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What We’re Reading, May 2 Edition
From YouTube clampdowns to a new verification app to human rights in Western Sahara and Algeria, here's what we're reading.
WITNESS
May 2, 2014
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WITNESS Gains Accreditation with the UN Economic and Social Council
Good news! WITNESS has been granted consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Read on to find out on how this accreditation will strengthen our work.
Jackie Zammuto
August 21, 2013
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We Must Act: Obama Announces Climate Action Plan, Citing Health of Future Generations
Obama announced his climate change plan, advocating for future generations the same way TRUST activists have done for themselves and their communities.
WITNESS
June 26, 2013
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In Focus: Iran’s 2013 Presidential Election
Despite technical challenges and government surveillance, Iranians are determined to share with the world videos expressing dissent and frustration during the presidential election cycle.
Matisse Bustos Hawkes
June 14, 2013
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As Brazil Marks One-Year Countdown to 2014 World Cup, Thousands Cope with Forced Evictions
Thousands of Brazil’s residents struggle to rebuild their lives after being forcibly removed from their homes to prepare for the multi-billion dollar sports event.
Ryan Schlief
June 12, 2013
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Turkey for the People, Filmed by the People
As the #OccupyGezi protests have surged, Turkish mainstream media has foundered. Citizen journalists--"sivil gazeteci," in Turkish--have stepped in. This is what they've shown us.
WITNESS
June 4, 2013
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16 Days Series: Rape as Weapon in Political, Ethnic & Religious Conflict in Burma
Over the last half-century, the Burmese have endured a violent military regime, censorship, ethnic tension, and religious conflict. As these videos indicate, the conflict in Burma affects minority populations and their women the most.
WITNESS
December 4, 2012
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President Obama Travels To Burma and Southeast Asia Amid Rising Tensions
President Obama leaves tomorrow to make a historic visit to Southeast Asia, specifically to Burma (also known as Myanmar), where he will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country. However, escalating violence in western Burma, where ethnic minorities have been attacked, displaced, and persecuted by civilians and state forces, undermines recent democratic progress in the country.
Matisse Bustos Hawkes
November 15, 2012
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The ICC Renders Its First Sentence: Is Justice Served for Congolese Child Soldiers?
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rendered it’s first ever sentence in the case of Mr. Thomas Lubanga, a Congolese warlord and leader of UPC (Union Patriotique Congolais). Lubanga was convicted, as co-perpetrator, on three counts of war crimes including enlisting and conscripting of children under the age of 15 and using them to participate actively in hostilities in the Ituri region, in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between September 2002 and June 2003.
Bukeni Waruzi
September 25, 2012
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Personal Reflection on Human Rights Values and the Anti-Muslim Video
I'd like to share my views on the recent events as a human rights advocate who has used/is using video for human rights change - particularly recently in North Africa and the Middle East; as an African; and as a Christian.
Bukeni Waruzi
September 19, 2012
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Transforming Human Rights Reporting: Merging Mainstream News and Citizen Content
Human rights issues were never easily portrayed or understood in conventional news paradigms. Few news agencies can allocate sufficient resources to effectively depict these ongoing complex issues. Even with substantial budgets and protection, journalists often face life-threatening risks while reporting these stories.
WITNESS
September 5, 2012
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You Are Being Watched: What Faceprints Mean for Generation Y
On July 18, YouTube launched a new tool that would enable users to blur the faces in the videos they uploaded, thereby protecting the identities of people featured in them. The platform explicitly identified the human rights threat as a primary motivator for this online technological development.
WITNESS
August 21, 2012
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The (Virtual) Bystander Effect: Witnessing Human Rights Abuse Online
When a video goes viral, millions of people become witnesses. Whether it is a clumsy kitten, an adorable child, or a gruesome protest, we as viewers are transported to that moment. We see everything. We hear everything. But we change nothing.
WITNESS
July 20, 2012
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Osama Bin Laden is Dead but the “War on Terror” Lives On
This week marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. President Obama marked the event by making an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to sign a treaty with President Karzai establishing post-war relationship.
Matisse Bustos Hawkes
May 3, 2012
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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.
WITNESS
April 13, 2012
