Browsing by Subject "activists"
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    Boycotts in the struggle for human rights
    ( 2019) Le Bastard, Alice ; Veiga, Paula
    Boycotts are a fascinating and multifaceted consumer phenomenon, long used by citizens to exert pressure on higher spheres of power in order to enact social change. Boycotts have been an old companion of human rights struggles and are today recognized as a legitimate and powerful form of collective action. By empowering consumers to have a voice in the marketplace, they have challenged our traditional conception of political participation and more broadly of politics as centered in the nation-state. This tool seems particularly relevant today that human rights issues are more than ever globalized and intertwined with the way we consume. Consumer activism has become a popular and widespread human rights promotion and defense tool used by citizens, activists, NGOs and consumer groups. First, this paper will analyze the origins of boycotts, as part of a wider social movement striving for human rights, labor rights and social justice through consumption. Then we will explore two main questions: What are the successes and the limits of boycotts as a human rights promotion tool? And what have been states and businesses’ responses to consumer activism?
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    Climate activism and civil disobedience in democracy. A thematic analysis of its framing in parliamentary debates and the press
    ( 2024) Butz, Frauke ; Baka, Aphrodite
    Climate change poses a serious threat to the enjoyment of fundamental rights for many people worldwide. To protest against the lack of governmental action, civil disobedience has become a popular and often criticized tool within climate protests. There are different theoretical approaches to civil disobedience in academic discourse, one of which emphasizes its democratic function and legitimacy through the necessity to counter democratic deficits. The aim of this research is articulated in the research question: “How do politics and the media frame disobedient climate protest and what narratives do they create?” It seeks to provide a factual contribution to the debate on disobedient climate protest by linking theoretical concepts to the practice of protests. Using thematic analysis, the examination of the political framing in the German parliament shows that the most prevalent framing is against the justification of civil disobedience in climate protest. The protests are not acknowledged as a legitimate form of political participation. Instead, they are often described as illegitimate, criminal, and counterproductive. The press, in the United Kingdom and Germany, offers a more diverse range of frames. The media broadly recognizes the actions of climate movements as civil disobedience and political participation, regardless of their justification. The criminalized framing of the disobedient protests undermines its political function and is used to justify repressive measures against climate activism. It reinforces the government’s adoption of repressive measures that threaten the healthy functioning of democracy. Keywords: Civil Disobedience, Climate Protest, Framing, Democracy, Germany, United Kingdom
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    Come hell or high water: research on Detroit’s water crisis in its national context and the response by activists where the state has failed
    ( 2016) Swart, Yeva Jet ; Al-Attar, Mohsen
    This research discusses the water crisis in Detroit that broke out in spring 2014 and continues up to today. It focusses on the origin of the water crisis and by elaborating on its economic context, it is shown that the water crisis was not coincidence. It will also give insight into larger systematic issues that are manifesting in the USA with regards to water access. For this reason, this research also concentrates on other water crises currently going on in the USA. In short, it will establish that there is a prioritisation of finances over people’s wellbeing and a nationwide deprival of clean water access of poor communities of colour perpetrated the state. The second half of this research is dedicated to solutions to the water crisis in Detroit proposed by activists. It will also look at how similar ideas have already been developed in Bolivia a decade ago. This will give us insight in the practical implementation of these initiatives. What has manifested clearly is a push in a change of law to ensure the right to water and better protection of people and nature. The second similarity is the initiative of the commons and communal governance over water.
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    A contradictory 2019 in the Arab world: The heralds of a second Arab Spring in times of increased vulnerability and upgraded authoritarianism
    (Global Campus of Human Rights, 2020) Ait Youssef, Iasmin ; Alsheikh Ali, Rana ; Comaro, Elena ; Diana, Elise ; Lavigne Delville, Solène ; Maaninou, Nouha ; Pannunzio, Marta ; Werf, Charlotte : van der
    During the year 2019 mass mobilisations broke out throughout the Arab region, with protestors calling for regime change and denouncing mismanagement, corruption and the lack of basic services and human rights in countries as diverse as Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. In some cases they were violently opposed and quelled; in others they brought about a transitional process. These democratic processes and authoritarian reactions were accompanied by an important case of democratic consolidation in Tunisia and peaceful transfer of power in Mauritania. Some observers saw in these movements the sparks of a second Arab Spring, while others noted an upgrading of authoritarianism, through different repression techniques against protesters, activists and civil society organisations. Security forces and tribunals have been used for repression, but so have new constitutional and legislative texts that have shifted the balance of power in favour of the executive and the military. The repression of cyberspace was extended through new technological tools that allow for the monitoring, tracking and silencing of dissenting voices. Beyond these two opposing dynamics, the socio-economic situation in many countries across the region deteriorated, increasing the vulnerability of groups such as women, children, stateless persons and refugees. The socio-economic situation has also provided several local, national, regional and international actors with a means to exercise economic violence that typically impact on the most vulnerable, depriving them of their most basic human rights or allowing them only conditional access to these rights. Key words: democratisation; authoritarianism; cyber control; socio-economic violence; refugees; protests, human rights; Arab Spring; oppression; arrests
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    The Cyber Occupation of Palestine; Suppressing Digital Activism and Shrinking the Virtual Sphere
    (Global Campus of Human Rights, 2020) Taha, Suhail
    Since the October 2015 uprising, the Israeli regime has intensified its prosecution of Palestinian digital users. Hundreds of Palestinians were arrested under the pretext of ‘incitement’ over social media platforms, particularly journalists, human rights defenders (HRDs), activists, artists and students. As alternative ‘public spheres’ for digital protests, social media platforms have had a significant impact on promoting human rights and exposing violations. The Israeli repressive policy against Palestinian digital rights has narrowed the online sphere censoring the right to express and speech; thus, shifting the role of these digital platforms from a tool to strengthen freedom of expression and rights to open arenas for prosecution and suppression. This policy brief argues that social media companies are complicit in facilitating the Israeli occupation violations of Palestinian digital rights through restricting their rights to freedom of expression, thought and privacy. It shows that Facebook has been censoring Palestinian content based on Israeli regulations since 2015. The policy brief outlines the major challenges pertaining to the protection of Palestinian digital rights in the context of the current repressive policies undertaken by the Israeli occupation and highlights the key repercussions and impact of neglecting abuses of Palestinian digital rights. It underlines the importance of digitalisation for the proper protection and promotion of human rights. Furthermore, it proposes a set of recommendations aimed at adopting a human rights-based approach to digitalisation and guaranteeing protection to safeguard Palestinians’ rights to freedom of expression and public participation in the virtual sphere. The policy paper suggests that social media companies must commit to their transnational human rights obligations and refrain from being complicit with violating Palestinian digital rights through ceasing their collaboration with the Israeli regime. On the contrary, they have a responsibility to ensure a safe and protected digital environment for Palestinian HRDs and activists over social media platforms.
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    From democracy to autocracy? Growing threats to civil society and media in Kyrgyzstan
    (Global Campus of Human Rights, 2019) Begalieva, Nuriza ; Aleksanyan, Arusyak
    Despite the repeal of the ‘foreign agent’ law in 2016 which was initiated in Kyrgyzstan to limit activities of human rights defenders, government officials still continue to oppress them by using other legislative restrictions. This idea contradicts the principles of a democratic country which stands for plurality of opinions. Recent intimidation and unlawful surveillance of human rights defenders and media representatives demonstrate that state officials can have a suspicious attitude and try to restrict their freedom of movement. According to given theories, the presence of active civil society and independence of media is important for the full functioning of democracy. Kyrgyzstan, being in the transition period, similarly to its neighbouring countries, uses tools to monopolise the important institutions. By using content analysis of published speeches of government representatives, human rights activists and media representatives the thesis reveals that the government continues to degrade the status of civil society by using disinformation as well as by misusing existent laws for their own profit to preserve the current regime. By examining hypotheses through correlation analysis, the study finds out that there is a strong relationship between active participation of civil society and media with the development of democracy. As a result, the more a country strives for democratic changes, the more effective the activity of the executive branch is. However, human rights itself has weak negative correlation with democratic development. It can be explained by the fact that when civil society takes more action against the government, autocratic rulers allow more human rights violations. Thus, this work demonstrates that although the Kyrgyz government continues to preserve democratic values and meet universal human rights principles, the recent cases show that these statements can be regarded only as a facade, as it is in the interest of the government to limit political mobilisation to maintain the current regime.
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    Global Campus of Human Rights. Annual Report 2022
    (Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023) Global Campus of Human Rights
    Our Annual Report 2022 celebrates not only the achievements of the seven regional Global Campus Master’s programmes in human rights around the world but also the many other activities (research, professional training, advocacy, emergency support, awareness raising, …) we have developed at our HQ in Venice, in one of ‘our regions’ - Africa, Arab World, Asia-Pacific, Caucasus, Europe, Latin America-Caribbean, South East Europe - or virtually. The Report tells the story of how we organised a conference on mental health designed and led by children and adolescents; confronted human rights scepticism with a new podcast series; launched a training programme for young people to fight mis- and disinformation; supported Afghan human rights defenders; assisted Ukrainian and Myanmarese academics and students; empowered visual media professionals; trained human rights defenders, professionals and civil servants; offered niche MOOCs; and celebrated our incredible Alumni, one of which was murdered because of his activism. All these activities have served the purpose of making our human rights education not only top-notch but also transformational.
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    Human rights defenders with no human rights? Analysis of the protection and situation of Human rights defenders in the Middle East: the case of Lebanon. Lebanon: safe haven for human rights defenders in the Middle East?
    ( 2019) Broumana, Elie ; Petersen, Marie Juul
    Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East often face dangerous conditions throughout their work. Many have been subjected to human rights violations. As a result, most Human Rights Defenders operate far from the region. In order to understand the circumstances faced by Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East, this thesis analyses the factors contributing to the situation of Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East and the framework in which they operate. Given the complexity and diversity of the situation, the thesis mainly only covers Lebanon. Prior to the examination and analysis of the situation of Human Rights defenders in Lebanon, a thorough analysis of the term “Human Rights Defenders”, and its scope, is conducted in this thesis. The declaration on human rights defenders was the starting point for the protection of human rights defenders around the world. Similarly, the thesis relies on the declaration on human rights defenders as its starting point to address the issues at stake. This thesis also outlines the existing protection mechanisms available for human rights defenders operating in the Middle East and presents a historical analysis of Lebanon with regards to its human rights work, including a comprehensive mapping of different stakeholders and their activities. This thesis mainly analyzes three different factors contributing to the situation of human rights defenders; legal framework, state policies and practices, non-state actors and societal cultures and practices. The examination of these factors identifies the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Lebanon, which is consequently used to outline best practices for the protection of human rights defenders in Lebanon. This thesis hopes to help researchers and activists better understand the situation for human rights defenders in Lebanon and propose effective avenues of protection for human rights defenders suitable for the context of Lebanon. It aims to raise awareness and combat the consequences of being a human rights defender in the Middle East. The main purpose of this research is to help researchers and activists gain a more holistic, nuanced understanding of the topic at hand.
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    Indigenous rights in environmental justice : examining decolonization and human security in the context of Inuit seal hunting
    ( 2017) Klein, Joëlle ; Kmak, Magdalena
    In the current era of environmental activism, campaigns to address the impending impacts of climate change and global warming are increasingly visible and effective at making their positions known. Simultaneously, the advent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and a growing concern for indigenous rights has amplified the social movements of indigenous groups seeking access to, and recognition of, their rights. These movements often intersect with environmental justice campaigns over protections of land, environment, and against the encroachment of extractive resource industries. However, the relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous campaigns are not always cooperative, and subsequently can infringe upon the rights of indigenous communities. The following research uses decolonization theory to frame understandings of indigenous rights and to underscore the necessity of indigenous inclusion and participation in environmental movements. Furthermore, it posits that environmental justice campaigns have failed to adequately address indigenous rights within their activism, which can contribute to a further marginalization of indigenous concerns and purport to an extension of colonial power dynamics. In light of this, the thesis recognizes a need for environmental justice organizations to recentralize indigenous rights within their movements, and explores to what extent a human security framework can be utilized to achieve this aim. Finally, a case study on the interactions between environmental organizations and Inuit during the anti-sealing campaigns of the 1970s is undertaken to demonstrate the impact of environmental movements operating without adequate understandings of indigenous rights, and the need to utilize alternate approaches in constructing environmental justice campaigns.
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    Invisible victims? : how we talk about forcibly disappeared persons and their families. A case study from Lebanon.
    ( 2022) Steinbichler, Rebecca ; Comaty, Lyna ; De Vido, Sara
    The present thesis examines the portrayal of enforced disappearance in the public discourse through the case study of Lebanon, where an estimated 17.000 individuals have remained missing since the 1975-1990 Civil War. After decades of advocacy work, a milestone has been reached by the establishment of a national commission with the mandate to investigate the fate of the disappeared. Currently, this process is being stalled by the political stakeholders, which is why continuing civil society pressure is crucial. As an added problem, however, the discourse has not been picked up by the Lebanese society beyond the inner circle of activists. Therefore, this study investigates how the demands of the victims’ families have been framed so far. Two qualitative research methods are applied: First, eight published communication materials from different producers are discussed via content analysis. Second, four interviews with civil society actors provide an insight on how and why certain narratives and frameworks have been created. The results show specific social and political circumstances in Lebanon spawned an intentional strategy of depoliticising the issue and framing it as a humanitarian cause. This has been achieved with one dominant narrative surrounding emotion, motherhood, waiting, suffering, passivity and weakness. The thesis also illustrates the need for a critical reflection of alternative approaches in order to create a national discourse and further the cause of Lebanon’s disappeared.
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    Iranian human rights defenders in the Diaspora. A needs assessment of Iranians in European exile
    ( 2020) Alvano, Olivia ; De Stefani, Paolo
    Human rights defenders are the key to protect human rights on local levels. Their importance was recognized through the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms from 1998. But recently authoritarian regimes such as Iran have closed down on the space for civil society, leading to a migration wave of activists. These activists are forced to live in exile, facing challenges due to their new surroundings as well as due to their continued activism from distance. Not many organisations have the specific situation of exiled human rights defenders in focus although exiled activists can achieve immense change for their authoritarian home country. In the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran, the persecution of all kinds of human rights activists increased with the Green Movement in 2009 and many activists left first to either Turkey or Iraq and, if possible, continued their way to either Europe or the United States of America. They reformed in exile and created different initiatives to support their life in exile. The author interviewed two persons living in exile and two organisations working in the field of human rights defenders, trying to draw out the gaps between the needs of the activists and the offered support by organisations, also showing that there is a need to support the creation and strengthening of an Iranian activists network in European exile. In conclusion, civil society’s work is just at the beginning in what they could achieve and in an era of rising populism and authoritarianism diasporas are a tool not used enough to pressure the different governments and actors. Keywords: authoritarianism; human rights defenders; exile; diaspora; Iran; activist networks; transnational advocacy networks.
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    Louder than Words: Art Activism in the Context of Belarusian Protest Movement
    (Global Campus of Human Rights, 2022) Khvasevich, Volha ; Pirumyan, Nina
    The world’s reality of massive information, visual content and unexpected obstacles demands constant ongoing development of human rights-related tools and instruments as well as an interdisciplinary approach. Connecting artistic expression and activism creates a more understandable and effective language for speaking about sociopolitical processes and human rights than the official language of institutions worldwide. In the context of the protest movements in Belarus art activism became an instrument that influences the functioning and development of sociopolitical processes. The study aims to explore the phenomena of art activism in order to define the contribution of art activism to the sphere of human rights and democratic processes in the context of Belarusian protests. Using the methods of qualitative analysis of literature sources, evidence of art practices during protests and seven interviews with experts, artists and activists, the study defines art activism and its interconnection with human rights and also covers strengths and threats within the legal framework. On the basis of the study the main mechanisms of the impact of artistic expression on the democratic processes are defined. The current reality in the world reveals that artistic expression has a huge potential as an instrument in the sphere of human rights. The conceptualisation of current art activism experience and its contribution to the growth of the human rights dimension in Belarus in the context of the autocratic regime’s protest movement generates significant methodological support for the application of artistic means.
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    Love is human : queer activists in Kenya, Lebanon and Singapore fighting for freedom of expression and decriminalization of same-sex relationships
    ( 2021) Leboeuf, Charles-Antoine ; Brink, Marjolein : Van den
    Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right deemed essential in free and democratic societies. Yet, free speech is regularly curtailed by states, including by limiting expression on certain topics, such as sexual and gender diversity. In 2020, 42 states in the world restrict freedom of expression on such issues, including Kenya, Lebanon and Singapore. All three countries also criminalize same-sex relationships. This study seeks to compare how local activists in these three countries with different socio-cultural, political, and historical backgrounds are working to bring about legal change against laws that restrict free speech on queer issues and criminalize their existence. Activists for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex plus (LGBTQI+) rights selectively use the human rights framework, including international, regional and national human rights standards, to achieve their goals. This thesis particularly focuses on analyzing how global human rights norms are translated locally to contribute to activists' desired outcomes. This research uses empirical data from 14 interviews with LGBTQI+ activists from Kenya, Lebanon, and Singapore. This thesis found that the struggle for the protection of freedom of expression on sexual and gender diversity issues is closely linked to efforts to decriminalize same-sex intimacy in the study countries. Key words: Activism, freedom of expression, free speech, human rights framework, Kenya, localization, Lebanon, LGBTQI+, queer, sexual and gender diversity, Singapore
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    MOOC “Child Participation and the Right to a Sustainable Environment”. Report
    ( 2021-05) Melchiorre, Angela ; Pegoraro, Manuela ; Grelow, Weronika
    In this short report on the MOOC "Child Participation and the Right to a Sustainable Environment" you will read about the demographics of the audience, feedback on the courseware, what was most liked, and recommendations for improvement. This course, which features young activists from different regions of the world, was very successufl among youth: 40% of the participants were aged 19-24, and 11% were under 18 - definitely an audience committed to changemaking. Among the most frequent comments: participants plan to use the MOOC's materials to carry out professional tasks such as designing, monitoring and evaluating development projects.
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    Neither here nor elsewhere : exploring the legal framework of gas pipelines in Europe
    ( 2020) Biscosi, Michela ; Klabbers, Jan
    Beginning with the consideration of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline case and the protests surrounding its realisation, this work develops an analysis of the legal framework applicable to the energy infrastructures in the European Union. The thesis is divided in two main parts which try to give a panoramic overview of the legal regimes: upstream, selecting the Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) at EU level; and downstream, protecting and enforcing the realisation of the selected projects. Both sections reconnect those regimes to the historical and political contexts in which they have developed. The first part focuses on the role of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) within the PCIs identification procedure, while the second part on the investor-State dispute settlements under the Energy Charter Treaty. The study points out several procedural and systemic shortcomings which may adverse the pursuit of climate mitigation targets. Moreover, it aims at exploring the system of values that the overall legal structure embodies as well as at understanding which space of action climate activists and social movements possess therein.
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    Networked Revolution? : a socio-theoretical assessment of how social networking sites can be used to achieve human rights advocacy goals
    ( 2010) Oyon Murphy, Eva ; Machado, Jónatas
    This study explores the Social Networking Sites (SNS) phenomena and its potential to contribute towards human rights advocacy goals. It combines socio-theoretical and socio-historical perspectives to shed light on the new reality SNS present and their meaning as a tool in the historical evolution of human rights advocacy. It exposes the structural changes in the public sphere facilitated by SNS and considers this in light of an emerging global civil society, while taking into account matters of social exclusion and access. The study also considers what SNS can offer for human rights advocacy from the point of view of mobilisation and activism. By drawing on theories of social movements it contemplates the issues of identity, leadership and responsibility in an activity largely taking place in a virtual space. It argues that as a new tool (SNS) can bring into question ways of doing human rights advocacy that were otherwise unchallenged. It exposes the ways that SNS are being used as forums for collaborative production and networking, particularly by grass-roots activists. Finally it considers more practical issues and the important dangers of the darker sides of SNS and questions to what extent they can really be used to achieve concrete political and institutional change.
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    Russian anti-war activists continue feminist tradition of opposing violence
    (Global Campus Human Rights, 2022) Koltsova, Maria
    Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several anti-war movements have been organised in Russia or by Russian emigrants abroad. One of them is Feminist Anti-War Resistance—a horizontal feminist organisation creating online and offline protest actions against the war in Ukraine. The article tells the story of the activists and explains why feminist ideas are so important in opposing the war.
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    State persecution and resistance movement in Baluchistan: a case study of the role of women there
    ( 2023) Afzal, Muqaddas ; Nowak, Karol
    One of the most troubled regions in modern day Pakistan, the province of Baluchistan has been marked by decades of underdevelopment, violent insurgencies, and brutal repression on the part of the Pakistani state. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the province is also known for a “traditional” and “patriarchal” culture and lags woefully behind both the rest of the country and the world in indicators of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Beginning in 2005, however, Baloch women have become increasingly prominent in both the peaceful and violent components of the most recent insurgency. Drawing upon interviews with a select group of Baloch activists, this study argues that the increasing prominence of female activists in Baloch public life has—paradoxically—been driven largely by repressive activities of the Pakistani state. Through the widespread practice of using “forced disappearances” against Baloch males, particularly to supress the fifth insurgency in the province, the military apparatus has effectively forced many women into active public roles that clash with the image of Baluchistan as a patriarchal society. While the fate of the province remains unclear, this study argues that these trends suggest the potential for armed conflict to unintentionally drive change in gender roles.
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    Unveiling the transformative influence of social media in amplifying social movements, driving social change, and empowering women: the case of #womenlifefreedom in Iran
    ( 2023) Maxwell, Gabriella ; Agapiou-Josephides, Kalliope
    Social media platforms have emerged as vital tools for activism, offering individuals the ability to express widely shared grievances, mobilise resources, and forge collective identities, all contributing to social change. However, given the relatively recent emergence of social media, research in this field is still in its early stages, and there remain major disagreements regarding social media's precise role. Furthermore, despite indications of the empowering role of social media, particularly for women who have historically encountered social, cultural, and legal barriers, there remains a notable lack of gendered analysis in this area of research. Consequently, by drawing on New Social Movement (NSM) theories and adopting a multidimensional perspective on empowerment, this study explores social media’s role in facilitating social movements and driving societal transformation within the context of Iran. Additionally, as this movement appears to be women-led, it seeks to investigate the involvement of Iranian women in the protests and how these engagements can contribute to their empowerment. To address these, this study adopts a qualitative method approach, predominantly focusing on visual content analysis of Instagram posts under the hashtag #womenlifefreedom. The findings indicate that the affordances of social media, specifically Instagram, has significantly enabled Iranian women’s empowerment in three key areas: amplification of voices, raising consciousness, and fostering identity formation.
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    Watching the watchmen : the defense and promotion of human rights by human rights defenders in local, national and international contexts and the protection of their activity
    ( 2011) Naranjo Barroso, Diego Javier ; Perrakis, Stelios ; Marouda, Maria Daniella
    Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) have emerged as a single cathegory that includes all those who defend and promote human rights and other universally recognized rights and freedoms. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is the main norm regarding this topic, although the European Union Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and other instruments at international and state level have emerged since then, with different outcomes. The concept of HRDs embraces a number of different actors (NGOs, Social Movements, individual activists and human rights field officers) that have in common their work to strengthen human rights in their different levels of action. Their activity as HRDs influences positively on the situation of human rights but also involves some risks for HRDs themselves such as criminalisation, violence and disappearances. The existence of protection mechanisms is a positive step but those measures need to be reinforced and updated regularly since the protection of HRDs means, undoubtedly, the protection of human rights. Keywords: Human rights defenders; NGOs; social movements; activism.