Tactics Archives - Page 3 of 7

Using a Film to Nail a Dictator Efrain Ríos Montt is going to trial. The brutal Guatemalan dictator is the first head of state to be prosecuted for genocide in genuine proceedings in his own country. And my video evidence helped send him there. By Guest Blogger Pamela Yates WITNESS January 31, 2013
Workers’ Rights = Human Rights: Documenting the American Workforce The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) prioritizes members' voices when creating original videos that are geared toward advocacy, member engagement and communication, and awareness among potential members. Are these lessons applicable to advocacy in other areas of human rights? WITNESS January 16, 2013
Voices of Dignity: A Story of Struggle for Women’s and Victims’ Rights Yoladis Zúñiga and Petronila Mendoza survived an attack of right-wing paramilitaries on their villages, in which women and girls were raped, homes burned and a number of people killed, including their husbands. WITNESS November 29, 2012
Open Heart: A Short Film About the Importance of Access to Health Care By watching the journey of these brave children and their families, viewers come to understand more deeply the necessity of accessible health care and the importance of second chances. We are honored that Open Heart has been shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination in the Short Documentary category. WITNESS November 27, 2012
Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Early Days of Music Video Activism This video of ‘My Country Tis of Thee You’re Dying’ is from an episode of Pete Seeger’s Rainbow Quest, is demonstrates an early blending of video, song, and human rights advocacy. WITNESS November 24, 2012
Emmanuel Jal Calls for Peace, Equality and Freedom For All Citizens Emmanuel Jal is inaugurating this series. He recently performed at WITNESS’ 20th Anniversary Gala, moving people to dance and to take action. And he’s doing so once again with “We Want Peace,” his newest hit. WITNESS November 17, 2012
Victims of the Latin American War on Drugs Make the Case for Reform Latin American drug policies have made no dent in the drug trade; instead they have taken a tremendous toll on human lives. In 2009, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) embarked on an ambitious project to document the real impact of Latin America’s “war on drugs” and to show its human cost through the video testimoniesof the victims themselves. WITNESS November 10, 2012
Participate and Rise on Feb. 14, 2013 to End Violence Against Women Worldwide One in three women worldwide will face rape or gender-based assault in her lifetime. "One Billion Rising," released in September, portrays a diverse set of women facing different types of attacks, effectively showing that any woman, in any country, and any social situation could become part of this statistic. But it also shows them symbolically standing up, and uniting with women across the world to oppose this wave of violence. WITNESS November 7, 2012
“Half the Sky,” or Half the Story? I was disturbed by PBS’s new film, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women. The two-part series is inspired by the 2010 book of the same name written by New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn. Accompanied by high profile celebrities, Kristof takes viewers on a tour of the dangers that women face in the developing world. WITNESS October 25, 2012
Video, Human Rights and Drug Policy in Ukraine At my organization, the Association of Substitution Treatment Advocates of Ukraine, we provide psychosocial support to patients in substitution therapy (ST). Ukraine has the highest HIV infection rates in Europe, and one of the highest rates of drug addiction in the world, so I can say with confidence that I'm doing useful work. WITNESS September 20, 2012
The Human Cost of India’s Genetically Modified Agriculture Director Micha X. Peled, in his dramatic film, Bitter Seeds, introduces us to citizens of a small Indian town who are dealing with the impacts of GMO seeds in their community. Bitter Seeds is a dire warning to us about the potentially devastating impacts on US agriculture due to GMO seeds. The film offers an intimate portrayal of the financial, family and social tolls these seeds have had on the farmers. WITNESS September 12, 2012
The Case for Justice: Why Transitional Justice Matters in Today’s World Without accountability for massive human rights abuses, societies coming out of conflict or dictatorship have little chance of building sustainable peace. This is the main principle of transitional justice, a set of measures used to seek redress for legacies of mass atrocity or state repression. Focusing on situations in Egypt, Uganda, Colombia and the Congo, “The Case for Justice” illuminates the crucial, but often misunderstood process facing countries across the globe. WITNESS August 14, 2012
Video Advocacy Example: Religious Persecution of the Baha’is in Iran The short documentary series “Angels of Iran” strives to raise awareness about a minority group that is too often left out of history books and conversations. In each video, Iran’s Baha’is come forward to tell their own stories of persecution and oppression. The videos do not come in any set order, but “Faith and Sacrifice: The Baha’is in Iran” provides an effective introduction for those who know little about the Baha’i Faith. It offers a broad overview of the situation and introduces us to Iran’s Baha’is on a very personal level. WITNESS August 10, 2012
Video Advocacy Example: Rwandan Women Tell Stories of Genocide’s Legacies In Rwanda, between April and June of 1994, an estimated 800,000 Tutsis were killed in the span of just 100 days. Years after the brutal genocide, Intended Consequences revisits the country, asking the difficult question, how does a woman care for her child when it's the son or daughter of the man who raped her? WITNESS August 6, 2012
Video Advocacy Example: Amnesty International’s Campaign for the Arms Trade Treaty More than 740,000 people die every year as a result of armed conflict. Who fuels these conflicts? Which nations provide the arms and munitions that enable dictators, gangs, and human rights abusers to kill, rape, torture, and forcefully evict innocent civilians? WITNESS July 26, 2012