Human Rights Articles

by Karen Castellon, AWC Berlin

After learning about a human rights issue that moves you or speaks to you, you may be asking yourself, “What can I do?” You just are not the same after becoming aware of the issue, and you feel that you want to move the needle.

• You are not fleeing for your life from the Taliban… but you want to support Afghan refugees, particularly women, as they start new lives in places that support their growth and right to an education and a full life.
• Your family is not pressuring you to undergo genital mutilation so that they can command a better bride price upon your getting married... but you want to support girls and women in Tanzania who are looking for an alternative.
• You are not under the age of 18 and being matched with someone for marriage... but you support the creation of laws that will end forced and child marriage in your own community.

In her session (available on YouTube) “Advocacy: How to create real change for women and girls” at the FAWCO Human Rights in Focus event, Beth Ellen Holimon suggested: 

• (15:00) “Find an organization that has issues that you care about.” The organization often will write/ draft the emails for you, give you links to your representatives. If that’s all you can do, it is very impactful. 
  • Pick 1 or 2 issues per year to focus on so that you don’t get overwhelmed.
• (17:00) Write a letter to the editor of your local (hometown) newspaper; include a “hook” and use the EPIC format.
  • Engage. Ask a question to your constituency. 
  • Problem. Give specifics about the problem.
  • Inform. Provide background.
  • Call to Action. 
  • (19:10) “I am from [Hometown] and now live in COUNTRY, and this is an issue that people need to care about.”
• (18:00) Call and write to your Representatives’ offices. Get to know the staffers in those offices who are responsible for the issues that interest you. They often have research and information that they can share with you. You can request an appointment with a staff member (it is easier to get time with a staffer rather than the representative themselves). Once you have the staffer’s information, you can establish an email connection.
  • In the United States, that means a US Representative in Congress for the district in which you live/ last resided plus two US Senators for your state. In addition, each state has an assembly, and you are represented there by local Assembly Representatives.
  • (Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that FAWCO is a non-partisan organization. Unless you are specifically authorized by the Board, any advocacy statements you make should be in your own name, and not that of FAWCO. Thank you.)
• “Great Organizations for Advocacy for Women” (20:00). 

In addition to FAWCO, 

• Results.org
• PeaceCorpsConnect.org
• One.org
• GlobalCitizen.org
• Madre.org
• WomenDeliver.org
• GlobalFundforWomen.org
• Amnesty.org
• GlobalRightsforWomen.org

LEARN

• Learn more about supporting women’s human rights that are grounded in globally recognized agreements. An amazing resource is Women’s Human Rights Teaching, Learning, and Advocacy Resource. Its six modules include:

• • Inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work (Poverty, Economy, Human Rights and Health), aka Inclusive Development
  • Poverty eradication, social protection and social services (Poverty, Education, Economy, Human Rights and Health), aka Social Protection
  • Freedom from violence, stigma and stereotypes (Violence, Human Rights and Health), aka Freedom from Violence
  • Participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions (Power and Decision-Making, Institutional Mechanisms, Media, Human Rights and Health), aka Power and Decision-Making
  • Peaceful and inclusive societies (Armed Conflict, Human Rights and Health), aka Armed Conflict
  • Environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation (Environment, Human Rights and Health), aka Environment

SHOP

Buy the children’s book, What is a Perfect World? for ages 3 to 8. Proceeds support the FAWCO Target Program in perpetuity.

Buy the e-book, Hope is the Thing with Feathers: Portraits of Human Trafficking Survivors and Change-Makers. Proceeds from book donations will support a FAWCO Foundation Development Grant for a human rights project.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash