Human Rights

As those across the United States embark upon Labor Day Festivities it brings to light the labor exploitations of children across the globe.  Much continues to be done to ensure that children around the world are both protected and simply allowed to be children. Despite outrage, laws, and social advancements child labor continues to plague our global society, […]

Telling historical stories to children has always been easier when once can use another medium than the verbal, children are visual and thus books with virbrant illistrations are the first to come to mind.  However one creative company is taking a greater step in just producing high quality “toys”, but ensuring that the cultures and […]

September is Washington D.C.’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the event which was established thanks to the efforts of the DC Task Force on Human Trafficking. The Task Force was established in 2004 with the DC police department and the DC US Attorney’s office. Since the establishment of the Task Force, membership has grown to over […]

Human rights abuses have been making headlines almost daily in the burning hot battles of Mexico’s drug wars. From the horrific massacre of 72 migrants last week, to the gruesome display of four decapitated corpses strung from a bridge along with a warning sign, to human rights investigators gone MIA, the news is dark and […]

By Cordelia Rizzo In 2007, Mexico City’s legislature affirmed a woman’s right to choose to terminate her pregnancy during the first trimester. Today, this remains the only pro-choice law in the whole country. In response, conservative congresses in other parts of Mexico have toughened their own anti-abortion laws. But ordinary Mexicans are just beginning to […]

The United Nations has again made a clear and strong denouncement against the use of rape during conflict.  The move follows a 2008 denouncement of the practice by the Security Council, who unanimously adopted a resolution which acknowledged the use of rape as ‘a tactic of war and an impediment to peace’. There for the […]

The question of Iran’s nuclear capabilities continues to dominate the news with discussion of potential US or Israeli hard or soft intervention. Meanwhile human rights abuses continue unabated a year after Ahmadinejad’s aggressive repression of opposition voices around the 2009 presidential elections. The case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old widow and mother of two […]

The China Daily first reported evidence which overwhelmingly pointed to infant formula as the cause behind three infants, who had earlier indicating adult levels of estrogen.  The increased levels in the infants has cause early puberty symptoms, such as breast development and vaginal discharge.  The infant formula maker, Synutra International Inc , has thus far sought no responsibility for […]

The impending July trial of Omar Khadr at Guantanamo Bay sets a dangerous precedent on the treatment of child soldiers.  In May UNICEF head Anthony Lake warnned about trying Khadr, saying that the use of children in conflict is a war crime and those responsible should be prosecuted, but the children involved are “victims, acting under coercion.”  Lake stated […]

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” Poverty is the worst form and the most common form of violence which is committed daily against on quarter of the world’s children. Recently the World Bank revised poverty figures, to show a substantial increase in the number of people around the world living […]

The use of rape to terrorize women and girls, has continued throughout the Congo’s long and bloody war-torn history. Fear has become a daily emotion for women and girls, as the numbers of rape victims have continuously risen since the end of the Second Congo War, becoming a common feature of Congolese daily life. Why […]

One of children’s biggest pastimes is hunkering down in-front of the old tube and playing video games.  While of course the fist thought is to recommend that your child’s access to games and TV is limited, as an advocate for good old outdoor play. Nonetheless we all know that moderate video game usage isn’t necessarily […]