HRAP Program Report 2010
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Human Rights Advocates Program 2010 Program Report Institute for the Study of Human Rights Columbia University 2010 Program Report | 1 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Introduction 1 2 The Advocates — In Their Own Words 3 Before I came to HRAP, I knew that people were NAJLAA AHMED . 3 1 suffering in Bosnia and that people were dying in JAMES RWAMPIGI ANIYAMUZAALA . 6 Sudan. But when I came to HRAP, I met advocates SIARHEI ANTUSEVICH . 10 from Bosnia, Sudan and other countries—people who SUSAN ARYEETEY . 13 are living and making a difference in their countries. AGNES ATIM. 17 COLETTE LESPINASSE. 21 Colette Lespinasse, 2010 Advocate GLENDA MUZENDA . 24 ANDREA NUILA . 27 AZRA SMAILKADIC-BRKIC. 30 Photo below and on the cover—The Advocates visited the Statue of Liberty at the end of orientation week. BAKARY TANDIA . 33 3 Workshops 37 4 Support 43 5 HRAP Administration 45 6 Institute for the Study of Human Rights 48 7 Comments from HRAP’s Partners 49 2 | Human Rights Advocates Program 2010 Program Report | 3 The 22nd year of the Human Rights and deepen their expertise on a number of Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia issues including HIV/AIDS, gender justice, University continued the Institute for the disability rights, LGBT rights, genocide, Study of Human Right’s commitment to war crimes, trade unions, the rule of law, The Advocates strengthening the skills, knowledge and migration, sexual and reproductive rights networks of proven grassroots human rights and immigrants’ rights. In Their Own Words leaders who are “making a difference in their countries,” as observed by the 2010 Advocate The 2010 HRAP welcomed the from Haiti, Colette Lespinasse. involvement of HRAP alumni. Several 2This year, we asked the Advocates to take a stand against human rights violations, HRAP alumni agreed to interview applicants share with us what inspired them to work in discrimination, injustice and inequality—to Academic coursework, skills-building to the 2010 Program. In addition to human rights. Following each interview are help my people have a better future and to workshops and networking opportunities interviewing a number of strong applicants, details on each Advocate’s participation in live with dignity to honor my profession.” with the human rights, academic and donor 2009 Advocate Elsadig Elsheikh returned the 2010 HRAP. Najlaa has faced every situation of injustice communities, primarily in New York City to Columbia University to lead a very well- with the mindset, “What can I do? I am and Washington, D.C., comprise the HRAP received workshop on Negotiation and morally and legally obliged to provide those curriculum. Through a very competitive Communication. 1996 Advocate Twesigye vulnerable with what I can.” selection process, 10 human rights leaders Jackson Kaguri shared with the Advocates NAJLAA AHMED were selected from 170 applicants. The 2010 and members of the Columbia University Advocates came from Belarus, Bosnia/USA, community his experience building schools Human Rights Monitoring Officer Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Mauritania/USA, for AIDS orphans in his home country, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda (2) to share Uganda. ACJPS Susan and Agnes discussed the accuracy of the Ghanaian costume on a doll at the Ellis Island Museum. Sudan For Najlaa Ahmed, the calling to human rights came as a result of the world that surrounded her in her home country of Sudan. Growing up, Najlaa witnessed firsthand the fear of her people not to talk or walk freely under the Sudanese restrictive laws. “I heard stories of people who disappeared or were tortured. Some survived with their physical and mental pain, but others died. Seeing the impact of war on my people’s faces, I felt it was my duty to my people and to my profession as a lawyer to 4 | Human Rights Advocates Program 2010 Program Report | 5 Najlaa’s involvement in human rights Faculty Mentor Washington, D.C. Speaking Engagements work thus began including performing Fund for Global Human Rights Building Peace: Exploring the Intersections of charity work collecting clothes and food to Mahmood Mamdani Inspection Panel, Th e World Bank Group Militarism and Violence Against Women, give to people in need. During this time, Interactive Workshop Presentation. Sponsored Herbert Lehman Professor of Government and Institute for Policy Studies she says, “I gained enormous knowledge Professor of Anthropology by the United Methodist Women, the Center International Center for Research on Women for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers and recognized the other side of life—the Department of Anthropology life of street children, women in IDP camps, National Endowment for Democracy University and the World Council of Churches UN Offi ce. women in prisons, and the challenges of Classes Refugees International women tea and food sellers who each has International Human Rights Day Celebration: Transitional Justice, Columbia Law School Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Presentation on the Relevance of the Universal her own story of struggle.” Rights Major Debates in African Studies, Department of Declaration of Human Rights to the Work of Anthropology United States Institute for Peace Human Rights Advocates. Sponsored by the Th rough pursuing advocacy of human Institute for the Study of Human Rights and rights, Najlaa explains that she discovered Networking Vital Voices Global Partnership the Human Rights Working Group, School how there are no limits to her involvement for International and Public Aff airs, Columbia and what she is able to achieve. “Th is is a New York City Greater Boston Area University. Harvard University, Harvard Humanitarian continuing battle without rest,” she says Arcus Foundation Presentation on Human Rights Work. Sponsored by Initiative Open Society Foundations, Africa Regional of her work in human rights. “My only Center for Constitutional Rights instrument is my profession [as an advocate], My Sister’s Keeper Program. which I’m relying on to achieve justice for Columbia University, New Media Taskforce Roundtable Discussion on Development featuring all.” In the face of the struggle and battle she Crisis Action Bakary Tandia, Susan Aryeetey, Agnes Atim, James Rwampigi Aniyamuzaala, Najlaa Ahmed, Glenda faces to help improve the human rights of Development Group for Alternative Policies Muzenda, Colette Lespinasse, Andrea Nuila and her people, Najlaa looks to the achievements Friends of Africa International, Democracy and Azra Smailkadic-Brkic. Sponsored by Institute of great leaders who have come before her. Human Rights Project Sudan for Policy Studies. She refl ects, “Like Gandhi, Martin Luther Hollaback! King Jr., Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, others I have met, and others I dream to Human Rights Watch, Africa Division meet, who dedicated their lives to the cause International Center for Transitional Justice Najlaa has faced every situation of a better future for their people and set International Refugee Rights Initiative of injustice with the mindset, principles and values to follow, I continually Open Society Foundations, Africa Regional fi nd motivation to work for human rights. Program What can I do? I am morally Above all, the prolonged suff ering of my United Nations Development Fund for Women and legally obliged to provide people motivates me not to surrender.” Wellspring Advisors, LLC those vulnerable with Najlaa with Ky-Mani Marley at the “Get Up, Stand Up, Speak Up—Stop what I can. Discrimination” UN event in honor of Human Rights Day. Photo courtesy of Najlaa Ahmed. 6 | Human Rights Advocates Program 2010 Program Report | 7 JAMES RWAMPIGI mission to help women and children with He says, “Positive and progressive action Major Debates in African Studies, Department of ANIYAMUZAALA disabilities through her organization and both locally and globally motivates me Anthropology that I was responsible to realize her dream to keep advocating for human rights for Networking of a good and improved standard of living persons with disabilities.” Human Rights Program Coordinator for persons with disabilities.” New York City Youth with Physical Disability Faculty Mentor Th rough student groups in high school, Arcus Foundation Development Forum Barnard College James began his work as an advocate for Michelle Sondra Ballan the disabled. He continues his work today Columbia Law School, Center for Gender and Uganda Assistant Professor of Social Work through the numerous commitments he has Sexuality Law School of Social Work When James Aniyamuzaala became made: Human Rights Coordinator with Columbia University, Institute of African Studies hard of hearing after an accident at the age Youth with Physical Disability Development Classes Columbia University, Mailman School of Public of eight, it was not his fi rst encounter facing Forum, President of the Uganda Federation Health the situation of persons with disabilities. of Hard of Hearing, board member of the Issues in Rural Development, School of International and Public Aff airs Columbia University, New Media Taskforce His mother, Mary Aniyamuzaala, was a International Federation of Hard of Hearing polio survivor and one of the founders of Young People, and member of Global Law, Policy, Rights: Exploring Rights-Based Columbia University, School for International and Public Aff airs the National Union of Disabled Persons of Partnership for Disability and Development. Approaches to Health, Mailman School of Public Health Uganda. Columbia University, School of Social Work As an orphan at the age of 12, he recognized that education was the only way for him to survive. However, James became I felt my mother frustrated with the stereotypes placed on had left behind him as a person with a disability. James made it his mission to prevent other persons a mission to help women with disabilities, particularly children and and children with youth, from having the same challenges disabilities through her he had encountered. He says, “I seek to organization and that I remove the institutional barriers that limit was responsible to realize participation of persons with disabilities in development and community programs.