Article 26 Human Rights Education Amnesty International - USA March 9, 2005 - - - - - - - - - - - - Dear Educator Activists, The new year is just on 2 months in and we have already seen a number of really amazing efforts to educate folks about human rights - through a range of mediums and messaging, the work of human rights awareness and education is off to a good start in 2005. A few examples of these efforts: -- From Somers, NY where the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joanne Marien, has been working to engage the entire school community in a process of identifying and articulating where and how human rights will have a place in the school district. -- The Western Region Educators held their annual meeting. During an agenda packed weekend, the participants developed a solid plan of action for the upcoming year with a strong focus on the Stop Violence Against Women Campaign and peer education. -- To Atlanta where events around Speak Truth to Power, over the MLK weekend, met with great success, outstanding awareness building and an emotional evening where activists, human rights defenders, celebrities, youth, and many other community members celebrated the importance of Speaking Truth to Power. -- ACTIVATE, in both the Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic regions, kicked off the year with training for the project facilitators. Thanks to the efforts of the staff and volunteer facilitators, 100s of young people are being introduced to and challenged by the human rights issues facing our local and global communities. This represents a glimpse of the human rights educational efforts underway within AIUSA. With so much good work happening, one can afford to believe that the arch will start bending towards justice. However, our papers continue to be filled with stories and articles of atrocious actions and abuses... I know that for me, there are many issues that spark a desire to take action: violence against women - particularly in war torn and conflict situations, abuse of a child - in all manners, denying people access to food and other basic necessities, to name a few. But in the end, one issue has risen to the top for me and I am so very sad and angry to say that today, my country, the United States of America is at the front and center of this human rights issue - Torture. Under the cover of the War on Terror, this country has engaged in actions and activities that are reminiscent of some of the worst known to human kind. My anger hits on many fronts but let me share with you the three main sources: -- I know too many survivors of torture. I know how difficult every day can be for them. I cannot sit back as my country adds to the ranks of people who can call themselves survivors or worse yet, are tortured to the point of eternal silence. -- As Bob Herbert wrote in a New York Times op-ed, we recently had an election in which "morals" and "values" were identified as the reasons why people voted for who they did - where are the 50+ million now? How can they not be outraged at what their moral/value driven government is doing? -- Torture is never justified - bottom line. We must take action and I believe that we can do this in a way that is consistent with who we are as educators and who we are as activists. I note this because of the very important exchange happening on the HREA listserv regarding education and neutrality. I feel that there is too much complacency now. We are willing to accept actions and behaviors because we are scared, we don't know any better, or we do not think we can change anything. In the end, who wants to believe that their government tortures people, period. So, my request to you is for you to share with us any work that you have done in this area: educating your students or community on the issue of torture, actions you have taken and found to be successful in your community, ideas for how we can educate and mobilize folks...strategies for how we can change the course that we, as a country, are taking. We need to play a positive role in engaging people in dialogue about this issue, we need to take what we hear and learn and figure out how to shift the attitudes and behaviors that are allowing this to happen, and finally, we need express our outrage...this is not a time for silence. Peace, Karen - - - - - - - - - - - - UPDATE The HRE program is extremely excited about our new, formal partnership with the National Education Association. While the two organizations have worked together on various project in the past, this year we seek to formalize this partnership though co-branded efforts, participating in each others conferences and appropriate meetings, and mobilizing our members to take action on behalf of educators and the right to education world wide. It is important to us that this partnership provides members from both organizations with tools and resources to engage in the work of educating and the work of human rights in a way that is consistent with the missions of both organizations. To that end, please share with us what you think regarding this partnership. How can it support you in your work as an educator? What do you need for yourself and your students? Is there something new and groundbreaking that you would love to see us take on? CONTACT HRE (subject line: NEA and AIUSA) krobinson@aiusa.org - - - - - - - - - - - ACTION Reform US Policy and Stop Torture Over three years since Amnesty International brought attention to allegations of torture and ill-treatment of detainees in US custody in Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay, and almost a year since the pictures of torture and ill treatment in Abu Ghraib were publicized, there is little indication of meaningful action by the US government to remedy the situation and prevent further abuse. ACT NOW! http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12214 - - - - - - - - - - - LESSONS MAKING A KILLING: AN ARMS DEAL SIMULATION AND TRAINING Help students understand the role of the arms trade in facilitating human rights abuses and the multidimensional complexity of bringing the trade under control. READ MORE http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12215 - - - - AMANDLA! Students either read and discuss in groups or sing along with South African song and fill in blank words. Then students form groups and draw the images that the song evokes. READ MORE http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12216 - - - - - - - - - - - CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS The AIUSA Human Rights Education program is seeking volunteer leaders to serve on the national steering committee. Candidates that are selected for review by the current committee will be notified by 28 March. Final selections will be completed by 10 April. SEND COVER LETTER & RESUME krobinson@aiusa.org MORE ABOUT HRE http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12217 - - - - - - - - - - - OPPORTUNITIES WOMEN & LITERACY...STRENGTHENING THE WEB: MARCH 11 - 12, 2005 WE LEARN 2nd Annual (Net)Working Conference on Women & Literacy (Providence, RI) Keynote Speakers: Silja Kallenbach & Andy Nash Panelists: Mary Belenky, Klaudia Rivera, Ujwala Samant, Klare Allen Pre-registration deadline is February 28. Accepting on-site reservations as well. READ MORE http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12218 - - - - WORLD REFUGEE DAY POSTER CONTEST 2005 UNHCR is pleased to announce the fifth annual World Refugee Day poster contest, under the patronage of UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie. READ MORE http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=12222 - - - - STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN POETRY EVENT Every day, women and girls around the world are threatened, abused, raped, mutilated and killed with impunity. Violence against women is a global human rights scandal that affects us all. Across the world, students can unite to write poems on the human rights of women and ending the violence. The power of poetry is unique. Poetry empowers, heals, educates, transforms, cleanses, and brings people together! Poetry is Word Power! It requires no special talent, skills or experience -- only a willingness to explore moments in women's lives, their suffering, and their right to be safe! The Stop Violence Against Women Campaign was launched on International Women's Day March 8th, 2003 and will continue through the year 2010. One of the overarching goals of the campaign is to break the silence about violence against women. -- In the US, a woman is raped every 6 minutes -- 6,000 North African women experience genital cutting each day -- This year more than 15,000 women will be sold into sexual slavery in China. -- 200 women in Bangladesh will be horribly disfigured when infuriated husbands or suitors burn them with acids -- Over 7,000 women in India will be murdered by their families and in-laws in disputes over dowries -- Nearly 1 in 4 women experiences sexual violence by an intimate partner during her lifetime -- An estimated 135 million women have been victims of female genital cutting. -- Only 27 countries have laws against marital rape -- By December 2002, 42 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS; 19.2 million were women aged 15-49 -- In every armed conflict investigated by Amnesty International in 1999 and 2000, the torture of women was reported, most often in the form of sexual violence OBJECTIVES: -- Raising awareness about violence against women -- Mobilize people and groups to actively participate in AI Stop Violence Against Women Campaign -- Fundraising may be achieved by creating a publication of the poems ACTION STEPS: -- Creative Writing: Ask students to compose poems on the Violence Against Women Readings: Organize School Assemblies to take the form of readings of poetry (maybe also inviting the media) -- Publication: Compile the poetry in an official "Stop Violence Against Women Poetry Collection". -- Curriculum: Work with your teachers to integrate human rights issues across the curriculum. In your language arts classes, explore the role of the written word in social movements, change and actions. Scheduled to be launched at the World Poetry Day, March 21st, 2005 to last until the end of this school year and the next academic semester. CONTACT HRE krobinson@aiusa.org ======== North American Human Rights Education listserv ======== Send mail intended for the list to <hr-education-na@hrea.org>. Archives of the list can be found at: http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-education-na/markup/maillist.php If you have problems (un)subscribing, contact <owner-hr-education-na@hrea.org>. **You are welcome to reprint, copy, archive, quote or re-post this item, but please retain the original and listserv source.
[Reply to this message] [Start a new topic] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index] [Subject Index] [List Home Page] [HREA Home Page]