Rights in Humanitarian Crisis

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE

689 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139

www.uusc.org · 617-868-6600 [email protected]

Rights in Humanitarian Crisis

Justice Is Aid with Dignity: Solidarity, Not Charity

Advancing Human Rights Is the Work of Many Joining Hands




Justice Sunday 2011

• Justice Is Aid with Dignity – In the face of humanitarian crises,

UUSC supports the rights of people overlooked by mainstream relief.

• Reflect, understand, and act — today and every day!




Justice Sunday Web Pages

• Reflect– Resources for spiritual and personal

reflection• Sermon, readings, hymns, moment for all

ages• Book suggestions• Other resources





• Understand– Resources for deeper connection to how

UUSC is guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UU principles and sources

• Links to Rights in Humanitarian Crises projects– Stories– Resources– Partners

• Blog posts• Workshop materials• Get-Together





• Act– Resources for how to respond with the

knowledge and connection that inspires a call to action

• Plan Justice Sunday events• Link to advocacy opportunities and updates• Link to secure donation page for donations• Recommendations for congregation gifts

– Budgeted James Luther Adams gift– Plate collections

• List of what other groups are doing




Plan Justice Sunday

• Download materials– Worship materials– Steps to Justice– Get-Together– Evaluation form

• Connect to Rights inHumanitarian Crises



www.uusc.org · 617-868-6600 [email protected] Advancing Human Rights Is the Work of Many Joining Hands

Rights in Humanitarian Crises: What We Do

• Long-term crisis programs– Work in forgotten conflicts, including Uganda,

Myanmar, Kenya– Work in situations of extreme human-rights abuses,

such as Darfur

(Core funding)

• Short-term disaster-response programs; finding who is left behind– Haiti earthquake– Gaza– Pakistan floods

(Funded through special appeals)




Our Focus in Disasters: Finding Who Is Excluded, Providing Aid

with Dignity

• UUSC identifies and provides aid to groups who are left out of traditional relief because of race, class, and gender.

• UUSC provides recovery aid to marginalized groups as a means to change their status of exclusion.

• UUSC supports them to address the inequalities they face.




Pakistan earthquake 2005Our questions• How did the

earthquake affect this man?

• How did the earthquake affect this woman?

• What are the differences in their access to relief and to livelihood?

• Why?

http://www.pbase.com/maciekda/image/59804881




Our Focus in Long-Term Work: Forgotten Conflicts, Forgotten Populations• Dispersed

displaced in Kenya

• Women’s safety in Darfur

• Acholi people in Northern Uganda

• Shan people in Myanmar





Aid with Dignity Reflects Two UU

Principles1. The inherent worth and dignity of

every person – Identify who is marginalized in war

and disaster, and respond

2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations – Solidarity, not charity; respond in

ways that support people’s struggle against marginalization





Aid with Dignity: Human Rights Are Everyone’s Rights

• All articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are relevant in times of humanitarian crisis; some of the most pressing are the following:

• 3 — Right to Life, Liberty, and Personal Security

• 4 — Freedom from Slavery • 13 — Right to Free Movement in and

out of the Country • 16 — Right to Marriage and Family • 17 — Right to Own Property • 25 — Right to Adequate Living

Standard • 26 — Right to Education


Everyone is at risk during humanitarian crises. But, depending on who they are, people’s rights are not defended equally. We support people whose rights to protection, relief, and recovery are jeopardized because of who they are.




Eye-to-Eye Partnership Model: What It Means

• Building an equitable relationship with our partners

• Listening to our partners and building trust

• Taking the time for comprehensive analysis

• Working with them to develop/adjust programs to keep them relevant to context on the ground

• Providing technical help and ongoing support

• Finding other funders and resources, connecting partners, and developing exchanges

• Taking risks and being open to change




Where RHC currently works

Long-term, forgotten conflicts and populations

1. Genocide in Darfur

2. War in northern Uganda

3. Political unrest in Kenya

4. Conflict in eastern Myanmar

Short-term disaster relief

1. Earthquake in Haiti

2. Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

3. Floods in Pakistan





Darfur: Weaving a Web of Protection

• UNAMID police improved their protection of women in camps; firewood patrols

• UNAMID police now trained on women’s protection in all three Darfurs

• Women now report problems to the community police, 40–50% of whom are women




Aid with Dignity Means Raising Women’s Voices

and Worth• Camp leaders are

now aware of women’s specific protection needs

• Women in camps have developed leadership skills to voice their concerns to the leadership

• Imams are educating people to prevent violence against womenAdvancing Human Rights Is the Work of Many Joining Hands




Northern Uganda: Returning Home

• UUSC began in two camps in 2008

• Now 16,000 people have returned to 30 villages

• Dialogue and discussion in the community

• Youth building homes for the vulnerable





Aid with Dignity Means Helping People Find Their Own Ability to

Heal from War• Laying the dead to

rest• Providing practical

support, including oxen, in a way that builds community

• Reducing dependency; new skills to build what they need

• Build on Acholi cultureAdvancing Human Rights Is the Work of Many Joining Hands




Kenya: Helping the Forgotten Displaced Rebuild Their Lives• Kakamega:

identifying and helping the “forgotten displaced” after the electoral violence

• Counseling • Support for HIV-

positive women• Family tracing





Aid with Dignity Means Some Security at Last

• Training 120 women in income generation

• First revolving-loan funds — now paid back

• Collectives now borrowing, expanded businesses

• Repaired homes, kids in school, finally security again





Myanmar: Helping People in War-Affected Villages Survive and

Thrive• Supporting community-

seeded revolving-loan funds in 100+ communities of Shan State

• Piloting women-led livelihoods strategies in two rural, poor communities in Karen state

• Developing ways to reduce pressures, especially on women, to migrate to urban areas and across national bordersAdvancing Human Rights Is the Work of Many Joining Hands




Aid with Dignity Means Strengthening Communities’

Resilience• 81 revolving-loan funds have

reached over 20,000 people — 53% are women

• Shared resources are being used for health needs and support for vulnerable families

• 40 women in two communities have begun livestock projects to increase income, food security, and education

• Communities are clamoring for inclusion in these projects




Haiti: Pilot Projects

• Providing temporary work to thousands who fled to rural areas

• Training 96 Haitian trauma workers

• Helping 50 street vendors rebuild their business and scale up to feed their families





Aid with Dignity: Supporting Haitians in Finding Their

Own Solutions• Helping women

struggle against gender-based violence in the camps

• New solutions for girls orphaned in the earthquake

• Protecting children in the camps





Gaza: Supporting Young People Rebuilding Their Communities

• 30 young women and men trained as trauma counselors

• Recovery workshops for 250 youth in 10 communities

• Special workshops for mothers of young children

• Youth teams identified homes needing simple, critical repairs

• Completed repairs to 30 vulnerable families’ homes





Aid with Dignity: Repairs with Safety and Dignity

• On-the-ground assessment of damages in 10 communities

• Identification of viable, safe home-repair options

• Identification of families most in need

• Information and methodology shared with other NGOs

• Pursuing partnership and funding to continue and expand





Pakistan: Recovery for Women, Religious Minorities, and Bonded

Laborers• Supporting women’s

recovery through direct support and connections to aid and recovery

• Increasing sensitivity to violence against women

• Supporting religious minorities and bonded laborers rebuild and gain food security

• Helping women in ethnic areas develop independent livelihoods





Aid with Dignity: Recovery without Exploitation

• Preventing increases in bonded labor

• Finding sustainable shelter options

• Increasing women’s control of assets and incomes

• Helping children return and remain in school





Justice Is Aid with Dignity

Mission Statement

UUSC advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.

Vision Statement

UUSC envisions a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights.

The mission of UUSC is guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), as well as Unitarian Universalist principles, which affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person.


Documents

Rights in Humanitarian Crisis