Two months ago, precisely on 23rd of August was celebrated in Brazil, the day of fighting injustice. We all must defend justice, because when there is some injustice happening for so long, a dangerous precedent can happen, destroying democracy, undermining rule of law and fundamental human rights. So, the public trust in our institutions is severely harmed. Besides, when there is not justice, the abuses tend to grow and spreading and affecting many more people. So if you have witnessed any violation of human rights, record it and help fight injustice. You should help to do justice, because if not you can be the next victim. I have been fighting for justice, democracy and human rights for so many years and intend keep this work for more years ahead. I'll never give up to make Brazil a better country, more democratic, fairer, and where human rights are truly respected. The systematic violations, the impunity, the daily bullying in the mainstream media, the threats online and offline exist to do the victims give up to fight for their rights and reparations. Besides the violations, the systematic abuses, the daily humiliation and the impunity can have a dehumanizing effect in the population, trying us accept what can not be accepted, do not let this happen to you, the solidarity and the emphaty are the essence of the human beings. We all should recognize who have courage to defend our human rights including our political rights. Because always there are costs to do this, so help who is losing to defend your right. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at https://www.hrc.org/news/we-are-stronger-together-fighting-injustice-takes-a-united-front. The second was published at https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/opinion/article/3059862/dont-underestimate-or-dismiss-power-social-media. The third was published at https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2019/09/human-rights-in-age-of-social-media-big-data-and-ai
Six inspiring Americans, each with their own unique story and reason to speak out, have combined their voices to create a united video message of hope. Gold Star father Khizr Khan, transgender Sarah McBride, dreamer Astrid Silva, "Mother of the Movement" Lucia McBath, disability rights activist Anastasia Somoza, and Karla Ortiz, the 12-year-old of undocumented parents who shared her fears of her family's separation and deportation. Their messages of courage and compassion in the face of adversity stood out. There is a need to remember their voices of resilience, and find strength in their calls for solidarity. "We are seeing difficult times that many of us never expected", said Silva. Nevertheless, Silva's desire to defend immigrant rights and join others fighting for equality eclipses her fears and desire to give up. Never be disheartened because the majority of Americans stand with us. The goodness and decency of America is many fold greater than hate and prejudice displayed by a few." said Khan. McBath echoes Khan's optimism despite the state of uncertainty faced by many groups fighting for their rights. As an anti-gun violence advocate and mother of Jordan Davis, the 17-year-old boy fatally shot simply for playing loud music, McBath gains strength through other gun violence survivors and thousands of fellow activists fighting against injustice. "I believe in the power of people to stand up for their freedoms, for justice and equal opportunities. Never forget how valuable you are in your own struggle." said McBath. McBath, like the other six other activists featured in the video, believes that no matter the cause, it is important for all those advocating for justice to unite and come together as one. "The fight for justice for all only happens when our sleeves are rolled up and hands extended to others that are needed to fortify the movement. We are stronger together." said McBath. Many people are critical of social media, but they should acknowledge the benefit it has brought to society. Social media can reach a large audience in a short period of time, for instance. Because of this, much unjust suffering around the world have been brought to light. In October 2017, reality star Kim Kardashian retweeted a post that detailed the story of Alice Marie Johnson, a woman sentenced to life in prison after she was convicted of drug trafficking. (many felt the sentence was far too harsh for the crime, considering she wasn't the leader of the operation, and it was her first offence.) She had spent more than 20 years behind bars by the time Kardashian had retweeted the post. In May 2018, Kardashian approached U.S. President Donald Trump to ask him to grant Alice clemency. This was granted in June 2018, and she was finally released. This case is indicative of the power of social media. Sceptics ought to have faith in our generation's ability to judge the information that is presented to them. Don't assume everything you read is real, and look for reputable sources before share a story. Others might argue that we should not try to interfere with the judicial system. The case of Alice Johnson became known because the justice system failed her. Professional advice was sought before Kardashian met Trump regarding Alice Johnson, whose case was reviewed thoroughly before clemency was granted. Social media is important in helping to uncover injustice. There are, however, many cases that have not had the attention they deserve. What, or who, determines which case gets brought to light? Buzzfeed News said that the British Home Office, which is responsible for immigration, security, law and order, often only fast track cases that attract negative publicity to authorities. How is that fair to people in similar situations who don't get any attention? Until the proper solution happens, we will have to rely on social media to fight, one case at a time. It might seem like a small step but it can bring giant changes to someone's life. In just a few years, digital tech have allowed faster mobilization in response to humanitarian crises, better documentation of crimes, and more accessible platforms for organizing peaceful demonstrations around the world. However, while social media and big data can be powerful tools for anticipating, analyzing, and responding to human rights concerns, these tech also pose unprecedented challenges. Social media has been weaponized to spread disinformation and promote and incite violence. And websites and apps are continuously collecting data on their users. Often without them being aware of it, or of how and where their personal information is being used or stored. "Human rights provides a basis for restraining the worst intrusions and violations of the digital world, and promoting its best," said U.N. Special Rapporteur on the protection of the right to freedom of expression and professor of law at the University of California in Irvine, David Kaye. He adds, "not in some kind of vague... sense of what human rights might be, but in the specifics of human rights law. Although Americans tend to think of rights as guaranteed by the constitution, international treaties bind countries around the world to uphold rights such as privacy, freedom of expression, and nondiscrimination. How do we get from holding states accountable to holding digital companies accountable? There is a huge space to work in this foundation of human rights thinking to make it relevant to the companies, to make it relevant to governments, who regulate companies." The proliferation of cell phones around the world has also empowered civil rights advocates to record and report instances of abuses and advocate for change. Despite the good that digital tech can bring to human rights work, they can interfere with this work as well. Governments and private surveillance comapnies hired by adversaries are employing digital tools and data collection to thwart human rights activists. We have a lot of hard work ahead to articulate in a compelling way how digital governance applies with respect to freedom of expression and right to privacy. It's going to be a cross-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder process.
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