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Looking back, looking forward…
By: Jenni Wolfson, Posted: Jan 12 10
Tags: WITNESS
It's only a few days into the New Year, and the WITNESS team is already working hard around the world with our local partners, transforming powerful stories of human rights abuses into tools for justice through video. I would like to pause for a moment to take a look back at some of our successes in 2009, especially since many of you helped us get there.
In January 2009, "Outlawed," a video produced by WITNESS and 14 human rights partners was used in a campaign that resulted in the release of Binyam Mohamed. Mr Mohamed, an Ethopian native, had been held in Guantanamo Bay detention center without trial for almost seven years. In the same month, our advocacy drive to stop the recruitment of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo helped bring to trial Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. Just a few months later, in response to our campaign on the murders of girls and women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua, the Mexican government made an unprecedented commitment to review pending cases and prioritize policies related to feminicide.
We also launched new video advocacy campaigns in 2009 with partners such as the Research and Advocacy Unit in Zimbabwe on politically-motivated violence against women in Zimbabwe; the National Council on Aging in the U.S. about elder abuse; STAND, the student arm of the Genocide Prevention Network, on the need to implement the US Genocide Prevention Task Force's Recommendations; the Sisters Arab Forum in Yemen about the marginalization of Akhdam women and; Healthy Options Project Skopje to prevent violence against sex workers in Macedonia.
We know that human rights work is not easy. Change often takes longer than we would hope, and requires never-ending patience, persistence and courage. But each year we are encouraged by the concrete change that is created from the combination of powerful videos and strategic advocacy. I'm proud of the passionate WITNESS team and the dedication of our partners. We enter 2010 with a new strategic vision, fresh energy and a call to all of you to join us in fighting human rights abuses.
Comments
While I understand a wish to "stay on task"
By SheMuses on Jan 24 10
I feel that Witness and The Hub are remiss in not mentioning the Haitian people's near century of suffering extensive human rights abuses under a sequence of corrupt leaders, manipulation by the US and French governments and misdirected intentions of aid organizations. These travesties are undeniably contributory to the horror the earthquake has perpetuated on their lives, injuries and deaths.
As a long-time supporter of Witness, I feel that the situation should be publicly addressed, and a call to action be made both here and now.
At a time when so many emotionally motivated dollars pouring in from around the world are creating great potential for historical change as well as the dark probability of continued corruption, our responsibiiity is to take pre-emptive action.
Let's not wait to report on further human rights travesties. Rather we should more adamantly raise awareness in a concerted effort to prevent them.
Melissa Cherry
Houston TX
Reply to "a wish to stay on task"
By Jenni Wolfson on Jan 26 10
Thanks for your message Melissa and your continued support for WITNESS and human rights. When I wrote this post about our impact in 2009, it was hours before the earthquake in Haiti occurred. This tragedy has touched so many people and I'm relieved to see the world's attention focused on Haiti and the relief effort. Whilst assistance for the immediate needs of the Haitian population is essential, I agree with you that Haiti needs much more support in the long-term too. I worked in Haiti for two years investigating human rights abuses. I was inspired by Haitians and their strength to build their families and communities in the face of such adversity. I really hope that the current focus on Haiti will result in the Haitian people having the basic rights that so many of us take for granted, such as the right to basic health care, education and security. And I hope that both the relief effort and the longer-term rebuilding of Haiti will ensure that the resilience and resourcefulness of Haitians will be at the centre of it all. Whilst WITNESS doesn't have a direct program in Haiti - as a small organization, we are currently working in about 12 countries - we do have many videos on our hub on the situation in Haiti and we also have a blog post directing people to more uptodate information. We are also always on the look out for videos that highlight the human rights situation in Haiti that we can share on the hub and build a conversation around.