-
The Belo Monte Dam in Brazil: “Development” vs. Indigenous Communities
In every corner of the world, we see unfathomably huge hydroelectric dams that destroy entire ecosystems and indigenous livelihoods. The notorious Three Gorges Dam in China has its rivals on all other continents, from the proposed Grand Inga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the James Bay Project in Canada.
May 23, 2012
-
Anatomy of a Good Advocacy Video
At WITNESS, we rotate facilitators at our weekly staff meetings. If assigned as facilitator, the person is responsible for doing some research and sharing a current advocacy video of interest.
May 10, 2012
-
Are News Photography Standards Out of Touch With the Cameras Everywhere World We Inhabit?
A growing global trend of employing facial recognition technologies (FRTs) has increased risks of compromising the privacy and safety of anyone filmed or photographed, especially in countries with repressive governments.
May 2, 2012
-
Take the Social Tech Census: A New Tool to Map the Best Digital Resources for Advocates
From the Arab Spring to Occupy, the events of 2011 highlighted the potential of new technologies for advocacy. But new tools are more likely to facilitate social impact if they’re used by people with the right training and support.
April 18, 2012
-
What Facebook’s Acquisition of Instagram Could Mean for Activists
“Conclusion: Occupy Facebook!” A recent analysis of Occupy Wall Street web analytics found that because Facebook users are an engaged community, those who come to www.occupywallst.org from Facebook spend more time on the website and interact with it more.
April 13, 2012
-
Airport Expansion in North-East India Forcibly Evicts 17 Families
Since independence in 1947, tens of milions of Indians have been displaced in the name of development. They have been forcibly uprooted from their homes, farmlands, fishing areas and forests to make way for dam reservoirs, irrigation projects, mines, plantations, highways, and tourist resorts. Reportedly less than 20% have ever been rehabilitated.
April 11, 2012
-
Video Advocacy Example: New Voices in Sex Workers’ Rights Activism
As advances in technology democratize the media field, its makers are becoming more and more diverse, presenting a prime opportunity for traditional advocates to become facilitators and traditional “victims” to become actors in advocacy scenarios.
March 27, 2012
-
WITNESS Enters Knight’s #NewsChallenge With SecureSmartCam App
We’ve entered the Knight Foundation News Challenge with the SecureSmartCam (SSC), our collaboration with The Guardian Project.
March 22, 2012
-
Our Video For Change Curriculum Now Available Online
Today, we are very excited to announce that we are making our comprehensive training curriculum available online for free download for the very first time.
March 21, 2012
-
The Face of a Revolution: Debating Privacy in the Digital Age
You probably know a 26-year-old woman. Is she your sister? Friend, or daughter? Perhaps she’s fiery and stubborn. Perhaps she takes singing lessons. Perhaps she’s engaged to be married.
March 11, 2012
-
Vote for “My Asian Americana” for White House Video Challenge
Did you know the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is calling for video submissions? The aim is to explore stories from people who impact their communities through dreams, experiences and dedication.
February 29, 2012
-
Derailed: Cambodia’s Poor Paying the Price for Railway Development
Every year millions of people around the world are forcibly displaced from their lands, homes and livelihoods to make way for large-scale infrastructure projects. Most often those who are forced to sacrifice their place on earth for both public and private interests are amongst the poorest and most vulnerable people in society.
February 23, 2012
-
Reckoning With Torture: A Call for Citizen Video Participation
Last week, director Doug Liman—whose blockbuster features include The Bourne Identity, Fair Game, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Swingers—sent out this call for citizen-shot footage for his next movie, Reckoning With Torture:
February 21, 2012
-
Video Advocacy Example: LGBT and Transgender Awareness in the Anglican Church
This video is an example by activists to bring an under-represented "voice" to the discussion of human sexuality to a group of leaders charged with making decisions on a global scale.
February 15, 2012
-
Amy Robbins: Join Me In Supporting WITNESS For the Next 20 Years
As WITNESS celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, I wanted to write a brief note to describe why I support this outstanding, and vital organization. I know many of you reading this share my view because you, too, strongly support WITNESS’s efforts.
January 31, 2012
