Human Rights Education
Article 26
March/May 2008
Voice from the field
Amnesty International Malaysia REAP Human Rights Education Programme
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The Amnesty International office was set in Malaysia in 1999. Today we have over 1000 members, networks and local groups in different parts of the country as well. Amnesty International Malaysia (AI-M) hard work had paid off as AI-M was recognised as an official structure within the AI movement in 2007.
Amnesty International Malaysia, with the financial support of the Rights Education Action Programme (REAP) of AI Norway, is offering an intensive Training of Trainers programme as part of our Human Rights Education Programme. This would be a 2 year programme which we started in early 2007.
By attending this programme, the participants would understand basic concepts of human rights and learn about human rights issues in Malaysia, learn new teaching methodologies and facilitation skills to impart human rights and lastly receive support (i.e in the form of materials, current information, etc) from Amnesty International Malaysia throughout the duration of this program.
AI-M saw the opportunity as there is growing awareness that the protection of human rights can be strengthened if it is combined with preventive human rights work such as human rights education. Our goal is to build a human rights culture in Malaysia by enabling people to gain a deeper appreciation of human rights and thereby help to shape a society that is just and humane. To be a successful human rights educator, the individual must understand the social realities of living in Malaysia in the age of globalisation. The REAP project is unique because it allows AI Malaysia to plan strategically, build our own capacity in human rights education and develop good cooperation with relevant local NGOs. It also ensures that AI Malaysia is not duplicating the work done by other NGOs but developing a human rights education niche for ourselves.
Our target groups were mainly educators, community & student leaders as well as people involved in community or development work. AI-M had publicise the programme and also called for applicants to send in their application form. We then proceed to choose among the best possible candidates who met our criteria as well as commitment towards this project. It is part of the multiplier effect where these "multipliers" are people who through their work or position reach out to large groups of people, and whose attitudes and actions influence these groups.
AI-M finally picked 10 educators, 3 student leaders and 5 social workers. The participants had to undergo two 3 days Training of Trainers workshop, the first being in April 2007 while the second workshop was held in August 2007. After each session the trainees were asked to conduct human rights education session in their own constituencies (i.e classrooms or community). The trainees would then have the opportunity to facilitate small sessions with the support of the trainer/consultant and AI before the end of the year. AI-M also gave the participants training modules to work and try out with which they then gave their feedback which AI-M then used to come out with a Human Rights Training Module, which is being touched up now.
Some of the participants also facilitated 2 sessions for AI-M. The first was a Human Rights Education Workshop in November which was facilitated by 2 university lecturers and myself. Among those present at this workshop were educators and students as well.
The other session was a 3days Human Rights Youth Camp held in December 2007. We had a good response whereby 55 youth signed up to participate. This camp was facilitated by the student leaders who participated in our Training of Trainers earlier and the HRE Coordinator of AI-M. We exposed the youth to human rights and issues in Malaysia as well as getting them to be active in activism work. The highlight of the camp was when we took them for exposure trips in groups. Among the places we visited were the Chin Refugees from Burma, former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees, Kg. Chubadak villagers fighting the authorities on housing rights, as well as the committee of "Save our School Damansara" which champions the rights of Chinese schools education. Many of the youths have joined AI-M's youth network and joined as members.
AI-M has been following up closely with our participants and always encouraging and supporting them. They are now capable of running trainings on their own which is a good achievement. AI-M has also set up AI groups in University and colleges in Malaysia as well as getting youths involved in AI's youth network through human rights education. AI-M also has been invited by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) working group on Human Rights Education for Schools. AI-M is the only human rights based organisation on this working group.
Human Rights Education is not part of the formal education in Malaysia. The Ministry of Education has not been receptive to this idea as human rights are often seen as "western concept" which is not in line with the Asian values. There is also a climate of fear when people mention about human rights and many people in the past have somewhat sensor themselves. They first need to overcome their fear and insecurities. My experience clearly proves to me that human rights education can and have helped some people overcome their fear. Human rights education has promoted activism here in Malaysia.
We will be having a refresher course for the participants to refine their facilitation skills as well as module making skills in May 2008. We have also targeted 3 workshops this year whereby they would train other "multipliers" to be human rights education trainers just as they did.
AI-M grant of the Rights Education Action Programme (REAP) of AI Norway will be ending at the end of this year. Since we already have built a good foundation, we would like to welcome any form of assistance to help AI-M continue human rights education for the coming years. For those willing to contribute in any way, please contact yohendra@aimalaysia.org.
*Note: an AIUSA Reebok Fellow will be working with the HRE program in AI Malaysia - keep an eye open for a report back in the fall!
Updates and Events
What: Philadelphia HRE Networking meeting
When: 28 May 2008, 4:30 - 7:30
Where: Arch Street Meeting House
(Parking available)
To RSVP or for more information on either event contact:
Karen Robinson at 212-633-4270 or krobinson@aiusa.org
Also coming to Philadelphia:
VISIT A REPLICA OF A GUANTÁNAMO PRISON CELL
When: Special Event Saturday, May 31, Noon - 2pm
Friday, May 30, 1pm - 7pm / Saturday, May 31, 9am - 7pm /
Sunday, June 1, 10am - 5pm
Where: Dilworth Plaza, 1400 JFK Blvd, Philadelphia, PA
Why: To urge the U.S. government to do the right thing: close Guantánamo, end illegal detentions, restore legal rights, stop torture, and counter terror with justice.
Info: www.amnestyusa.org/celltour
Students taking Action
A couple of years ago the St. Luke's middle school AI student chapter, located in New York City, met Lucas Benitiz, a farm worker from Florida. The students took it upon themselves to learn more about his story and the larger farm workers' struggle. Based on what they learned, the students decided that this was something they wanted to try and change. Over the course of the last couple of years, that is what they have been doing!!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Amnesty International does not support boycotts as a means to creating change but as is often the case, when activists learn of human rights violations, they take action outside of their regular Amnesty work.
From the St. Luke's Middle School Amnesty International Chapter
A CHANCE TO CHANGE THINGS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY! Students across the United States have been instrumental in helping immigrant farm workers to bargain for fair wages and better working conditions. Here is a simple way for your students to get involved.
Farm workers in the fields of Immokalee, Florida, put food on our tables, but get poverty wages and sweatshop conditions. By uniting with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to demand Fair Food and an end to modern-day slave labor in America, students can engage in a project directly related to the human rights issues involved in food prices, agricultural policy, and immigration.
In this petition campaign, students can ask Burger King to pay just 1 cent more per pound of tomatoes, which is what Taco Bell and McDonald's have agreed to after similar campaigns. They can also demand basic human rights standards in the fields.
One of our teachers has been to Immokalee, Florida, and has submitted these interviews with the workers themselves, which can be viewed on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CIWfilms. One of them is also available on the Coalition website, where you can sign a petition online or get further information about the campaign, view pictures of the many student and religious groups taking action, or read news articles: http://www.ciw-online.org/.
Students can immediately take part in the petition campaign. This petition summarizes the issues and can be used for a discussion, or downloaded and signed among themselves and in their family communities. You can find the text below.
After April 27, they should be sent directly to Burger King headquarters. They can also write a letter similar to this sample, and send it to this same address:
Mr. John Chibsey
CEO, Burger King
Burger King Corporate Office
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
Coalition leader Lucas Benitez comes to us from our partner project, Speak Truth to Power, and has spoken on several occasions to Amnesty International student groups.
THE PETITION:
WHEREAS, there is a human rights crisis in Florida's farm fields, including:
* poverty wages that haven't changed in 30 years;
* long hours without overtime;
* physical abuse and wage fraud;
* back-breaking labor, with no employment benefits;
* punishment to workers who protest;
* and, even, modern-day slavery, with 6 successful federal prosecutions in the past 10 years, and a current one, involving over 1,000 workers and more than a dozen farm employers;
WHEREAS, Burger King and other food industry leaders profit from and play an active role in creating these miserable conditions for farm workers in Florida by insisting on high volume low prices;
WHEREAS, Burger King and other food industry leaders have not only refused to join Yum! Brands and McDonald's in working with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to improve farm labor conditions, but have actively sought to reverse gains made by workers in agreements with those corporations;
THEREFORE, I add my name to those of countless consumers calling for an end to exploitation in the fields and modern-day slavery in the 21st century. I am also prepared to stop doing business with Burger King now, and other food industry leaders in the future, if they fail to join us.
Specifically, I call on Burger King and other food industry leaders to:
1. Pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes and ensure that it is passed on to tomato pickers as increased wages;
2. Work with the CIW to enforce a human rights-based code of conduct, including zero tolerance for forced labor, and to ensure fair and safe working conditions.
End of School Year Reflections
As the end of another school year rapidly approaches, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the year and to give thanks to some key people who helped make the year so memorable.
There were many special and inspiring moments from this past year so I will focus on just a couple that truly speak to the scope of HRE work being done within AIUSA.
Kicking off the year was our involvement with the film The Kite Runner. With much thanks to Bonnie Abaunza and Sarah Newman of Participant Productions, this was truly one of those amazing educational experiences. Approximately 30 schools participated in the pre-screenings and most of the schools included a speaker, panel discussion or other learning opportunity as part of the program. I particularly enjoyed my time with the students at Holton-Arms in Bethesda, MD; the community showing in Flemington, NJ with human rights educator extrodinaire William Fernekes and reading the feedback from the schools in Miami, Memphsis, Northern California, Cedar Rapids and Chicago. And I have to sat, meeting author Khaled Hoyes, meeting Kahlid Hossein was pretty cool.
Inspiring programs, projects and people:
HRE Service Corps, Washington, DC: This program brings university students together with DC Public School students to teach and learn about human rights in an open and engaging way. Having had the opportunity to meet and work with teachers at Centro Nia, I know that positive change is happening in D.C. and big thanks and congratulations need to go out to all involved in making the HRESC a reality.
The World of Human Rights at PS 11, Brooklyn, NY: Imagine how different things would be if every kindergartener was exposed to human rights in a range of ways and if that was just the beginning of their human rights education?
The idea of introducing a human-rights based approach to learning, using a whole school model (administrators, teachers, parents and students) seemed a bit ambitious but when you have the opportunity to, [as Principal Wrighton says, impact the lives of 500 children] you have to go for it. While we are in the process of learning key lessons from this pilot year, I know that this project has changed how some of the students and teachers think about and understand human rights. Teachers and parents stepped up to bring this project to life at PS 11 and for that we are grateful. A huge thank you to Nancy Bruni for getting this all started, Principal Wrighton for inviting us in and Sherry Hernandez for taking the lead, and then some, in designing the curriculum.
Somers County School District, New York: Under the leadership of Dr. Joanne Marien, Mary Staudt and Marylee Liebowitz , the schools in this district continue to infuse human rights into their programming and the curriculum. For the past three years, I have had the opportunity to meet with students and teachers at Crittenden Middle School and Somers High School, and I have seen a difference in the student's understanding of human rights and their desire to take action and make a difference in the world.
HRE at the University and Community College: Over the past year, we saw an increase in terms of courses and degrees offered at the university level. I am particularly honored to be working with Florence Dee Boodakian at Nassau Community College in preparing for one of the first interdisciplinary human rights courses taught at a community college. I am inspired by the work of many but need to give a special thank you to Christina Marin from New York University, Dennis Banks from SUNY Oneanta, and Susan Roberta Katz from University of San Francisco for supporting the work of the AIUSA HRE program and for your general, inspiring brilliance!
Speak Truth to Power: One of the most comprehensive and truly life changing programs, Speak Truth to Power, lead by Nan Richardson and Kerry Kennedy, continues to challenge us all to join the circle of human rights defenders in ways both big and small. I do want to highlight the work of Jefferson H.S near Shepherdstown, West Virginia for the tremendous work in presenting the play Voices from the Dark and educating their community. I also want to thank the National Education Association, in particular Jill Christianson, for inviting us to present and table at their joint conference for Women and Minorities - we reached 1000s of educators from across the country and we know that they are out there speaking truth to power!
People who inspire me and to whom I give a great deal of thanks (in addition to those mentioned above!): Kim Allen, Rebecca Catron, Adriane Alicea, Lucy Pagoda, Sheetal Khemchandani-Daswani, Patrick Phelan, Rachel Stein-Holmes, Jimmie Briggs, Leore Kahn, Daniel Lopez, Maria Rocio Acosta, Diego Zavala, Ellen Raider, Ed O'Brien, Ejim Dike, Michael Glenwick, Lynn Robinson, Anne Parris, Todd Jennings, Felisa Tibbitts, Jessamyn Waldman, Scott Hirschfeld, John Davison, Joy Berry, Nick Sullivan, Susan MacLaury, Sandra Sirota, Johnathan Torgouvik, Suvasini Patel, Suzanne Guthrie
Last but certainly not least, the HRE team here in New York City: Melissa Robinson, who has sacrificed much to do the work she believes in and the work she is called to do.
Our super interns: Susana, Kimmie Tronolone, Alexis Perlmutter, Samantha Lee, Michele Lagos, Clare Garvie
Human Rights Education and learning seeks to increase knowledge about human rights, develop skills to take action on behalf of human rights and to change dispositions so that our everyday actions reflect and value the human rights that we want for everyone.
Human rights education and learning is about establishing the foundation for long-term, sustainable change. It truly is an honor and privilege to work with so many amazing people and organizations committed to leaving a legacy of hope and a better future for all of us.
Wishing you a happy and restful summer,
Karen Robinson
