One organizing harnessing the power of the internet to document human rights violations worldwide is WITNESS.  Through photography, blogs and video, they help to bring important human rights stories to the world’s attention and help to facilitate action to stop these abuses.  When you read through the stories on their site, you realize that without a group such as WITNESS, it would be challenging for many of these stories to get the attention they deserve because of oppression by media and governments.

One story they recently exposed is about slave labor in Brazil. Approximately 25,000 young men, aged 18-25 are enslaved by land owners in the Amazon. Their papers are confiscated, they are forced to work to repay for their food, lodging and transportation and they are watched by armed guards. However, WITNESS and two other organizations documented these mens’ stories in the film, Bound by Promises.

The film is being used to expose this modern-day slavery in Brazil and to end it. Businesses for Social Responsibility uses it as an educational tool to help companies eliminate any slavery from their supply-chains. The Brazilian government continues to make strides towards ending slavery but much needs to still be done help. takepart today to sign WITNESS’ petition.  Also, learn more about slavery worldwide with Free the Slaves.

(photo by _FleMmA_)

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past eight years, it’s hard to ignore the dismal human rights record of George W. Bush. Where can one begin when you reflect on the human rights abuses, violations of international agreements and government-sanctified torture policies of the Bush Administration? By intimately exploring the stories attached to the infamous photos from Abu Ghraib, our film, Standard Operating Procedure, helped to give us a clearer understanding of the prison which cemented our country’s anti-human rights record and image to the world. Human rights were systematically violated and our global leadership was marginalized because of our policies during the past eight years.

However, since the election, the tide has turned and things are finally looking brighter. President-elect Obama has already indicated a desire to reshape our human rights policies, including closing Guantanamo.

However, for many of the policies changes to occur, the new president and Congress needs to hear from citizens like you and me.  Human Rights First is has made the following a priority for the Obama Administration : the closure of Guantanamo, protection for Iraqi refugees, stop the flow of arms to Darfur and end torture of prisoners in US custody.  Help to make these important goals a reality by signing their letter which will be published in newspapers worldwide.  We voted against torture on November 4th. Let’s help to show the world that we can help to change our policies and have our country return to being the visionary beacon for human rights that we once were. takepart today to sign Human Rights First’s letter.

(photo by habacuc_1988)

A Russian reporter known for challenging corruption has been beaten nearly to death. Mikhail Beketov the editor of a newspaper in the Khimki suburb of Moscow was found on November 13 in his home covered in blood and with multiple fractures. He is currently in a coma at Moscow’s Sklifosovsky Institute hospital floating between life and death with one of his legs having already been amputated and a needed surgery having been delayed due to the graveness of his condition. The hospital has also received numerous threatening calls regarding Beketov.

The owner and editor of the newspaper Khimskaya Pravda, Beketov had adamantly opposed the removal of a forest in his town to make way for a road, he also wrote regularly about corruption within the local government of his town. Attacks and threats against reporters are commonplace in Russia, particularly against those who criticize or publicize corruption in overlaps between politics and business there.

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I’ve been so ebullient since last Tuesday that it’s a hard thump landing on the ground remembering how screwed up the world still is, especially for women.

The BBC reports 15 Afghan schoolgirls had acid shot on their faces from a toy gun by a motorcycle-riding duo outside of a school in Kandahar.  Several of the girls were wearing burkas, which covered their faces, so locals suspect the attack came from terrorists who oppose women’s education.

“I don’t know why they did it,” one 16-year-old girl said. “Kandahar is not safe. But we can’t stay at home, we want an education.”

If you’re as sickened by this news as I am, you can take action by learning more about Afghan girls’ education at the Feminist Majority Foundation and find out what your donations can do to help.

A Burmese blogger/poet has been jailed for writing a poem that contained a hidden message that criticized dictator Senior General Than Shwe. Mr. Saw Wai was sentenced to 2 years for his poem entitled 14th February - it was a Valentines day poem published in a popular magazine back in January.  As it turns out, the first word of each line in the poem spelled out a message not about love : “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe”

Condemning the imprisonment of the writer and the blogger, Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group, said: “The authorities have imposed an extraordinarily severe punishment on Nay Phone Latt just for using the internet. This shocking sentence is meant to terrify those who go online in an attempt to elude the dictatorship’s ubiquitous control of news and information and we call for his immediate release. Saw Wai, for his part, is being made to pay for his impertinence and courage as a committed poet. [TimesOnline]

I often take for granted my freedom of speech, as I get to wake up each day and spout off my opinions on a forum for all to read.   But when I read a story like the one above, I can’t help but see my life in a new light.

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When NBA stars make headlines off the court, it often involves scandal but this weekend Tracy McGrady received media attention for his amazing work to help raise awareness on the genocide in Darfur. Tracy visited Darfurian refugee camps (along with super-human rights activist, John Prendergast) in Chad last year. His physical and emotional journey is captured in the fabulous documentary, 3 Points.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Tracy and seeing the film this weekend at a private screening at CAA headquarters in LA. Some 200 attended the event last Saturday including actor Emmanuelle Chriqui, the legendary Reggie Miller, and fellow NBA stars Baron Davis and Carl Landry. As well as dozens of young people from high schools across LA.

Tracy is candid about his fears of traveling and camping in Africa and about his confusion of the very complicated situation. What he learns while he is there- and what we learn from the film- is that the children in these refugee camps have strength way beyond their years. And what they need most (in addition to the 3Ps: Peace, Protection and Punishment) is education. And this became Tracy’s call to action.

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photo by softlad stole my soul

Did you know there’s an international holiday on December 10^th that requires your participation and has nothing to do with hanging decorations or gift shopping? No, it has nothing to do with that other holiday season. It’s International Human Rights Day on December 10^th. You have an opportunity to join with thousands of like-minded people worldwide who are committed to protecting human rights by participating in Amnesty International’s Global Write-a-thon to write letters, postcards and emails on behalf of prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, and others at risk.  Takepart in this important event and to mark International Human Rights Day.

On March 10th, the 2008 International Documentary Challenge wrapped up their timed filmmaking competition! 122 filmmakers from 16 different countries participated in the challenge ” to make a documentary film in five days. Each documentary filmmaker was assigned a different genre, including music, politics and character studies, all embodying the theme of “Change.”

The 2007 Doc Challenge was a big success, with ten of the twelve filmmaking teams attending the sold out screening in Toronto. Additional screenings took place this year at the Northwest Film Forum and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. Check out what some of the filmmakers had to say about their experience from last year’s event.

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