Inspired by the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, this series is the product of an international team from UNU-MERIT that first came together in the summer of 2020. It aims to provide a substantial and accessible platform in the fight against racism, articulated by young African thought-leaders who put a premium on robust debate and other non-violent approaches. #blacklivesmatter #whiteforblack … One issue barely registers in the Black Lives Matter movement, and that is the career challenges ...
This is an extraordinary moment in world history. While it is too early to assess the global impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, emerging evidence indicates that it has made significant progress. The first significant impact of the protests has been the toppling of Confederate and slavery-related statues around the world. In England, protesters toppled the statue of Edward Colston, a prominent slave trader. In Belgium, protesters set fire to a statue of King Leopold II. In the USA, statue...
Since the end of World War II, the United States of America has been the leading voice in the promotion of human rights, equality and non-discrimination. In fact, from 1933 to 1945, it was the US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who spearheaded the drafting and negotiations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which eventually came into force in 1948. Human rights explicitly became a major part of US foreign policy in the 1970s, and since 1976 the Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, ...
‘Digital technology is shaping history. But there is also the sense that it is running away with us. Where will it take us? Will our dignity and rights be enhanced or diminished? Will our societies become more equal or less equal? Will we become more, or less, secure and safe? The answers to these questions depend on our ability to work together across disciplines and actors, across nations and political divides.’ – António Guterres Published in June 2020, the UN Secretary-General’s ...
Students on our Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP) were asked to write a critical opinion about a dispute resolution mechanism — and how it might protect both human rights and development. Below are two essays on transitional justice, covering a range of critical issues from around the world. The authors trace the links between human rights, development and transitional justice, while considering achievements, limitations and the path to sustainable peace. ...
“Waleed Sami Abulkhair is a Saudi Arabian lawyer and human rights activist, and the head of the ‘Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia’ (MHRSA) organization. He was listed by Forbes magazine as one of [the] Top 100 Most Influential Arabs on Twitter. He is the first activist to be prosecuted by the Terrorism Law… On July 6, 2014, Abulkhair was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Specialized Criminal Court…” (Wikipedia, 12 May 2016). Waleed also has a young daughter, born during his detention...