2015 Annual Report 2015 Annual Report | 3 Be Part of the Solution Our Year in Review
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ANNUAL REPORT EXPOSE INJUSTICE. 2015 TEACH CHANGE. RIGHT WRONG. HEAL PAIN. JOIN US. NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO, Robert Kennedy’s family and friends dedicated themselves to carrying on his unfinished work of standing with those who fight against oppression. Today, we are students and activists, lawyers and business leaders, teachers and advocates, all working towards a common goal: achieving Bobby’s dream of a more just and peaceful world. DEAR FRIENDS, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights continued my father’s OUR WORK OUR IMPACT unfinished labors for a more just and peaceful world through a multiplicity of worldwide endeavors in 2015. Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights takes ADVOCACY AND LITIGATION a holistic approach to creating change: OUR ADVOCATES HAVE PARTNERED WITH OVER Our advocacy and litigation unit battled discrimination KERRY KENNEDY courageous countries around President against Dominicans of Haitian descent, scored landmark HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION defenders in the world victories for victims of femicide in Guatemala, freed We train and educate current and future human rights defenders to build capacity from the ground up and prevent abuses before THROUGH 12 ANNUAL CAPACITY BUILDING TRAININGS, prisoners of conscience in Swaziland and raised they occur. OUR EXPERTS REACH awareness about human rights in the United States. ADVOCACY AND LITIGATION human rights government Our human rights education curriculum, reaching 3.2 Through our advocacy and litigation efforts, we create lasting defenders and advocacy million students worldwide, was launched in Canada, change; harnessing the power of social movements and organizations bringing the arm of the law to the defense of the vulnerable. Guadeloupe, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Norway and Portugal—with teacher trainings reaching BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS We engage the investment community in discussions focused on BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS many educators. At two annual sustainable investing human rights and other environmental, societal and governance WE PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN summits we partnered with more than 120 business factors; ensuring their investments in businesses around the globe not only do well, but are also a force for good. business leaders controlling $5-7 trillion in assets leaders controlling assets of $5 to $7 trillion to embrace to consider human rights in their investment LEGACY decisions human rights in their investment decisions. Our Young We inspire new generations to take action and create change Leaders network reached over 1,500 members in New by amplifying and celebrating activists, authors, journalists, and students whose work reflects Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy, HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION York and Washington, D.C. including human rights, social justice and the power of individual action in the United States and around the world. OUR HUMAN RIGHTS countries We persisted with these and many other global efforts to EDUCATION PROGRAM and YOUNG LEADERS HAS REACHED embrace those who carry forward the legacy of Robert MILLION We mobilize the next generation to champion human rights in students worldwide Kennedy of which you can be justly proud. their communities. Warmly, EDUCATORS WERE REACHED through trainings in the U.S. alone YOUNG LEADERS YOUNG LEADERS COUNTS members in NYC and a new chapter in Washington, D.C. 2 | 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 3 BE PART OF THE SOLUTION OUR YEAR IN REVIEW ADVOCACY AND LITIGATION In 2015, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Fought arbitrary deprivation of nationality from Dominicans of Haitian descent in the freed prisoners of conscience in Swaziland Dominican Republic: • Through our work and persistent pressure, we were able to get the Dominican Republic government to commit to not engage in and partnered with activists from Chicago massive deportations and put stateless people back on a path to citizenship. to Moscow to combat police brutality. Our • We helped secure the release of $2 million in emergency UN funding after having engaged in a fact-finding mission to the Dominican Republic along the border with Haiti. Strategic Litigation Unit won landmark Won landmark case for victims of Training Institute femicide in Guatemala: cases, protecting women in Guatemala • Organized 12 activities and 5 side events. • In December, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights • 177 human rights defenders and government agents trained. issued a landmark ruling in a case we brought regarding the • 87 organizations and government agencies involved. disappearance and murder of 19-year old Claudina Isabel from being murdered with impunity, and Velásquez Pais in 2005. • Representing 66 countries. • The Court ordered Guatemala to adopt a series of measures communities in the Dominican Republic that will address structural discrimination and violence against women in the country. and The Bahamas from illegal deportation Fought discriminatory immigration policies in and expulsion from their homelands. The Bahamas: • We obtained protective measures for 200 people held in a migration detention center. Our business and human rights program • We led a fact-finding mission to assess the impact of the immigration policies, particularly on Haitians and persons of worked with the Department of Labor Haitian Descent. • We participated in the first ever Thematic Hearing about human rights in The Bahamas before the Inter-American Commission on to release new guidance for investors Human Rights. Raised Attention on the Human Rights Situation considering the social impact of their in the United States: Freed Prisoners of Conscience in Africa’s last • We organized hearings on Child Victims of Trafficking and absolute monarchy: Sexual Exploitation, and on Police Killings. • Journalist Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani investments. We launched our human Maseko – imprisoned for criticizing the judiciary in Swaziland – were released in June after the government bowed to the rights education curriculum in Canada, international pressure of our #SwaziJustice campaign. France, Guadeloupe, Switzerland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, expanding its “I’m certain that the training and the whole reach to 16 countries and more than 3.2 experience will help me take my organization’s work to a higher level of international advocacy” million students worldwide. TRAINING INSTITUTE PARTICIPANT FROM MEXICO 4 | 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 5 OUR YEAR IN REVIEW “Because of the work of Young Leaders, there HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION is hope in the Hudson Valley” Our human rights education curriculum launched in: –ROLFI OLVIRO, PASTOR AND FORMER FARMWORKER • Canada, Guadeloupe, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. We held trainings internationally in: • Cambodia, Italy, Rwanda, and Sweden. JUVENILE JUSTICE YOUNG LEADERS Over the past year, Congress has engaged in a serious debate Within the United States we held trainings in: about how to reform the federal criminal justice system. As a down • Austin, Indianapolis, Long Island, Los Angeles, Memphis, payment on this reform, a bipartisan group of 11 senators, including Oneonta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, University of Connecticut Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking (Storrs), and Tulsa. Member Leahy (D-VT), introduced “The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act.” As a result of work by the bill cosponsors, Senators Speak Truth To Power Video Contest Winners: Booker (D-NJ) and Durbin (D-IL), this landmark legislation includes • Julio Villegas and Christopher Rodriguez BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS three provisions that would assist young people incarcerated in RFKennedy Compass Hyannis Port, M.A. Conference: the federal system. All of these reforms have been supported by Speak Up, Sing Out Music Contest Winner: the Juvenile Justice Collaborative, which also worked with Senator • Jade Rhodes • 6th Annual Hyannis Port Conference Booker to improve the specific provision on juvenile records sealing. • Over 180 attendees The three juvenile justice reforms proposed by the bill include: Theatre Program: • Keynote Speakers included: Honorable Barney Frank (M.A.), • We piloted a week-long theatre camp in New York, that merges David Bonderman, Founding Partner, TPG Capital, Renee James, Sealing and expungement of non-violent federal human rights education with social justice theatre to address the President, Intel Corporation, N. Gregory Mankiw, Chairman and juvenile records: Launching the RFKYL Speaker Series realities of oppression and create tools for liberation. Professor of Economics, Harvard University This provision would allow individuals to seek sealing and • Young Leaders educated hundreds of young New Yorkers about RFKennedy Compass Washington, D.C. Conference: expungement of non-violent federal juvenile records upon petition to today’s most pressing human rights issues through a bi-monthly the court. The Collaborative and its partners successfully worked with • 4th Annual East Coast Conference speaker series highlighting the work of local young activists. Senator Booker’s staff to support and improve this provision of the bill. • Over 120 attendees Supporting New York Farmworkers • Keynote Speakers included: Senator Cory Booker (NJ), Senator Judicial review of juvenile sentences: • Delivered 200 pounds of winter clothes. Orrin Hatch (UT), Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Jason This provision would allow inmates in the federal system who were • Delivered boxes of toys for the holidays and helped serve a Furman, National Economic Council Director Jeffrey Zients, sentenced as