Human Rights
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World Day Against Trafficking
Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which like all international days, is intended to raise public awareness about global problems—few of which are as pervasive and universally revolting as human trafficking. The graphic below from the United Nations does an excellent job of revealing the many forms and contexts of human trafficking, most… Continue reading
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The Disappeared
Among the grim arsenal of tools used by authoritarians is “disappearing” someone, in which they are secretly abducted or imprisoned by a government or its allies—say, by having unmarked men dragging them into an unmarked vehicle—followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person’s fate and whereabouts. The intent is to place the victim outside the… Continue reading
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The Anniversary of Porajmos
On this day in 1943, Heinrich Himmler—one of the most powerful Nazi leaders, and the main architect of the Holocaust—ordered that people of full or part Romani ancestry (a.k.a. gypsies) were to be put “on the same level as Jews and placed in concentration camps”. Thus began the systematic extermination of Romani people all over… Continue reading
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Olympe de Gouges
On this day in 1793, French playwright, journalist, and outspoken feminist Olympe de Gouges was guillotined during the early stages of the Reign of Terror for her revolutionary ideas. Well ahead of her time both ideologically and professionally, she dared to write plays and publish political pamphlets at a time when women were denied public… Continue reading
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How Iranians Use New Media to Empower Civil Society
The tenacity and resourcefulness of the Iranian people–and indeed of oppressed people the world over–is incredible. One of the latest apps is Hafez, which translates as “to protect”. Named after the famous Persian poet whose words frequently targeted religious hypocrisy, the app offers users a collection of human rights-related information. Foremost, it is a virtual… Continue reading
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Houston, Texas: America’s Refugee Haven
The title may seem incongruous, but despite Texas’ reputation for toughness and natavism, one of its largest cities, at least, is a national leader in giving refugees from around the world a second chance in life. As the Houston Chronicle reported: Though all 50 states have accepted some refugees, Texas typically takes about 10.5 percent of the… Continue reading
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Human Rights in Everyday Language
The following chart from Our World in Data tracks the frequency of the phrases ‘civil rights’, ‘women’s rights’, ‘children’s rights’, ‘gay rights’ and ‘animal rights’ in English-language books from 1900 to 2008. We take for granted that these words and ideas exist, but for the vast majority of human history, the very notion of human rights,… Continue reading
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Democracy in Retreat?
The above map shows the state of democracy in the world as of 2017, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index. The results are based on 60 indicators that span five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture. Each country is classified as one of… Continue reading
About Me
Humanist | Bibliophile | Writer | Wiki Editor | World Citizen | Esquire (J.D. / LL.M.)
Sarvodaya 