- Human rights defenders are not terrorists, and their content is not propaganda Counter-terrorism is not a field that is known for its respect of human rights. The word terrorism, though it does not have any commonly agreed upon legal or societal definition, has often led to the implementation of repressive measures, not only in authoritarian regimes, but also in countries recognized as democracies. The United Nations Office […]
- WITNESS tells world leaders- don’t delete opportunities for justice 24 September 2019 Today, the New Zealand government announced an update on the Christchurch Call to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Christchurch Call emerged in the aftermath of the horrific live-streaming of the March 15 attack against a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. The perpetrator livestreamed the murder of 51 people, and […]
- The Right to Record Recognized at the United Nations Last month, the United Nations Human Rights Council promoted the right to record explicitly in resolution A/HRC/38/L.16 — WITNESS explains what this means for activists and human rights defenders around the world.
- New United Nations Report calls on companies to take a “A Human Rights Approach to Platform Content Regulation” Our Tech+Advocacy Program Manager Dia Kayyali breaks down the Special Rapporteur's newest report to the UN Human Rights Council, a report calling for a "human rights approach to platform content moderation."
- Launching Watching Western Sahara A new project aims to bridge the gap between footage of abuse taken by at-risk activists and the international audiences who can use it.
- Watching Protests in Western Sahara Online videos document protest tactics by Sahrawi activists and repression by Moroccan authorities.
- Curating Online Videos to Monitor Human Rights in Western Sahara As UN diplomats relaunch talks between Western Sahara and Morocco, a new WITNESS Media Lab project will curate footage from the disputed territory.
- Borrowing a Wedding Photographer’s Camera To Document War Crimes WITNESS Executive Director Yvette Alberdingk-Thijm reflects on the power of video to support UN Sustainable Development Goal # 16: Peace and Justice.
- WITNESS Joins Call for the Creation of UN Special Rapporteur on Privacy WITNESS joins a growing coalition of privacy, human rights, and civil liberties organizations who are uniting to call for the United Nations Human Rights Commission to add a Special Rapporteur on Privacy.
- What We’re Reading: July 25 Edition Every week we publish a list of our favorite articles on human rights, video, and advocacy. This week features the promotion of LGBT rights in India, the use of social media to uncover the mystery behind the downed Malaysia Flight MH17 and much more.
- WITNESS Joins the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival to Recognize Young Filmmakers Calling all young filmmakers! WITNESS will present awards to two of our favorite entrees in this year’s PLURAL + Youth Video Festival.
- Human Rights Video Weekly: Vietnam, Syria, and Kenya This week we bring you videos documenting the forced evictions of farmers in Vietnam, an update on a barrel bomb attack in Syria, and documentation of the continued roundup of Somali and other immigrants in Kenya.
- 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.
- As Zimbabwe’s 2013 Elections Approach: A Call for an End to Torture The 2008 elections left many with permanent physical and psychological scars.
- 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?