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. 

1st Anniversary of Ukraine - Russia War

                             Last Friday, 24th of February, the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops completed one year. I don't understand how somebody try to find reasons to justify the stupid Russian agression towards Ukraine. The government of the biggest country in the world with more than 17 million sq.km, thinks that it isn't enough and to want more territory.  I hope still this year all the world can celebrate the end of this war and with the happy end that all the world is waiting for, with the victory of Ukraine. And with Ukraine receiving reparations for all damages and suffering of its people. All nations of the world need to do more to preserve peace and to punish anyone trying to break this peace. This post is a summary of two articles. The first was published at  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-news-russia-war-1-year-zelenskyy-sees-victory-ahead/. The second was published at https://www.ft.com/content/a05c3b2e-6893-48b6-94a4-02f35f80d79b

                           "We endured. We were not defeated. And we will do everything to gain victory this year," Zelensky said in a statement released on social media, adding that his country had "inspired the world. Ukraine has united the world." A year ago to the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin stunned the world by sending troops across the border in a move seen as punishment for Kyiv's pivot to the West. The year-long war has devastated swathes of Ukraine, displaced millions, turned Russia into a pariah in the West and, according to Western sources, has caused more than 150,000 casualties on each side. The West has imposed increasingly stringent sanctions on Russia and ramped up humanitarian aid and arms supplies for Ukraine, leading to warnings from Moscow of a dangerous escalation. "One year later, Kyiv stands. Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. America and the world stands with Ukraine." Said American President Joe Biden. According to a recent Ukrainian poll, 17% of respondents said they had lost a loved one in the war. Around 95% of Ukrainians say they are confident of Kyiv's victory. The Russian assault was launched with the goal of a rapid conquest leading to capitulation and the installation of a pro-Moscow regime. But Russian forces failed to conquer Kyiv and have since suffered defeats in northeastern and southern Ukraine. Since October, Russia has pummeled Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to power shortages that have left millions in the cold and dark. For years the Kremlin has been putting Russian society on a war footing, with independent media banned and prominent critics jailed or pushed out of the country.                                                                                                                              Record oil and gas profits helped to prop up Russia's output in 2022. Energy profits of $168bn helped the Kremlin compensate for western efforts to shut Russia out of global markets and supply chains, a result that Putin proudly celebrated in January. GDP slipped just 2.1% versus forecasts of 10%. But Russia's budget deficit is expected to rise to 3.5% of GDP in 2023. Income from energy, which accounts for about 40% of government revenue, is falling and is expected to drop 23% this year. Military spending, meanwhile, has ballooned. To compensate for the increase in defence spending, which now accounts for a third of all budget spending approved for 2023, the Kremlin has been preparing to cut its fiscal expenditure and reliance on international capital markets. Over a thousand people marched in solidary with Ukraine towards the Russia embassy in London on Friday as they protested against Russia's invasion on its one year anniversary. Ukraine's ambassador to the U.K., said the march would remind Russia of the very lives taken in the war as he thanked attendees and "all nations standing with us." The demonstration brought together supporters chanting for "more sanctions for Russia and more weapons for Ukraine" as they waved flags from across the world including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The World Bank has announced a further $2.5bn grant financing to Ukraine on the anniversary of Russia's invasion. In a statement, the World Bank said the money would support a range of social functions in the war-torn country, including healthcare, education and pensions. "One year into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the world continues to witness the horrific destruction inflicted on the country and its people," said World Bank president David Malpass. Some Republicans have become critical of the U.S. sending billions of aid to Ukraine, and have proposed increased oversight of the funds sent abroad and even halting additional aid. Although Republicans Leaders Senators support aid to Ukraine, nearly half of Republicans think the U.S. is doing "too much" to help Ukraine, according to a Gallup poll. "We need to follow very American dollar," said Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, adding, "We need make sure it gets to where it needs to be going and it is not stolen." More than 35 cities and towns across the U.S. are holding events marking the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken is in N.Y.C. for the U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine. There are at least four events in N.Y.C. , according to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Klych, a group that supports Ukrainian culture, will host rallies in many cities on weekend, called 365 Days of Defending Freedom. "The support of the international community is crucial in helping Ukraine defend its independence and freedom, " said the group in a Facebook post. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken emphasised Russia's isolation and tattered reputation on the global stage as he pledged the U.S. would stand with Ukraine until its sovereignty is respected. "Putin's decision has ripped apart families, forced millions from their communities, destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, exarcerbated a global food crisis, destabilised energy markets and undermined international peace and security, " Blinken said.Russia's invasion has needlessly killed tens of thousands of people and brought harm to millions, the secretary added. 

International Day of Education - 2023

                       It seems that the called new high school is a broad consensus. The authorities know that a larger time in school is necessary to students learn more and the flexibilization of subjects is another issue implemented all around the world nowadays. The only complain seems being around the many new subjects that were created trying better to prepare students to the labor market. It is good to remember that the original plan was simply the students have more classes from subjects of their area of interest, according to what they want to study after high school. Almost one month ago, precisely on 24th January, was celebrated all over the world the importance of education. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at  https://www.unesco.org/en/days/education. The second was published at  https://www.edudwar.com/international-day-of-education/. The third was published at  https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/international-day-of-education-celebrates-on-24-january-2023/

                     Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. The U.N. General Assembly proclaimed 24th January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. Without inclusive and quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. The fifth International Day of Education 2023 under the theme "To Invest in People, Prioritize Education". Building on the global momentum generated by the U.N. Education Summit in September 2022, this year's day will call for maintaining strong political mobilization around education and chart the way to translate commitments and global initiatives into action. Education must be prioritize to accelerate progress and against the backdrop of growing inequalities and the climate crisis. UNESCO is dedicating this year's day to girls and women in Afghanistan who have been deprived of their right to education. It is calling for the immediate lifting of the ban restricting their access to education.                                                                                                                    In order to transform the future, we must urgently rebalance our relationships with nature, and with the technology that permeates ourlives and offers exciting new possibilities while also raising serious questions about equity, inclusion, and democratic participation. During this year's International Day of Education, the most essential reforms that must be nourished in order to achieve everyone's right to education and build more inclusive and peaceful futures will be highlighted. A discussion on how to improve education as a public good and common good, how to lead the digital transformation, support teachers, preserve the earth and unlock the potential in every individual to contribute to well-being. As outlined in its approved charter, the international community is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is important to remember that education is critical to achieving all 17 of the U.N.'s Goals. So this day serves as a kind of canopy under which the U.N. may pursue a variety of goals, and the message it conveys has far-reaching implications and authority. There is a slew of problems and shortfalls that the U.N. needs to deal with, and one of them is poverty, which is even more startling fact in many nations, especially third-world countries. The right to education should be guaranteed to everyone. The U.D.H.R. states that everyone has the right to education. The proclamation advocates for free and obligatory primary education to be made available to all students. Many children and youth still don't attend school, just 40% of females in sub-Saharan Africa finish lower secondary school, and four million children and young refugees are not attending school. Education is a stepping stone to a better life for those who are less fortunate, however 617 million of children and adolescents can't read and perform basic arithmetic and 258 million are unable to enter or finish school. They are being deprived of their right to education.                                                                                                                                                                                         International Day of Education 2023 theme will aim to build on the global momentum generated by the U.N. Education Summit in September 2022 and call for maintaining strong political mobilisation around education. Currently, 2.5 million (80%) of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school, and 1.2 million of whom were denied access to secondary schools and universities following the decision of the authorities.

Innovation in Brazil: Looking Beyond the Surface

                        This post is a summary of two articles. The first was published in 2019  at  https://www.viima.com/blog/importance-of-innovation. The second with the title above was published in 2020 at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/innovation-brazil-looking-beyond-surface-roberto-dos-reis-alvarez

                       Innovation, by definition, is the introduction of something new. Without innovation, there is not anything new, there will be no progress. Innovation really is the core reason for modern existence. Although innovation can have some undesirable consequences, change is inevitable and in most cases, innovation create positive change. Innovation is important to the advancement of society as it solves social problems and enhances society's capacity to act. It is responsible for resolving problems in a sustainable and efficient way, usually with new tech. These new tech, products and services simultaneously meet a social need and lead to improved capabilities and better use of assets and resources. In general, the result of innovation should always be improvement. From the society's perspective, the fundamental outcomes of innovation are economic growth, increased well-being and communication, educational accessibility and environmental sustainability. Technological innovation is considered as a major source of economic growth. If we look at the transformation of the U.S. once an agrarian economy in the mid-19th century to an industrial economy by the First World War, we can see that agricultural innovations and inventions were actually one of the largest factors that helped bring about the Industrial Revolution. Technological advancement and increased productivity means major changes for careers today as well. According to the new W.E.F. report, nearly 133 million new jobs may be created by 2022 while 75 million jobs are displaced by A.I. automation and robotics. The main purpose of innovation is to improve people's lives. When it comes to managing a business, innovation is the key for making any kind of progress. Small improvements eventually lead to bigger and better ideas that may one day become revolutionary. In the meantime, however, you are responsible for finding ways to make improvements in your own sphere of influence. Our suggestion is to simultaneously work on developing your personal skills and business related aspects.                                                                                                                                                                                                                Innovation and Brazil are two words that rarely appear together in global news. The country is hardly known for companies that were born there and reached global markets. Nevertheless, the startup scene is rapidly growing in the country, giving rise to new and exciting opportunitiesand gaining global visibility. To the surprise of many, such opportunities can even include deep tech and hardware businesses. Foreign trade accounted for about 29% of Brazil's GDP in 2019, a low level for countries in a similar stage of development and the global trade landscape. The global average is 60% and the other BRIC countries have aproximately 35%-49% of their GDPs associated to foreign trade. But this is not the only metric to show that the Brazilian economy is poorly connected to the world. It is estimated that 500 companies, less than 0,01% of the total, have operations outside of Brazil. Countries that are poorly connected to the world are constrained by the lack of global business capabilities available for local companies, do not frequently oxygenate their economies with new ideas and concepts, have limited opportunities to scale businesses up globally, and lag behind in monetizing investments in science and technology. The environment in which one is inserted can make a big difference for success in entrepreneuship, business, career, life, etc. Despite all challenges, Brazil managed to develop relevant science capabilities over the years, has a relatively sphisticated economy, and a dynamic(but high-friction) business environment. In recent years, despite challenging economic conditions, Brazil has witnessed a startup boom, with local startups raising a record of $3.5 bi in 2020. Global venture capital are increasingly present in Latin America and especially in Brazil. A country like Brazil is full of inefficiencies in the economy, in logistics, banking, retail, mobility, supply chains in general and education. And is behind advanced economies in adopting new digital business models. Thus, it presents many opportunities for entrepreneurs. The country is also a major food producer, and agrotech startups are on the spot. A novel feature of the current startup boom is that companies are issuing stocks and causing a change in a market dominated by industries. In 2020 alone, the Brazilian stock exchange saw the number of tech companies listed grow from 4 to 12. Nevertheless, Brazil still has a long way to go. While the main finance, media and business hubs have been São Paulo and Rio, a recent wave of cities across the nation are establishing their own thriving digital innovation ecosystems. Some of these new hubs include Florianópolis (reputed to have the most dense startup ecosystem in the country). In April 2019, I mentioned during a lecture on innovation trends in Brasilia that, between 2013 and 2019, almost 500 eletric vehicle companies had been started up in China. I knew the reality is very different in Brazil and asked the audience, "How many eletric vehicle companies are there in Brazil? Brazilians are known for being highly active across an array of social media. It is no surprise that we can find lots of Brazilians startups working on mobile applications, online marketing, e-commerce, demand aggregators and other pure digital models. Nevertheless, most startups are not involved with hardware and their origins can't be directly traced to science and research. In comparison to the average purely digital startup, deep tech and science-based startup are more likely to come up with solutions that are new to the world. Brazil is overwhelmed by a variety of challenges, but there are positive signs coming from Brazil about an emerging 'new economy'. The Brazilian business present in the largest number of countries in the world is Stefanini, an IT services and software company. Brazil underperforms in education when compared to OECD countries, but EdTech is gaining momentum and Descomplica just raised the largest investment ever in Latin America for an EdTech company, in a round that combined several local and global venture capital funds. Eventually and hopefully, the asymmetries between Brazil and the world will be reduced, at least in part. When that happens, the possibilities to create value via global connections will be diminished. That will be good for Brazil and local entrepreneurs. the time to leverage the asymmetries is now. 

Criminalisation of Human Rights Defenders

                                        This post is a summary of the report with the title above published at   https://www.peacebrigades.org/fileadmin/user_files/groups/uk/files/Publications/Crim_Report.pdf. And of an introduction of another report published at https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/criminalisation-of-human-rights-defenders-is-increasingly-being-used-to-shrink-civil-society-spaces-says-report/

                          Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) play a crucial role in ensuring that fundamental rights are upheld, and that victims are able to pursue justice. However, their work is often challenged by state agents and non-state actors such as illegal armed groups and business enterprises. Wishing to protect their own interests and reputations, these groups will sometimes adopt any viable method to impede the peaceful activities of HRDs. In this context, HRDs become the target of unlawful physical and psychological violence. In addition, those seeking to silence HRDs increasingly resort to quasi-legal tactics such as smear campaigns and baseless charges and prosecutions. The criminalisation of HRDs has become an area of growing international concern. We understand criminalisation to derive from the intent to discredit, sabotage or impede the work of HRDs through the misuse of the legal system, and through adverse and manipulation of public discourse. HRDs are arrested and prosecuted on false charges. The tactic of criminalising HRDs provides strategic advantage at times when a violent or heavy handed approach is not politically viable. The impact and effect of criminalisation on HRDs, their families, and wider human rights and democracy movements are manifold and include: 1) Increased exposure to physical attack.  2) Psychological distress and family breakdown.  3) Undermining of the legitimacy and credibility.  4) Crippling of financial and judicial capacity.  5) Weakning the human rights movement.  6) Breakdown of democracy and rule of law.   A wide variety of laws are invoked in order to bring charges against HRDs. Some of the most common alleged infringements include: Invasion of private property, incitement to commit a crime, illegal assembly, coercion, issuing of a threat, unlawful detention, terrorism. In most cases the charges are unfounded or based on unreliable evidence, such as statements. Spurious investigations or baseless prosecutions are not the only way to criminalise defenders: Existing laws can be misinterpreted in a way contrary to the legislation's original intent. Allegations against HRDs in public statements by government officials and 'independent' commentators in the media undermine HRDs' work and try to delegitimize human rights work in general. HRDs who speak out against impunity are frequently subjected to suppression by criminalisation. Perpetrators know that obliging HRDs to divert time and energy to the formalities of their legal defence will take attention away from human rights violations and the rights of vulnerable groups seeking justice and remedy. Recommendations to all E.U. governments in accordance with the E.U. Guidelines on the Protection HRDs: 1) Recognise the trend of criminalisation of HRDs as an urgent issue to address, as one of the biggest threats to the security and the work of HRDs, and incorporate this as a priority focus into human rights advocacy strategy. 2) Facilitate ongoing communication at the international level between HRDs, diplomats, NGOs, and governments in order to strengthen and expand existing support networks. As suggested in the E.U. Guidelines, sharing contacts and information, and organising meetings to discuss strategic developments. Provide visible recognition for HRDs and their work through the media and through invitations to events. 3) Monitor more closely the trends of criminalisation in countries of concern. This could be done by selecting and adopting emblematic cases. 4) Take steps to combat the stigmatisation of HRDs by public officials: condemn public statements made by public officials that negatively effect the image and reputation of HRDs and reiterate the damaging effects this has. In cases where HRDs are unjustly targeted, encourage governments and media bodies to support their work and restore their legitimacy. 5) Fully implement the Guiding Principles of the U.N. Framework on Business and Human Rights. Implementation should pay special attention to the creation of mechanisms at a national level such as Human Rights Commission to ensure human rights standards, and that victims are guaranteed accessible channels of redress. 6) Governments should advise companies to take immediate steps to make public statements that emphasise the important role played by HRDs in upholding the rights of local communities.                                                                                                                                         Criminalisation of human rights defenders has for a long time been used as a strategy to limit the spaces available to civil society, recently a growing number of campaigns have been organised in different countries and internationally to denounce the illegitimate use of legal systems and other forms of legal harassment in order to attack and disrupt the work of human rights defenders. The report will identify best practicesthat may be employed to combat criminalisation. Thus, the intention is to increase the capacity of HRDs to respond and to continue to promote and defend human rights. It is also hoped that the report will help to establish new lines of work that might in the future be deepened and transformed into more concrete action. Private actors responding to particular interests also play a role in the criminalisation of social protest and the defence of human rights.