 September 1995, Beijing, China Excerpt: rought us to this point, distinguished delegates, and guests: I would like to thank the Secretary General for inviting me to be part of this important United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. This is truly a celebration, a celebration of the contributions women make in every aspect of life: in the home, on the job, in the community, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, learners, workers, citizens, and leaders. It is also a coming together, much the way women come together every day in every country. We come together in fields and factories, in village markets and supermarkets, in living rooms and board rooms. Whether it is while playing with our children in the park, or washing clothes in a river, or taking a break at the office water cooler, we come together and talk about our aspirations and concern. And time and again, our talk turns to our children and our families. However different we may appear, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share a common future, and we are here to find common ground so that we may help bring new dignity and respect to women and girls all over the world, and in so doing bring new strength and stability to families as well. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is the 67th United States …

The Pfizer “Moments in Leadership” Distinguished Health Leadership Speaker Series presents this talk and reception featuring Dr. Paul Farmer, recipient of the 2009 UC Berkeley International Public Health Hero Award. Using the framework of human right to health, Dr. Farmer will speak about: -Community-based care to improve health outcomes in settings of great poverty –Disease specific interventions to strengthen primary health care Dr. Farmer is the Maude and Lillian Presley Professor in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a founding director of Partners In Health, an international nonprofit organization that provides direct health care services and undertakes research and advocacy activities on behalf of those who are sick and living in poverty. Dr. Farmers work draws primarily on active clinical practice and focuses on community-based treatment strategies for diseases that disproportionately afflict the poor, health and human rights, and about the role of social inequalities in determining the distribution and outcomes of infectious diseases.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Featuring Susan Jacoby, Michelle Goldberg, and Marianne Mollman. Women’s rights have often been treated as a small sub-category of human rights — a mere appendage to larger questions of war, peace, poverty and economic development. In this forum, moderated by Susan Jacoby, program director for the Center for Inquiry | New York City, and including Michelle Goldberg, author of “The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of The World,” and Marianne Mollman, advocacy director for the Womens Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, womens rights take their proper place at the center of the struggle for human rights and economic justice around the world. This forum was co-sponsored by the Center for Inquiry | New York City and All Souls Unitarian Church. For more: www.centerforinquiry.net/nyc Video by Louis Chan.

The project „Economic rights of women are human rights!” Promotion of economic rights of women in the context of development in the countries of Central Asia and Eastern Europe: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova is carried jointly with Minority rights Group Europe and co financed by European Union. The main objective of this project is to make citizens aware that economic rights of women from Central Asia and Eastern Europe have to be respected, and that through this improvement of their socio-economic position can be achieved. As a consequence the economic development of individual countries will be also achieved.
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Nobel Peace Laureate and lawyer Shirin Ebadi of Iran describes how education can lead to peace in the Middle East and calls for an end to discrimination against women in this riveting address presented by theJoan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and the School of Law at the University of San Diego. Series: “Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Distinguished Lecture Series” [10/2006] [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 11869]
Video Rating: 4 / 5

women’s rights are human’s rights
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Aisha Shaheed speaks on preventing violence against women, including the work of women’s human rights defenders and other coalitions to end violence. www.CWGL.rutgers.edu www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org www.WLUML.org www.stop-killing.org www.stop-stoning.org
Video Rating: 4 / 5