Tactics

Are you looking for ideas and inspiration on how you can achieve your human rights goals? Then you’re in the right place. Below, we have over 250 examples of successful human rights tactics.

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Engaging civil society and international allies to build a united front to lobby for legal amendments

The Iraqi Civic Action Network (ICAN) led a large civil society movement by engaging national and international stakeholders to put pressure on the Iraqi parliament to integrate amendments agreed upon by the broad alliance to the law on the establishment and functioning of Iraqi non-governmental organizations (NGOs). As a result, a second draft law, based on the recommendations of the civil society organizations and reviewed by the parliament was sent to the president to integrate the suggested recommendations.

Training migrant men and women farmworkers for family violence prevention in migrant farmworker communities

Migrant farmworkers experience more health problems, including family violence, than the general United States population. Yet healthcare workers have few culturally - and linguistically - appropriate educational materials and even less data on the prevalence of domestic violence among migrant farmworker women.

Encouraging passage of local government resolutions to influence national policy

Prior to 2003, Cities for Peace, a coalition of local elected officials and concerned community members, worked to get City Councils and other civic bodies to pass resolutions against a US led war on Iraq. Although the group focuses on the anti-war effort, this tactic has also been used to show local opposition to a variety of federal actions, such as investment in apartheid and the curtailment of civil liberties under the Patriot Act (2001).

Empowering the youth with democratic tools to promote coexistence

The Jewish-Arab Community Association (JACA) in the Wolfson Neighborhood of Acre, Israel, has a youth parliament in which Jewish and Arab youths from the community can take part to learn about and put into practice the concept of coexistence.  JACA teaches democracy and tolerance and helps to develop lines of communication and civil debate in order to develop young leadership dedicated to coexistence in Israel.

Empowering children with information, skills and support to advocate for their own rights

In India, the group Concerned for Working Children (CWC) enables children to create formal structures such as unions and governance bodies to advocate for their own rights. Through this work, CWC strengthens the participa­tion of children, especially those who are working or otherwise marginalized, in decision-making and governance on all matters that concern them. CWC has been actively involved in this cause since 1980 and is currently working in five Karnataka districts.

Employing community health volunteers to administer low-cost HIV/AIDS medications, treatment and support

Ninety-five percent of the world’s HIV/AIDS cases occur in developing nations where little or no access to affordable treatment exists.  Even so, conventional wisdom in international circles often points to the lack of medical and economic infrastructure and the high cost of treatment as reasons why HIV/AIDS initiatives cannot work in poor countries.  Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest and most HIV-affected nation, is one example of the intersection between poverty and disease.

Disciplining of health care professionals reinforces ethical standards

The Turkish Medical Association held a series of meetings to design a human rights curriculum for all medical schools in the country. The curriculum would cover roles and responsibilities of health care professionals, as well as targeted practical training for issues relevant in the country. The TMA also hosted a series of training conferences for practicing forensic physicians. In addition to imparting forensic skills on identifying torture, they also reinforced the ethical and legal obligations these professionals had to victims.

 

Developing youth parliaments to teach youth about the democratic process

The Culture and Free Thought Association has established youth centers, run by youth parliaments, to teach adolescents about the democratic process and provide them with positive life experiences. The youth centers are now governed by the elected members of the youth parliaments. This program for youth sprung out of a need to illustrate the democratic process for young people who had never witnessed it. Many youth in Palestine had witnessed or been subjected to violence.

Developing international monitoring and labelling coalitions

The Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) is developing international monitoring and labelling coalitions through an umbrella organization for the Fair Trade movement, in order to set criteria and standards for labeling and certification. This includes price minimums, pre-paid requirements and other guidelines. In addition, it manages a registry of producers committed to Fair Trade principles that includes small farmers and cooperatives that sell products directly to manufacturers and distributors.

Developing electronic advocacy groups to influence government on issues of peace and social justice

MoveOn creates electronic advocacy groups to influence government on issues of peace and social justice. It is a grassroots organization aimed at involving ordinary people in politics in order to narrow the gap between public opinion and legislative action. With a network of over 600,000 “online activists,” MoveOn helps busy but concerned citizens find their political voice by organizing “electronic advocacy groups” around issues such as campaign finance, environmental and energy issues, impeachment, gun safety, and nuclear disarmament.

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