International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Human Rights Violations and for Dignity of Victims 2023

                  Last Friday 24th March, all the world remembered the importance of the justice for victims of human rights violations and together with the justice the victims need, also the truth and their dignity re-established. This post is a summary of four articles. The first was published at  https://www.un.org/en/observances/right-to-trutday#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20on%2024%20March,Dignity%20of%20Victims%20is%20observe. The second was published at https://arido.ca/2023/03/24/international-day-for-the-right-to-the-truth-concerning-gross-human-right-violations-the-dignity-of-victims-march-24th/. The third was published at https://opseu.org/news/the-international-day-for-the-rights-to-the-truth-concerning-gross-human-rights-violations-and-for-the-dignity-of-victims/104412/. The fourth was published at  https://www.gicj.org/positions-opinons/gicj-positions-and-opinions/1376-international-day-for-the-right-to-the-truth-concerning-gross-human-rights-violations-and-for-the-dignity-of-victims-24-march

                  "The truth is an empowering and healing force. We embrace it for the past, the present and the future." Said the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The right to the truth is often invoked in the context of violations of human rights and grave breaches of humanitarian law. The relatives of victims of summary executions, enforced disappearance, missing persons, abducted children, torture, require to know whar happened to them. The right to the truth implies knowing the full and complete truth as to the events that transpired, their specific circumstances, and who participated in them, including knowing the circumstances in which the violations took place, as well as the reasons for the violations.                                                                                                                                                When survivors share their stories, it sheds light on their experience and brings the truth out into the light. It is imperative we continue to hear their stories, believe survivors, and do everything we can to bring effective change. The right to truth is essential for th survivors of human rights violations and their families. It is a fundamental human right that must be respected and upheld. The pursuit of truth is necessary to ensure accountability for human rights violations and to prevent their recurrence. On this day, we remember the victims of human rights violations and the suffering they endured. We honor their memory by standing up for their rights and seeking justice on their behalf. We also acknowledge the courage and strength of survivors, who have shown incredible resilience in the face of trauma. It is essential that we continue to promote the right to truth, justice, and reparations for victims of human rights violations. Governments and other organizations must take concrete steps to ensure that these rights are respected and upheld. Join us in honoring the victims of human rights violations and advocating for their rights. Let us work together to build a world where human rights are respected and protected, and where victims receive justice and reparations they deserve.                                                                                    24 March marked the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. The U.N. picked this date to remember Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was murdered on 24 March 1980. He was an advocate of human rights and spoke out strongly against the government of El Salvador's violations. The U.N.H.C.H.R. declared in 2006 that the state has an obligation to protect and guarantee human rights and to conduct effective investigations and provide effective remedy and reparations when such violations occur. The daily struggles for human rights may not always take centre stage in our busy lives, but we can never forget the sacrifices made by those who have fought for, or have died for, speaking out against those who have deny others their human rights. The very rights we take for granted, many have died for. If all we can do is to pause for a moment to honour their losses, then let us do so in honour of them.                                                             The right to truth emerges in the context of violations of human rights and grave breaches of humanitarian law. Those related to victims of summary executions, enforced disappearance, abductions, and torture seek clarification about their loved ones' situations. Gaining knowledge of the full and complete truth as to the occurrences, their context and underlying reasons lies at the heart of the right to the truth. Moreover, the right to truth has been described as both an individual and collective right and it has been stipulated that the State has duty to remember. In response to the thousands of people who disappeared in Argentina and Chile in the 1970s, the U.N. established the Group on Enforced Disappearances in February of 1980 as the first  special procedure with a universal mandate. Since its inception it has dealt with over 50,000 cases of disappearances from all regions of the world. The group asks Governments to carry out credible investigations into allegations. It reaffirms that States have an obligation to bring any alleged perpetrator of an enforced disappearance to justice, and to provide the necessary protection and assistance to victims, witnesses and other relevant persons. The International community is failing to protect uncountable civilians from persecution, untold suffering and death, in Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine to name a few. Despite numerous warning signs, the actions of the U.N. have hitherto failed to prevent crimes. Transitional justice would be key to breaking cycles of impunity and to ensure non-recurrence. The international community has the responsibility to act to prevent crimes wherever they occur if the State in question in unable or unwilling to fulfill its international obligations.

The 50CAN Guide to Political Advocacy

                      This post is a summary of the book with the title above, published in 2019 at https://50can.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/10/50CAN_PoliticalGuidebook-Web.pdf

                      Participating in elections is a fundamental activity for individuals united behind a common cause through the steps for effective political engagement. Politics has been a part of human history for thousands of years in some form or another. A democratic society, uses politics to debate with our fellow citizens and come to an agreement about our laws and public institutions. Being an engaged member of a community means you are willing to join in this debate. By getting political, you join a long and noble tradition of those who came before you who helped uplift the human condition. Politics is the prism through which elected officials evaluate public policy suggestion and weigh public support. The purpose of this book is to help individuals organized to succesfully engage in politics. Politics is not an exact science. A good advocate learns to evaluate people and scenarios and adapt based on experience. It is our hope that after reading this guide, you will feel better equipped to move your policy ideas from dream to reality. If you get your impression of politics from Hollywood movies, you might think that political change only happens when people resort to extremes speeches or shady dealings with crooked politicians. In reality, being successful at politics you must not neglect the human element. You must be committed to understanding both the uniqueness and the similarities of the people in your political world. We can all think of ways we wish our society could improve. The polarization and negative tenor of current politics is one thing most people agree needs to be changed. However, politics has been divisive for a long time. As a general rule, if you plan to engage in an election, you should start your planning process at least one year before election day. For many good reasons, organizations often want to take a non-partisan approach to their policy and electoral work. That being said, elections do not happen in a vacuum. There are many external factors out of your control. Most of the political world operates in a "you're with me or against me" mentality. Therefore, it is quite hard to navigate this culture in a non-partisan manner. This is a trick problem, the best advice is to be upfront about your intentions from the beginning. Stay true to your principles, even if you are compelled to operate in a more partisan way. Interviews are important because they give you a chance to ask detailed follow-up questions and gauge the level of knowledge and support the candidates has for your issues. Keep the interviews relatively brief. Remember that most candidates are balancing campaigning with personal and career responsibilities. Their time is limited. In politics, there are turf battles, hidden agendas and lack of coordination. Building coalitions really is one of the most vital parts of being successful. Legislative coalitions can be hard because people are complex. You may be competing for electoral funding with your friends or have a different take on legislative strategies, which is understandable. Here are a few tips for working better with your allies: 1) Build relationships - Spending more social time with your allies can help to soften the hard edges. Personal relationships build trust and can help you better evaluate and understand the motives of other people. 2) Develop patience for different types of people - Make a conscious effort not to let the lack of a personal connection affect the way you view someone professionally. 3) Focus less on who should get the credit - While there is some need to self-promote, your primary goal is getting the job done. Set an example in the coalition by remembering to thank and include everyone. If you work hard and well, you will be recognized for your role. 4) Don't just talk about coordination - Encourage your coalition to have specific objectives and outcomes for meetings. Think critically and be self-aware enough to know when something is not your specialty. 5) Err on the side of over-communication - A phone call once or twice a week to check with allies and keep them apprised of your work will do wonders.           If we've reached our goals with this book, by now you are feeling more prepared to engage in the political process. We aim to be a place where talented people are able to do the best work of their lives in a culture that supports and sustain them. The glue that holds this community together is a team spirit grounded in our commitment to our cause. At 50CAN, we want to learn from and contribute to the work of as many citizen advocates as possible. The cause of our work is education. We support individuals at the local level who advocate for a high-quality education for all kids. What defines us as a community are the values we aim to uphold in our daily work. We believe deeply in our ability to foster real change in our communities. We approach tough challenges with high spirits. We are dogged in pursuit of our mission and our goals, and we don't back down. We are authentic about our challenges, mistakes and triumphs. We are honest with others and with ourselves. We know we don't have all the answers and that we can only succeed by constantly testing our assumptions, working in deep collaboration with others and grounding ourselves in diverse viewpoints. 

The Promise of Digital Activism

               This post is a summary of two articles. The first was published with the incomplete title above in March of 2022 at   https://www.cfr.org/blog/promise-digital-activism-and-its-dangers-0. The second was published in 2023 at https://journals.openedition.org/ctd/8489

                During the toppling of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, activists were using social media to mobilize a large-scale revolution for democracy and human rights, Mubarak had "shut down" the internet and jailed Egyptian bloggers to crush dissent. Since then, I have been fascinated by the role of social media as an organizing tool, even as I remain cautious about the role of government censorship and surveillance. From the subsequent uprisings in the middle east to the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements in the U.S. to the role of social media in the Ukraine-Russia information war today, it has become apparent that social media is a powerful tool for both those who seek to enhance and those who seek to limit freedom. Through the Foreign Relations' roundtables series, I was fortunate to speak about how some groups use their social media to advocate for societal improvements. Brooke Welles, Professor at Northeastern University provided some insights as to how hashstag activism influences mainstream media coverage, representing a transformative opportunity to inject new narratives and the way we talk about things. The activists at the center of these digital campaigns are incredibly important. While some not familiar with social media justice campaigns might believe that movements like Black Lives Matter erupted spontaneously during the summer of 2020, Welles remind us that this is not the case. In fact, activists tend to operate in digital networks that overlap with justice movements that have a presence "on the ground", allowing activists to learn and develop effective strategies to spread their message. As a result, each subsequent movement grows larger and gathers steam more quickly.  Despite the power of online activism to change national and international conversations, significant backlash to these online campaigns presents enormous risks to activists. This backlash is certainly not unique to digital activism. Welles noted that as soon as any activist group starts to have some inroads to power, you get the backlash. And questioned whether there were any social movements that were not met with backlash. The real question is whether activists decide to endure that backlash or not. While the backlash activists experience is very serious and threatening, it should not be taken as evidence that the movement is unsuccessful or should stop. Even though backlash in authoritarian regimes is particularly severe, such as the imprisonment of activists, backlash presents a problem in democratic countries as well. In addition to suppression of freedom of speech, recent restrictions target activists and their families, Such restrictions reflect both the power of civil rights progress as well as the significant retaliation justice activists face. Recently, we have seen a surge in both online and offline activism in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia activists have found creative ways to organize protests against Russian President Vladimir Putin while Ukrainian activists have used the internet to find evidence of Russian war crimes. As a testament to the crucial role large tech companies play, some have observed that Russia's usual disinformation campaigns on display during Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, are not as effective this time around. Tech companies have implemented new policies and devoted more resources to countering Russian disinformation. Others have described these measures as inconsistent and inadequate to confront the magnitude of Russia's disinformation efforts. Moreover, experts have increasingly called attention to coordinated disinformation campaigns on TikTok and TikTok's failure to adequately contain the problem. Another report indicates influencers on Russia TikTok are being paid to promote propaganda from Kremlin. Digital activism is not as simple as someone clicking retweet, which all too often involves enormous risk to the activists themselves or can result in spreading disinformation. Welles remind us that digital movements depend on the extent to which a few powerful companies are willing to defend free speech, even in the face of immense pressure. The U.S. government could also do more to support digital activism by reevaluating its partnerships with authoritarian regimes and directing more aid to human rights organizations and digital rights groups.                                                                                                                    We are now part of an ecosystem where digital technologies and social media are the core of communication. They have promoted what is known as civic tech; technologies aimed at improving democratic participation.  Social media exposure produces another way of confronting the reality and offers the possibility of establishing an identity relationship with the environment. At the same time, collective action that participates in the way of communicating, informing and interacting. Movements become audible and visible, with messages, texts, images and videos posted on social media, as well as on mass media. As a result, the communication and activist dynamics within the framework of the new movements lead to questioning the themes and problems under discussion, as well as the repertories of communication and action regarding the new and traditional movements.