Building awareness
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Using Living Newspapers to bring world events into the classroom

The Living Newspaper Project is an innovative program to reinvigorate civic education through the dramatization of contemporary human rights issues. The current project builds on the United States Federal Theater project, created under the 1930s New Deal to put unemployed researchers, journalists and performers to work creating theater pieces about events of the day. Today’s Living Newspapers take place in the classroom where the Living Newspaper—literally, a newspaper brought to life—engages students in conducting research on current events, crafting critical and creative writing, and staging public performances. Students gain a greater ability to understand and affect the world around them through an interdisciplinary, hands-on, collaborative project. The ultimate goal is to take action – by simply being aware of injustices or actually taking steps to do something to change the situation.

Using peaceful marches to raise awareness of domestic violence

The National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence (Alianza) organizes annual marches across the country in memory of Gladys Ricart, a Dominican woman who was murdered in New Jersey by an ex boyfriend on her wedding day.  The Domestic Violence Bride's March seeks to attract media attention and raise community awareness of domestic violence.

Using international monitoring bodies to pressure government to address violations and establish mechanisms for protection

The Committee on the Administration of Justice succeeded in raising the issue of human rights abuses in Northern Ireland at the international level and, by doing so, brought about significant improvements in human rights conditions. This was accomplished through CAJ’s utilisation of the Committee Against Torture–one of the mechanisms available through the United Nations for monitoring governments that have signed international conventions. In order to use these international mechanisms effectively, a number of supporting tactics were necessary, including writing submissions to the Committee, lobbying in Geneva and monitoring the implementation and impact that the reports and recommendations of Committee Against Torture have had on Northern Ireland in terms of actually improving the human rights situation on the ground. International mechanisms can be a powerful and effective tool for human rights organisations to leverage for change, especially when they have encountered significant obstacles and opposition at the local and national level.

Using people’s tribunals to mobilize victims and pressure for justice

The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), founded by a group of lawyers and social activists in India, set up the Indian People’s Tribunal to promote justice and mobilize victims of human rights abuses.  These tribunals seek to bring a wide range of human rights abuses into focus through conducting public hearings.  Positioned as an alternative People’s Court, since 1993 the IPT has conducted 24 tribunals on issues ranging from police violence to the right to food and housing.

Using a historic garment factory to promote dialogue on sweatshop issues

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum brings together representatives from conflicting sectors of the garment industry to a recreation of the Levine family’s 1897 tenement apartment and dressmaking shop and discuss what needs to be done – and by whom – to address the problem of sweatshops today.  The museum provides a non-threatening environment in which to build dialogue around contentious social problems.

Creating an online database to promote government transparency

The city government in Seoul, South Korea created an online database to increase government transparency.  Online Procedure Procedures Enhancement for Civil Applications (OPEN) was initiated by the Seoul City Government  to allow city citizens to monitor civil applications through an online database. OPEN provides details on the status of applications made related to the 70  municipal government tasks identified as most prone to corruption.   Through the database, applicants can find out who has their application, when they can expect the application process to be  complete, reasons for delay, and, if an application has been declined, reasons for its rejection.

Developing a Corporate Sector Model to promote cost-effective and socially-responsible action on HIV/AIDS in the community

HIV/AIDS is a devastating disease that affects populations all over the world, particularly the young and productive industrial workforce in India.  The cost associated with treating the disease is beyond the means of most persons living with HIV/AIDS.  Tata Iron & Steel Company Ltd., recognizing that the most inexpensive and cost-effective approach to battling the spread of HIV/AIDS is through education and prevention, developed a Corporate Sector Model to prevent the disease.  Since 1998, Tata Iron & Steel Company Ltd has trained over 1500 grassroots leaders to give HIV/AIDS education and has reached over 200,000 people in its AIDS Awareness Program.  Tata Iron & Steel Company Ltd. values socially-responsible community and business practices and, in 2001, its managing director signed the HIV(+) & AIDS Control Policy, demonstrating the company’s continuing commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.  In June 2003 the company was given the Award for Business Excellence in the Community by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

Using accessible media tools to promote social change and the situation of women in a male-dominated society

The Women’s Media Centre of Cambodia (WMC) uses accessible media tools, such as the radio and television, to address issues affecting women in Cambodia in order to raise awareness among and stimulate social change in Cambodian society.  With its programs, WMC educates, informs, and advises both male and female audiences with messages that are easy to understand and straightforward.  In addition, WMC focuses on portraying the positive role and impact that Cambodian women have in society to empower women and to change the negative representations that mainstream media have usually associated with them. Through this tactic,  WMC has helped to improve the participation and portrayal of women in the mainstream media and raised awareness among Cambodian society on women's issues.

Compiling human rights education success stories to learn from the experiences of others

The Asia-Pacific Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (ARRC) compiles human rights education success stories to benefit the field of human rights education and to serve as an inspiration to disadvantaged groups.

Creating a child board and village child protection networks to combat child abuse and trafficking

At the beginning of 2005, Enfants & Developpement (E&D) set up a Participatory Child Protection Project in 6 communes covering 126 villages. The project pilots a new initiative in combating child trafficking issues through the establishment of Child Boards at the district level.  While it is too early to assess the impacts of the project, a high degree of success towards the goal of protecting children from being abused can be anticipated due to variety of reasons.