admin – Race and Equality

10Jul 2020 by admin No Comments

Race and Equality hosts discussion on the fight against systemic racism in the Americas

CIDH, English, IACHR, OAS, OEA, ONU, Race and Equality, UN

Washington D.C., July 9, 2020.- The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) held the webinar “International Response to Racial Injustice and Police Brutality in the Americas” on July 7th. The webinar highlighted the need to use a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to combat racism and racial discrimination against Afro-descendants across the region. Costa Rican Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr; Margarette May Macauley, Rapporteur on the Rights of Afro-descendants and on the Rights of Women at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR); and Tendayi Achiume, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenofobia and Related Forms of Intolerance, all offered reflections during the webinar, with Race & Equality’s Executive Director Carlos Quesada serving as moderator. After several African Americans in the U.S.…

10Jul 2020 by admin No Comments

“In Santiago, I spent 100 days in an isolation cell”: The story of Lisandra Rivera, victim of State repression in Cuba

Cuba

Lisandra Rivera first learned about Cuba’s opposition groups when she was 25 years old, living in her hometown of Santiago de Cuba. One Sunday in August 2013, she was at the beach with her friends when she saw a group of women dressed all in white protesting in the middle of the street. The young women stopped to watch the protesters and ask them about their group, the famed Damas de Blanco. They also watched the police put down the protest. Before long, Lisandra and her mother joined the Damas. “We went to mass with the Damas every Sunday to demand freedom for political prisoners and for the people of Cuba. We carried out activities for children and brought aid to elderly and sick people,” says Lisandra, now 32 years…

02Jul 2020 by admin No Comments

High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet: “the health crisis caused by COVID-19 has led to greater restrictions on civic and democratic space” in Nicaragua

English, Nicaragua, UN

Geneva, July 2nd, 2020. The health crisis caused by COVID-19 has led to greater restrictions on civic and democratic space in Nicaragua, according to an oral update given by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet during the 44th period of sessions of the Human Rights Council. “The official discourse stigmatizes people who criticize the State response or disseminate information contradicting official sources (...) There is also little transparency and lack of clarity in public information on cases. Although the Government has indicated that it has been working to strengthen public health and community health, visiting house to house to detect cases, some government measures do not comply with the recommendations of the WHO, PAHO and the Nicaraguan medical community, especially regarding physical distancing”, said the High Commissioner.…

27Jun 2020 by admin No Comments

The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights celebrates that the Cuban activist Ariel Ruiz Urquiola will be able to address the plenary of the United Nations Human Rights Council and clarifies assistance offered in Geneva

Cuba, UN

Washington D.C., June 26, 2020 – The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) is happy to hear that today, June 26, the Cuban scientist and activist Ariel Ruiz Urquiola has ended his hunger and thirst strike after reaching an agreement that allows him to speak against the Cuban government during the plenary session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations. However, with respect to the article published by Cubanet on June 26, we would like to reaffirm and clarify the following points: Race and Equality is firmly committed to the defense and protection of the human rights of Cubans. We applaud that Ruiz Urquiola will be able to present his information to the plenary of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations,…

26Jun 2020 by admin No Comments

Pride Month: A Time to Celebrate and Resist

LGBTI

This year marks fifty-one years since the Stonewall Inn riots. This year we celebrate in isolation or with social distancing measures in place; nevertheless, we celebrate and we resist. The Stonewall Inn riots empowered generations to come and galvanized the LGBTI movement around the world, it became a symbolic call to arms. Stonewall said enough is enough and the personal became political. Fifty-one years later we have a lot to celebrate. Many countries around the world have recognized the existence of LGBTI people and have passed laws prohibiting discrimination due to sexual orientation and gender identity. Transgender people also have more rights now and can legally change their names in many countries. In addition, in many countries, LGBTI can marry the person they love regardless of their sex or gender.…