Today is the International Children’s Rights Day, a United Nations holiday that celebrates the creation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.  Unfortunately millions of children lack the most basic rights such as access to education, food, water and lives free from war.  According to UNESCO, 77 million kids worldwide do not attend school. School is one of the best ways to improve all aspects of kids lives, including creating better economic opportunities, improved health outcomes and empowering girls.

In honor of this important holiday, I am highlighting the work of Jewish World Watch, an instrumental organization for the Social Action campaign for our film, Darfur Now.  While the organization is only three years old, it has quickly become a leader in humanitarian relief, advocacy and education for Darfur.  One of their critical programs–backpacks– extends well-beyond providing immediate humanitarian relief to millions of refugees. It helps to build long-term infrastructure and educational opportunities to thousands of Darfurian refugee children.  Their backpack program will provide school supplies to 14,000 children in  the Oure Cassoni refugee camp.  The contents of the backpacks provides more than just learning tools; these children will be given educational opportunties and safe-spaces in their otherwise chaotic, war-ridden lives.  As victims of war and violence, these children lack the most basic rights as children and human beings.  takepart today to support the backpack program which will give these Darfurian kids resources and hope for a better future.

(photo: vonbergen.net)

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.

A Cuban Flag Hanging in Miami's Little Havana

The Cuban American National Foundation, the most prominent Cuban-American organization in the United States, has endorsed Barack Obama for President.  In a game changing move for Florida politics, the Chairman of the Miami based organization, Jorge Mas Santos, wrote and Op-Ed piece in The Washington Post published this past Saturday wrote that Obama was the better choice to affect positive change in Cuba going forward.  Santos explained:

Both presidential candidates have made clear that they want to help the Cuban people achieve freedom. But Barack Obama’s forward-looking and proactive approach toward empowering the Cuban people is more in line with these proposals than John McCain’s vow to continue the Bush administration’s policy.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Nicole Hughes:

Should Drive-Thrus Be Banned?

Eco-Moms Mad About “Greenwash” Barbie

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Andy Kondrat:

Home Depot Will Recycle Your CLF Bulbs for Free

Department of Energy Predicts 50% Energy Increase By 2030

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Jon Popham:

NYC Waterfalls Installation Starts This Week

Capt. John Smith Is Back…and Running for President

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Giulia Rozzi:

Yoga Across the Border

Emile Norman: By His Own Design

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Gina Telaroli:

Silverdocs 08: A Post-Fest Wrap-Up

Human Rights Watch 08: Letter to Anna

It’s June 27th, I’m Gina Telaroli and this is TakePart.com’s look at the week in social action