FYI

Hi all, Here's some info given our collective interest in human rights education.

Subject: Joint NGO written submission to the UN Human Rights Council 10th session


Dear Colleagues,

We wanted to update you on the developments regarding the Joint Statement on human rights education to the Human Rights Council.

We received over 600 responses to our call for signatures last month. Thank you all very much for your support! I am still responding to all e-mails individually, so please be patient -- you will receive an answer!

The Joint Statement, along with a list of all signatories, is now available on the Human Rights Council's 10th session website. The document number is 112 (A/HRC/10/NGO/112):
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/sdpage_e.aspx?b=10&se=83&t=7
or directly at:
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G09/119/92/PDF/G0911992.pdf?OpenElement

For all participants at the Human Rights Council session, NGO written statements numbers are also indicated as relevant documents under the Agenda Item to be dealt the Order of the Day (daily schedule) on the day.

The written statement was submitted under Agenda Item 5 of the Council: Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms. The general debate on Agenda Item 5 is now re-scheduled to be dealt with this week at the Council.

During the general debate, some interventions by member states are expected on the draft UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, and the World Programme for Human Rights Education (WPHRE). A number of NGOs of the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning, Geneva, will make two joint oral interventions.

There are two resolutions of the Human Rights Council expected to be put on the table during the rest of the 10th session - one on the Draft UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the other on the WPHRE.

Sincerely yours,

Kazunari Fujii
Chair
NGO WG on HREL, Geneva
Of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN
(CONGO)
~~~~~~
Soka Gakkai International (SGI)
Geneva UN Liaison Office


Frank Elbers
Director of Programmes, HREA

unesco meeting minutes 3.26

UNESCO Student
Ambassadors Meeting Minutes

March 26, 2009

U.N. trip, please
submit your form ASAP.

April 6^th,

member of Human Rights committee will be at Uconn for a dinner and
reception with Student Ambassadors.

April 9^th-

12:20-1:45 Tentative location: Castleman 212

New Lecture is

schedule with Abdulrahim Abby Farah, former Under-Secretary General
of the United Nations

Ripples of Hope:

If you’re
interested in doing an article related to poverty, Rafa would like to
have it by this Saturday March 28th, and the article would be due the
following Saturday April 4th.

Sharielle:

Collecting donations for a walk against hunger.

Looking into relay

for life recycling idea. Fundraising options are being brainstormed.
I.e. bake sales, m&m guessing game, penny wars, etc.

Aim is to reach

$10/person. Stuff a husky type idea.

Mansfield Middle

School:

The workshop was a

great success and the students seemed to take away a lot from it
about gender equality. The Ambassadors were impressed with the
students and how much they knew.

Erin and Sharielle

will take the lead on penny wars at Mansfield Middle School.

First Mansfield

write-up is in, the next one is due next week.

Sunday April 19^th-

Bbq at Dr. O’s house

Adan’s

presentation on “The current situation in Somalia, and an
introduction to the Republic of Somaliland”

Minutes 3/19/'09

Present: Kara, Jen, Erinn, Alana, Julie, Sharielle, Pronoma, Nikki, Hannah, Romana, Rafa, Abena, Aaron, Dan, Jason, Allison, Amanda, Simon
Random brainstorming drawing activity
Reactions to Keith Snow

• Not as aggressive as last year
• really made us think about the "system" we're in
• main point to generate discussion

EATING!!!
Report back on MMS Workshop

• Went well, students very receptive
• Spoke about UDHR, MDG, Map activity, what people can do to help
• Very high level students
• After each workshop, prepare outline of what you did by next Thursday (unless you go on Wednesday, give in by Saturday)

Plans for Hunger Walk

• Walk with MMS students
• May 3rd (Sunday before Finals week, i.e. next day finals starts

April 3rd->UN Trip

• go to last session of Human Rights Committee
• Sign statement of understanding for going to UN
  

April 6th->Deputy Chairperson of South African HRC coming to UConn, dinner tentaviely 4-6
go to http://www.doodle.com/eg9sbe8grymnt8xa to rsvp above events
Amanda->Keeping PIRG on fee bill

• unanimous vote of support

ROH

• e-mail sent out....please read it if writing articles

Dan's School wide community service project idea

• one day to have university community reach out to community
• requires reaching out to other groups

Social Business->Erinn's presentations

• links to videos online on social business-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW-4gJmXy5M and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C3XQ3BTd4o
  

 

Human Rights Workshop

CONSCIOUSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE AGE OF PROPAGANDA AND GENOCIDE:
A Workshop with Mr. Keith Harmon Snow 


Thursday, March 19, 2009
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Castleman Room 212
How does the mass media operate? How does one interpret information and determine if, when and how the news is slanted? How do you “read” information that passes your way? What is the value of information and when is information being used against us? Should one be reading the mass media at all?

Join Keith Harmon Snow for a workshop exploring the western mass media system. Using specific case studies based in his human rights work and media analyses, Keith will offer insights into the media, including structural deceptions, political agendas, racial biases, stereotypes and corporate seductions. The workshop will address ethical and moral issues and will challenge participants to evaluate truth, justice, equality and what it means to pursue right livelihood in the present era.

Keith Harmon Snow is the 2009 Regent's Lecturer in Law & Society at the University of California Santa Barbara. Over the past decade, he has been recognized for his work in contesting official narratives on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. He has also worked as a genocide investigator for the United Nations.

Please visit www.unescochair.uconn.edu for more information, or call 486.0647.

Minutes 3/5/'09

Present: Sharielle, Adan, Romana, Dan, Kara, Nana, Erinn, Amanda, Allison, Simon, Abena
Hoodies coming in soon
ROH-2nd issue done, working on 3rd one
Keith Snow
    -Last time here talked about Media and propaganda
    -this time going to talk about how to sift through information to get to the truth
    -Part workshop/lecture March 19th 12:30-1:45
    -Castleman (Engineering building) in room 212
Friday April 3rd-Trip to UN
    -briefing from Human Rights Committee (HRC), last day of meeting
    -Leave 6:30 AM to get to 9:30
    -Each person responsible for buying own lunch
    -WHO briefing (April 7th world health day)
    -Tour pre-paid
    -Back on campus by 6:30 (leave UN by 3:30)
    -Going with learning communities going to UN
    -Think of good questions to ask
    -Deputy Chairperson of Human Rights Commission in South Africa, part of HRC, coming Monday April 6th, time TBA
Alana wrote letter to Robertson Elementary school in Manchester
Hanna's Fashion show
    -Raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDs
    -Any ideas
Relay for Life Cancer UConn Alumni survivors speaking at 7 PM March 17th in SU theater
MMS Workshops
    -Class-More special ed students than last time
    -one student who has lived in a Somali refugee camp
    -one student who is Iranian
    -Combatting HIV/AIDs, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and other major diseases
        -probably not going to completely reach goal, but doesn't mean we've failed
        -talk about issues of access
    -goals
        -promote action in local organization
        -keeping a notebook of what students are learning
        -promote pen pal(?)
        -keep it creative
        -promote children's rights and emphasize responsibilities
    -each group can outline before workshop what going to do, then refine afterward, and then put on UNESCO website
Break up into action groups
Allison's discussion on Water Privatization in Developing Countries
    -Dirty water
        -2.2 million people die each year from contaminated drinking water
        -intestinal worms affect 10% of developing world
            -causes sever malnutrition and Anemia, lots of children die each year
    -Solutions
        -small scale solutions being implemented
    -Discussion of our own water usage
    -Should governments or private institutions distribute water?
    -Need to find way to have people help themselves
good night!
    

UNESCO MINUTES

Minutes

UNESCO

Meeting February 26,
2009

February 27, 2009
5:45pm

Louise Girson-Luck,
Leadership, and Legitimacy

South Africa and Middle
East

Intergenerational Forum
Application due February 27, 2009

Student Ambassador
Profiles due Midnight February 26, 2009

One Voice Movement
Monday, March 2, 2009 4:30pm Dodd Center Konover Auditorium

Keith Snow Lecture on
Media and Propaganda Thursday, March 19 Castleman

Updates on Projects

-Fundraiser for
HIV/AIDS (Hannah)

Three countries
(Zimbabwe, South Africa, and third)

Fashion Show

Nikki suggests
Partners in Health

Jason has friends in
costume department

Hannah distributed
sheet for sign ups

Dan knows
coordinators of Asian American Fashion Show

Abena knows people

Stephanie brought up
Steven Lewis and a film/tv show

Dinner

Spring Break plans

-Alana-Florida

-Erin-DC

-Abena-working

-Romana-New Orleans

-Jason-working

-Allison-going home
and relaxing

-Hannah-Puerto Rico

-Nikki-South Dakota

-Jen-Spain

-Amanda-Texas

-Nana-at Uconn

-Dan-Belize

Mansfield Middle School
Programs

Changes to our
schedule

Kara had sent out an
e-mail

We will start on March
16^th

We will meet at Wilbur
Cross before going to the school

Mr. Burnam would like
for us to come back but Wednesday is only day available

-We have yet to
decide on topics for his class

-10:25am-11:10am on
Wednesdays

-1:45-3:00pm on
Wednesdays

Working on curriculum
for these programs that can be used for future

-Abena and Erin
inquired about this

Gender Equality on
Wednesday will have 1 hour and 30 minutes—longer

Jen asks if we will
create uniformity

Abena clarifies that
we want a template that other groups can see and a record

Intro. Poverty/Hunger

nametags

explain MDGs

ask students about
fundamental rights

Nikki notes that
children have short attention span

Romana can bring YHR
UDHR to distribute

child-friendly UDHR

Relative wealth—guilt

show physical items

Give portion of rice
to each child

Amanda says big world
map and put buttons on countries based on wealth then do it again
based on population

Abena suggests
cardboard cut out

Break students into
groups

Show what is being
done in outreach locally

Sending a positive
message

Nana mentions that
encouraging empathy is more important than guilt

Each group can bring
a fact sheet

Each student can
write in a fact sheet/notebook

Universal Education

Aaron suggests that
children think they know about human rights, but it's important to
explain them

Allison mentions that
there is a school in Indonesia to have pen pals with

This connects to
global partnership

Aaron suggests to
make a video about who we are

Use photos of other
projects

Utilize UDHR

UN Literacy Decade

Jen suggests give
sheet with something in a different language and have them look at it
to show how difficult it is when one cannot read

Cycle of
illiteracy-when one language is language of the elite, but you do not
speak because family does not

Different language
activities

Give them the example
that after this year they will not have any more education

“What if”
scenarios

Real Life
implications

Connect back to
poverty

Effects on family,
society

Imbalance in society
because only have particular opportunities

What kind of jobs you
can get

Whole is greater than
parts

Dream jobs and then
explain why cannot do them

Here we are able to
dream and attain, other places people cannot even dream

Education shapes
perception of reality

Gender Equality

In the United
States-how much women earn compared to men

Gender equality in
primary schools, secondary schools, work place

Cultural perception
of gender roles

but still enforce
UDHR

Reasons behind gender
roles

Cycle that exists

CEDAW

moral obligations,
responsibility

Be careful to not
alienate men

Jason points out at
young age thinks everything should be fair

Point out from male
perspective

Boys should have the
abilities to learn all the tasks that girls know

Ex. Rwanda—half
of legislature=women

Everyone should have
fair and equal access

Jen suggests make up
occupations on cards and show stereotypes

Allison suggests
statistics for students their age in developing countries and
physically divide class

Cards with
professionals on one side and pay on other side

Men don't have right
to take off from work when have baby

Jason's Presentation--

UNESCO MINUTES

Minutes

UNESCO

Meeting February 26,
2009

February 27, 2009
5:45pm

Louise Girson-Luck,
Leadership, and Legitimacy

South Africa and Middle
East

Intergenerational Forum
Application due February 27, 2009

Student Ambassador
Profiles due Midnight February 26, 2009

One Voice Movement
Monday, March 2, 2009 4:30pm Dodd Center Konover Auditorium

Keith Snow Lecture on
Media and Propaganda Thursday, March 19 Castleman

Updates on Projects

-Fundraiser for
HIV/AIDS (Hannah)

Three countries
(Zimbabwe, South Africa, and third)

Fashion Show

Nikki suggests
Partners in Health

Jason has friends in
costume department

Hannah distributed
sheet for sign ups

Dan knows
coordinators of Asian American Fashion Show

Abena knows people

Stephanie brought up
Steven Lewis and a film/tv show

Dinner

Spring Break plans

-Alana-Florida

-Erin-DC

-Abena-working

-Romana-New Orleans

-Jason-working

-Allison-going home
and relaxing

-Hannah-Puerto Rico

-Nikki-South Dakota

-Jen-Spain

-Amanda-Texas

-Nana-at Uconn

-Dan-Belize

Mansfield Middle School
Programs

Changes to our
schedule

Kara had sent out an
e-mail

We will start on March
16^th

We will meet at Wilbur
Cross before going to the school

Mr. Burnam would like
for us to come back but Wednesday is only day available

-We have yet to
decide on topics for his class

-10:25am-11:10am on
Wednesdays

-1:45-3:00pm on
Wednesdays

Working on curriculum
for these programs that can be used for future

-Abena and Erin
inquired about this

Gender Equality on
Wednesday will have 1 hour and 30 minutes—longer

Jen asks if we will
create uniformity

Abena clarifies that
we want a template that other groups can see and a record

Intro. Poverty/Hunger

nametags

explain MDGs

ask students about
fundamental rights

Nikki notes that
children have short attention span

Romana can bring YHR
UDHR to distribute

child-friendly UDHR

Relative wealth—guilt

show physical items

Give portion of rice
to each child

Amanda says big world
map and put buttons on countries based on wealth then do it again
based on population

Abena suggests
cardboard cut out

Break students into
groups

Show what is being
done in outreach locally

Sending a positive
message

Nana mentions that
encouraging empathy is more important than guilt

Each group can bring
a fact sheet

Each student can
write in a fact sheet/notebook

Universal Education

Aaron suggests that
children think they know about human rights, but it's important to
explain them

Allison mentions that
there is a school in Indonesia to have pen pals with

This connects to
global partnership

Aaron suggests to
make a video about who we are

Use photos of other
projects

Utilize UDHR

UN Literacy Decade

Jen suggests give
sheet with something in a different language and have them look at it
to show how difficult it is when one cannot read

Cycle of
illiteracy-when one language is language of the elite, but you do not
speak because family does not

Different language
activities

Give them the example
that after this year they will not have any more education

“What if”
scenarios

Real Life
implications

Connect back to
poverty

Effects on family,
society

Imbalance in society
because only have particular opportunities

What kind of jobs you
can get

Whole is greater than
parts

Dream jobs and then
explain why cannot do them

Here we are able to
dream and attain, other places people cannot even dream

Education shapes
perception of reality

Gender Equality

In the United
States-how much women earn compared to men

Gender equality in
primary schools, secondary schools, work place

Cultural perception
of gender roles

but still enforce
UDHR

Reasons behind gender
roles

Cycle that exists

CEDAW

moral obligations,
responsibility

Be careful to not
alienate men

Jason points out at
young age thinks everything should be fair

Point out from male
perspective

Boys should have the
abilities to learn all the tasks that girls know

Ex. Rwanda—half
of legislature=women

Everyone should have
fair and equal access

Jen suggests make up
occupations on cards and show stereotypes

Allison suggests
statistics for students their age in developing countries and
physically divide class

Cards with
professionals on one side and pay on other side

Men don't have right
to take off from work when have baby

Jason's Presentation--