Human Rights and Strategic Litigation: Towards a Transformation of International Standards

Human Rights and Strategic Litigation: Towards a Transformation of International Standards

  • In commemoration of International Human Rights Day, Race and Equality offers a comprehensive look at four cases that are being litigated before the Inter-American Human Rights System.

Washington, DC; December 10, 2024.– In the process of promoting and defending human rights, strategic litigation represents a key front of the struggle. For this reason, it is one of the four pillars of work for the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality).

With the idea that access to justice is fundamental to guarantee and protect human rights, Race and Equality litigates alongside victims and allied organizations, before human rights mechanisms at the Inter-American and universal levels, carrying out this work in two ways.

There is the emergency legal response, which is activated when counterparts face risks of violation of their human rights, and the Race and Equality Legal Team supports them in the documentation and timely submission of requests for protection and intervention before the Inter-American System and/or the Universal System.

Litigating before the IAHRS

To achieve comprehensive justice for victims and promote long-term, sustainable, and structural changes for greater protection of human rights, Race and Equality also conducts strategic litigation through constant coordination with civil society counterparts.

In commemoration of the International Day of Human Rights, Race and Equality presents four cases that are currently being litigating before the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS), offering a comprehensive look at the facts of each case, their procedural status and, in collaboration with victims, relatives, and allied organizations, what we seek in terms of jurisprudence and transformation of international standards.

Race and Equality is currently litigating before the IAHRS 10 cases (3 vs. Nicaragua, 2 vs. Colombia, 3 vs. Cuba, 1 vs. Peru, and 1 vs. Mexico), for violation of human rights of 157 individual victims and three collective victims); each case is in a different procedural status. In 31 cases we seek protection before the Universal System and the IAHRS (13 from Nicaragua,  3 from Colombia, 14 from Cuba, and 1 from Brazil), in favor of 401 individual beneficiaries and two collective beneficiaries. The people and groups represented belong to the populations with whom the organization has worked since its inception: Afro-descendants, Indigenous people, LGBTI+ people, women community leaders, human rights defenders, and victims of political repression.

In addition, in compliance with the institutional vision of Race and Equality, the cases are approached from an intersectional perspective.

It is important to mention that the work of strategic litigation is intertwined and reinforced by the other pillars of the work of Race and Equality, which are advocacy, documentation, and strengthening the capacities of counterparts. Learn more here.

  • Petition of the Ladies in White (Cuba): Comprehensive Protection of the Right to Defend Human Rights

For their work in defense and promotion of human rights in Cuba, the Ladies in White are continuously threatened, harassed, persecuted, and repressed by state agents and are detained every week for hours or days, some of them being in arbitrary detention for political reasons. During the last few weeks, its President, Ms. Berta Soler, has been detained and forcibly disappeared on three occasions for almost 3 days.  In 2013, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures in favor of all the members of the organization, which are still in force; and in 2022 Race and Equality filed a petition for the human rights violations caused to the women who make up the Ladies in White and to the organization itself.

Currently, the deadline for the State to submit its observations on admissibility and merits is running, and the IACHR will subsequently be able to rule on the State’s international responsibility in this case.

Through the precautionary measures, a letter of allegation before the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, and actions before other United Nations bodies, Race and Equality seeks to guarantee the protection of the rights to life, personal integrity, personal liberty, freedom of thought and expression, to association, and to exercise the right to defend human rights and freedom of expression.

The petition alleges that the State of Cuba is internationally responsible for the violation of the rights to life, liberty, security, and integrity of the person, equality before the law, protection of honor, the constitution and protection of the family, the preservation of health and well-being, and protection against arbitrary detention for political reasons to the detriment of victims.

  • Petition of Kevin Solís (Nicaragua): Protection of Human Rights Defenders as Key Actors for the Strengthening of Democracy

The case of Kevin Solís is an example of the pattern of repression suffered by students who denounced human rights violations during the 2018 social unrest in Nicaragua. Between 2018 and 2020 he was deprived of his liberty on two occasions, being a victim of torture and punishment in prison, in addition to his academic records from the public university being destroyed. On February 9, 2023, Kevin Solís was released from prison, exiled to the United States, and stripped of his nationality.

Given the risk of the situation faced by Solís, the IACHR granted him precautionary measures and he was later the beneficiary of provisional measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR). In August 2023, Race and Equality filed a petition with the IACtHR denouncing the human rights violations committed by the State against it. The provisional measures are in force, while the petition is awaiting processing by the IACtHR.

With the strategy used in this case, we seek to protect human rights defenders as key actors in strengthening democracy, as well as to denounce arbitrary detentions through the use of legislation contrary to international standards to criminalize freedom of expression. This case will also contribute to the documentation of the human rights violations that have occurred since the beginning of the crisis for a) pressure from the international community and b) subsequent accountability, reparation, and the establishment of guarantees of non-repetition.

  • Precautionary Measures of Benny Briolly (Brazil): Guarantee for the Political Participation of Black People with Diverse Gender Identities

Benny Briolly Rosa da Silva Santos is a black travesti councilor elected in the City of Niterói, who was reelected in 2024 and who, from 2017 to date, faces a serious situation of attacks aimed at her gender identity and race, also affecting her advisory team. Such attacks, which are manifested through discriminatory content and death threats against them, were frequently used to provoke fear and insecurity in their political actions in defense of human rights. Faced with this situation, the organizations Criola, Terra de Direitos, Justiça Global, Instituto Marielle Franco, Instituto de Defesa da População Negra, and Race and Equality, requested precautionary measures before the IACHR, which were granted on June 11, 2022.

The organizations representing the beneficiary have sought the permanent implementation of precautionary measures and to put an end to the risks faced by Briolly and her team, without fully achieving it so far, since the State has not carried out the appropriate and timely actions to do so.

With the other representative organizations, we seek the effective protection of the Councilor and that the State of Brazil guarantees the political participation of black people with diverse gender identities.

  • La COMADRE (Colombia): Right to Collective Reparation for Women Ethnic Leaders

Community leaders of the Coordination of Displaced Afro-Colombian Women in Resistance (La COMADRE), an autonomous organization of women victims of the armed conflict who have been victims of sexual violence and forced displacement, continue to face multiple forms of violence due to their leadership. These are mainly people who belong to rural ethnic communities, who have been forcibly displaced in urban contexts in the face of the armed conflict and violence that persists in their ancestral territories.

In this context, La COMADRE demanded that the State of Colombia be recognized as an ethnic collective subject with the right to collective reparation through free, prior, and informed consultation. Despite having achieved this recognition, it has not been granted such reparation, so together with the Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES), ILEX Legal Action, Race and Equality presented in 2022 a petition to the IACHR against the violations perpetrated against the organization by the State and the violence and risks that the women leaders who make up the organization continue to face. The petition was opened for processing and is awaiting the IACHR in the admissibility and merits stages.

This case seeks, first, that collective reparation be granted to La COMADRE as an ethnic collective subject, after exercising the right to consultation to determine such reparation; guarantees for the cessation of violence and risks faced by Afro-Colombian women leaders who are victims of the armed conflict, as well as identification and punishment of those responsible and structural changes to ensure that Afro-Colombian women can defend their human rights by exercising their leadership in conditions of safety for themselves, their families, and their organization.

Visit of the UN Rapporteur on Racism to Brazil: Systemic racism and violence against women from racial and ethnic groups are the highlights of her report

Brazil, September 02, 2024 – “Systemic racism demands systemic responses.” This approach was emphasized by Ashiwini K.P., United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, during her press conference where she presented the preliminary conclusions following her visit to Brazil. Between August 5 and 16, the Rapporteur visited Brasília, Salvador, São Luís, São Paulo, Florianópolis, and Rio de Janeiro, where she met with authorities of the Federal Executive Branch and state governments, as well as with various Black, Indigenous, Quilombola, and Roma organizations.

In preparation for the visit, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality), together with the Institute for Development and Human Rights (IDDH), organized a virtual training with civil society organizations to support them in preparing documents with recommendations that would be delivered to the Rapporteur. In addition, the scope and objectives of the visit were presented in the training to guide them in dialogue and advocacy actions before this UN special procedure.

“The visit of the Rapporteur on racism takes place at an important moment for the country, after all, we are in an election year and advocating for intersectional public policies. From our perspective, we highlight the importance of providing Brazilian organizations with a relationship between the UN and the government, because based on the report that will be presented, the State must commit to implementing reparations in matters of racism”; highlights Rodnei Jericó da Silva, Director of Race and Equality in Brazil.

 Preliminary Findings: Highlights

Race and Equality presents some of the key points of the preliminary conclusions highlighted by the Rapporteur regarding her experience in the country, which will be presented in the final report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2025. This report will be delivered to the Brazilian government, which, as a member state of the UN, accepted the official visit as a way of evaluating its public policies.

In this sense, Ashiwini K.P. stressed that she identified positive points in some government actions, such as the recognition of racism as a systemic phenomenon; the creation of the Ministry of Racial Equality, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, and the Secretariat of Roma Peoples, within the Ministry of Racial Equality; sound affirmative policy proposals; and the existence of a health unit in Bahia for the treatment of sickle cell anemia. However, the Rapporteur emphasized that governmental progress is advancing slowly, since, recognizing that the colonialist past generates an exclusion of groups marked by structural violence, Brazil must adopt a systemic approach to guarantee restorative justice.

The lack of disaggregated data is a major issue identified by the Special Rapporteur, particularly the absence of data on Roma people, LGBTI+ people, migrants, refugees, and people with disabilities, who face multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. She also points to the growth of neo-Nazi groups, especially in Santa Catarina, where she mentioned that there is an erasure of data on the issue. Furthermore, she emphasized that Brazil must ensure that research and public policies are supported by and created through consultation with groups in vulnerable situations.

Thus, its proposals include the establishment of an independent national human rights institution following the principles on the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), to monitor and implement anti-racist policies.

The Rapporteur emphasized that the indigenous and quilombola communities have faced numerous setbacks by the National Congress. In her criticisms, she highlighted the slowness of the State in the process of territorial demarcation of these communities; the seriousness of the time-frame thesis; environmental racism as a driver of exclusion and vulnerability; and the neglect of the health of these populations in the face of the advance of illegal mining (pesticides and urban diseases). She also expressed concern about the violence suffered by indigenous peoples and quilombolas, highlighting the recent Guaraní-Kaiowá case, in Mato Grosso do Sul, and other conflicts in Bahia. Therefore, the Rapporteur urged the Government to take an urgent position in the face of intimidation against indigenous peoples and quilombolas, warning of the seriousness of the resulting environmental violence, and that more forceful actions must be taken, in addition to emphasizing Brazil’s international commitment to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“A coordinated national plan for indigenous and quilombola affairs is necessary, as the protection of their lands is essential to address the climate crisis,” said Ashiwini K.P.

The understanding of religious racism as a practice that persecutes and reproduces violence against practitioners of African-based religions was one of the highlights of her conclusions. In this regard, the Rapporteur cited cases that came to her through civil society, such as private transport that refuses to take people in their religious clothing, the loss of custody of children by Axé women, and physical attacks organized against terreiros. In her opinion, she stressed that the State allows this type of misogynistic and racist practices and suggested that the government create a protection program to face this problem.

“Even if Dial 100 exists, the lack of investment by the state sends a message of impunity and that the government will not take any action against religious racism,” she said.

Regarding the situation of human rights defenders, the Rapporteur expressed her dismay at the seriousness of the threats and police brutality to which these groups are exposed. Although she acknowledged the importance of the creation of the Sales Pimenta Technical Working Group, to develop proposals for the National Policy and Plan for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, she highlighted the lack of resources for human rights and the effectiveness of those policies that already exist. In this way, she urged Brazil to implement the actions recommended by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, after she visited Brazil in April of this year.

Given the situation of black women and gender/sexual intersectionality, such as with LBT women, the Rapporteur emphasized the issues of precarious access to the health system and obstetric violence, the issue of domestic workers, sexual violence, and femicide that disproportionately impacts these women, with which she pondered the need for psychological guidance as a government public policy. The Rapporteur expressed great concern about the data presented that show that black women are more exposed to femicide, highlighting the violence that occurs against black lesbian and trans women. In addition, the criminalization of abortion was noted in their evaluation, in addition to the barriers faced by women who seek even legal abortion, in accordance with the Penal Code. In this regard, she emphasized her concern about the Constitutional Amendment Proposal 1904/2024, which increases the penalties for women who have abortions to up to 20 years in prison. At this point, the importance of the Government implementing the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee, which evaluated Brazil this year, to decriminalize abortion and guarantee safe access for all people, respecting women’s rights and bodily autonomy, was highlighted. Regarding the care economy, she also noted the economic exploitation suffered by domestic workers.

Regarding police violence, the Rapporteur pointed out that Afro-descendant mothers who lose their sons and daughters due to police brutality, in addition to being victims, are also criminalized.  Therefore, her report will emphasize the need for more effective measures to be taken against the prison system and, while acknowledging that the use of police cameras is an important step towards an anti-racist security policy, she pointed out that there are reports that these cameras are not used and that the government is using measures of racial discrimination without scientific basis. In this way, she urged the government to create laws on the use of artificial intelligence so that it is not used in a racist way.

The Special Rapporteur also highlighted spatial segregation, especially in large urban centers, which are mostly occupied by people of African descent and have poor access to infrastructure. In addition, she highlighted the lack of support for people living on the streets.

The advance of the extreme right and the growth of neo-Nazi cells was one of the points of extreme concern of the Rapporteur, who stressed that there is a denial by the state of Santa Catarina about these groups and that affirmative policies and actions must be implemented to strengthen local legislation to combat denialism. From this perspective, she also highlighted her concern about the lack of efforts of the Brazilian legislature in the face of bills that seek to roll back some of the rights already achieved.

Finally, she expressed concern about the growth of gender-based political violence and hate speech and urged the government to take careful measures in this area. She stressed that the low representation of vulnerable groups in decision-making spaces reflects systemic racism. In addition, this lack of representativeness can also be seen within the Judiciary.

Race and Equality thanks Ashiwini K.P. for her support and interest in the Rapporteurship’s commitment to promoting anti-racist and racial justice actions in Brazil. We highlight the importance of the recognition of religious racism as a discriminatory practice before an international human rights mechanism. We continue to fight for the defense and guarantee of human rights to confront the inequalities created by the racist system. The Brazilian State must commit itself to the demands for justice and equity of its population. A government whose proposal is “Union and Reconstruction” must have historical reparation as a priority.

Finally, we share some of the recommendations submitted to the Office of the Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance by Brazilian organizations:

  • Improvement of public policies for access to legal aid and support services for victims of domestic and familial violence, based on a survey of cases registered in recent years, to support and protect women victims of violence and racism (especially religious racism); among other actions, based on the collaboration of feminist groups, religious leaders, public managers, and experts on the subject.
  • Demand the implementation of the National Health Policy for the LGBTI+ Population through the creation of specialized health teams to meet the highly complex demands in the health of lesbian women;
  • Recommend that the Brazilian State effectively address all barriers to justice faced by victims of racist crimes by speeding up prosecutions, revising evidence standards to strengthen accountability for discriminatory acts, and monitoring racial disparities in access to justice, especially for Afro-descendant women and LGBTI+ people.
  • To ask the Brazilian State to seek to adequately implement reparation measures for victims and family members affected by State violence, which should include psychological support, medical assistance, and financial compensation, in addition to others that may be necessary in the analysis of the specific case.
  • Ensure that the Brazilian State also complies with the recommendations prepared by the Committees on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, treaty bodies that recently examined the country and noted similar concerns.
  • To recommend the political participation of indigenous peoples and quilombola communities in the development of public policies that affect their territories and in policies for the defense of the environment. In addition, the Brazilian State must guarantee the demarcation and titling of quilombola and indigenous lands, in addition to rejecting the thesis of the Time-Frame Framework.

 

 

 

 

 

Race and Equality and RegionaR organizations express concern over allegations of human rights violations in Venezuela’s electoral context and demand independent vote verification

August 1, 2024.– On July 28, presidential elections were held in Venezuela, however, there are well-founded doubts about the veracity of the results proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE), according to which Mr. Nicolás Maduro would have been re-elected.

According to public information, Sunday was a mostly peaceful day in which millions of Venezuelans turned out with enthusiasm and democratic spirit to express their voices at the polls. During this electoral process, we received numerous reports of impediments to voting, mainly with respect to people abroad.

However, the questions regarding the results do not arise only from what happened last Sunday. It is important to remember that the aforementioned elections were held in a context of strong restrictions on civic space, including acts of persecution and criminalization of people that the Government considers political opponents and human rights defenders. Likewise, local organizations and experts have consistently demanded that the national electoral body guarantee independence and impartiality, and in general, they have denounced an alleged co-optation of these institutions by the current government.

Given this context, at RegionaR we join the international call addressed to the Venezuelan authorities to demonstrate in an absolute and transparent way the results emanating from the results corresponding to each polling station so that there is no doubt about what the electoral will of Venezuelan citizens has been.

The undersigned organizations, all members of RegionaR, express our solidarity with the citizens of Venezuela, and with the human rights organizations that serve the general population. We condemn all types of violence, whatever their origin, and we call for dialogue that will restore peace to the country.

We receive with concern news of acts of disproportionate repression of peaceful civic protests that are taking place in various parts of Venezuelan territory, as well as of multiple arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances. In light of this, we vehemently urge the Venezuelan State to respect constitutional guarantees, and respect the rights contained in international treaties, especially those referring to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and to refrain from engaging in acts of repression, persecution, or criminalization. In particular, we recall that the authorities are obliged to protect and provide guarantees so that people can exercise and defend their right to vote and to elect their authorities freely.  A democracy without civil and political liberties and respect for human rights is not a democracy.

RegionaR is a diverse space for analysis of the common factors that threaten and affect human rights, the rule of law, and democracy in the region. In addition, we make calls to action and formulate proposals based on an approach based on successful experiences of resistance, resilience, and new approaches and innovative narratives for the defense of human rights in the region. (www.regionar.org).

Signatory organizations

  • Asociación ALFIL – Ecuador
  • Asociación Ciudadana ACCEDER – Costa Rica
  • Asociación Indígena Taiñ Adkimn – Chile
  • Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación (CLADE) – Regional
  • Centro Loyola Ayacucho – Perú
  • Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más – Nicaragua
  • Comité de Familiares de Víctimas del Caracazo – Venezuela
  • Foro Indígena Abya Yala – Regional
  • Equipo Jurídico por los Derechos Humanos – Honduras
  • Fundación Ecuménica para el Desarrollo y la Paz (FEDEPAZ) – Perú
  • Fundación Mahuampi Venezuela – Colombia
  • Grupo COMUNICARTE – Colombia
  • Iepé – Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena – Brasil
  • ILEX Acción Jurídica – Colombia
  • Instituto de Defensa Legal – IDL – Perú
  • Instituto Internacional sobre Raza, Igualdad y Derechos Humanos – Internacional
  • Movimiento Sociocultural de trabajo humanitario y ambiental los Trabajadores Haitianos – República Dominicana
  • Organización Las Crisálidas – Guatemala
  • Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA) – Venezuela
  • Servicio Jesuita a Refugiados para Latinoamérica y el Caribe – JRSLAC – Regional
  • Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes Costa Rica – Costa Rica
  • Servicio Social Pasionista (SSPAS) – El Salvador
  • Unidad de Defensa Jurídica (UDJ) – Nicaragua

OAS General Assembly: Race and Equality to dialogue with civil society and experts on racial discrimination, gender-based violence and hemispheric security

Washington D.C., June 14, 2024 – Ahead of the 54th session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race & Equality) is reaffirming its commitment to the defense of human rights in the region by holding three parallel events. The first event, the Inter-American Forum against Discrimination, which has been part of the institutional calendar since 2005, will bring together leaders from different countries for a dialogue on reparations and the main demands of the Afro-descendant, indigenous and LGBTI+ population. The second event will address the human rights crisis in Nicaragua and international financial support; and the third event, coordinated by the Latin American Human Rights Consortium, will bring together key actors from different countries to discuss human rights as a pillar of hemispheric security in the Americas. 

The OAS General Assembly will be held from June 26 to 28 at Conmebol, located in the city of Asuncion, Paraguay, under the theme “Integration and Security for the Sustainable Development of the Region”. For Raza e Igualdad, the OAS General Assembly is a space for broad dialogue and exchange of best practices of civil society in the region, as well as an opportunity to strengthen its demands by listening to delegations from Member States and its Secretariat. In this way, the parallel events achieve the purpose of effective political advocacy before this international human rights mechanism. 

Inter-American Forum against Discrimination

This year, the Inter-American Forum against Discrimination will be held on Tuesday, June 25, and will consist of four sections with the following themes: “The role of human rights protection systems in the reparation of different groups discriminated against in the region”; “Experiences of reparation in the region and its scope in relation to racialized, mobile or displaced groups, sexual, religious, linguistic, political minorities, among others”; “Reparation in the context of gender”; and, finally, the section “The ethnic population and the 54th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly”.

The opening panel of the Forum will feature Gloria De Mees, OAS Rapporteur on the Rights of People of African Descent and against Racial Discrimination. In the following panels, leaders from the region will join the debate with information about their contexts and their struggles for reparations, restitution and guarantees of non-repetition. In addition, in the context of gender reparations, several activists will present and discuss the implications of the general recommendation of the Follow-up Mechanism of the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) on Afro-descendant women. 

The annual Forum will also discuss the strengthening of the Afrodescendant Coalition of the Americas and the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance (CIRDI). 

To participate, register here: https://tinyurl.com/2fx7uc29  

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International financial support to Nicaragua despite democratic and human rights crisis

On Tuesday afternoon, June 25, Raza e Igualdad will bring together experts from the OAS, academia and civil society to discuss the responsibility of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) in relation to crimes against humanity and human rights violations in Nicaragua. It will also analyze the strategic relevance of these institutions in the use of human rights due diligence to address the negative impacts of their development projects. 

In a regime historically marked by systematic human rights violations, the continuity of international financial support brings to light several questions from civil society. From 2018 to the present, the authoritarian regime of Daniel Ortega, Rosario Murillo and their followers have carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the Nicaraguan civilian population in opposition for political reasons. Since 2021, the democratic and human rights crisis has significantly worsened. On February 9, 2023, 222 people were released from prison, then banished to the United States and arbitrarily stripped of their nationality and citizenship rights. Among the most vulnerable groups are human rights defenders, journalists, religious leaders, women, indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, and LGBTI+ people.

However, the abundant evidence of the democratic and human rights crisis in Nicaragua was not enough for the International Financial Institutions to decide to change their strategy towards the country, strengthen their human rights due diligence, or suspend and/or cancel the implementation of their projects in the country. In February 2024, the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank Group and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration supported 97 projects in the execution phase in Nicaragua, with the approval of US$5,082.43 million, according to information available on their websites. Of these, 57 projects were approved for a total of US$2,784.43 million, following the onset of the crisis in 2018.

To participate, register here: https://tinyurl.com/57r4b22m

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Human Rights as a Pillar of Hemispheric Security in the Americas

The Latin American Human Rights Consortium – formed by Race & Equality, Freedom House and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) – will hold the event “Human Rights as a Pillar of Hemispheric Security in the Americas” on Wednesday, June 26. This event aims to highlight human rights violations in Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Venezuela as a driver of the debate on security in the region. In these countries with insecure and repressive contexts, inequalities are generated in terms of freedom and security with a differential effect on the most vulnerable groups, such as Afro-descendants, women, children, LGBTI+ population and people deprived of liberty for political reasons.

Thus, new concerns and challenges, including the political, social, economic, environmental and human rights situation of OAS Member States, have led this organization to redefine its understanding of hemispheric security. Thus, on October 28, 2003, the States of the Americas promulgated the “Declaration on Security in the Americas”, proposing a new concept of multidimensional security that recognizes that the objective of hemispheric security is the “protection of human beings”.

In its declaration, the OAS considered that “representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace and development of the States of the Hemisphere” and that it is “the responsibility of the specialized forums of the OAS, as well as inter-American and international forums, to develop cooperation mechanisms to confront these new threats on the basis of the applicable instruments”. 

In this context, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR, Pedro Vaca; the Deputy Director of the Program for Latin America and the Caribbean of Freedom House, Alejandra Argueta; the lawyer of the organization Cubalex, Alain Espinoza; the legal professional of the Legal Defense Unit of Nicaragua, Arlette Serrano; the Venezuelan journalist from Voces de la Memoria, Victor Navarro; and the co-founder of the association Tracoda (Transparency, Social Controllership, Open Data) from El Salvador, Luis Villatoro, will discuss strategies to strengthen the security and protection of the population and human rights defenders, among the current challenges faced by authoritarian regimes in the Americas. 

To participate, register here: https://tinyurl.com/537cdu3w  

 

More information about the events 

Inter-American Forum against Discrimination

Date and time: Tuesday, June 25, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Asunción and Washington D.C.) / 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Brasilia time)

Location: Dazzler Hotel, Aviadores del Chaco avenue

Live broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live @RaceandEquality

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/2fx7uc29  

Simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

 

International financial support to Nicaragua despite democratic and human rights crisis

Date and time: Tuesday, June 25th, 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Asuncion and Washington D.C.) / 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Brasilia time)

Location: Dazzler Hotel, Avenida Aviadores del Chaco

Live broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live @RaceandEquality

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/57r4b22m  

Simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

 

Human Rights as a Pillar of Hemispheric Security in the Americas

Date and time: Wednesday, June 26th, 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Asunción and Washington, D.C.) / 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Brasilia time)

Location: Hotel Esplendor, Avenida Aviadores del Chaco

Live broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live @RaceandEquality

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/537cdu3w 

Simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

LGBTI+ Rights in Brazil: Impressions After the Visit of Roberta Clarke, IACHR Rapporteur

Brazil, October 9th, 2023 – In a promotional visit to Brazil facilitated by the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality), Roberta Clarke, Rapporteur on the Rights of LGBTI People of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), had the opportunity to dialogue with civil society organizations and LGBTI+ activists from Brasília, Fortaleza, and Rio de Janeiro. During the visit, which took place from September 18th to 22nd, the IACHR Rapporteur was able to closely monitor the reality of the Brazilian LGBTI+ population, which, between advances and setbacks, remains united as a social movement and in the struggle for the preservation of the rights achieved thus far.

The trajectory of Roberta Clarke’s visit beyond the Rio-São Paulo axis was a strategy adopted by Race and Equality after several hearings with civil society, which constantly demanded attention to the different realities of the LGBTI+ population in other parts of the country. Thus, together with the support of the Ministry of Human Rights, through the National Secretary for the Rights of LGBTQIA+ People, Symmy Larrat, the city of Brasília was crucial for meetings with ministerial offices and meetings with the LGBTI+ movement in the Federal District. It is worth mentioning that the state of Ceará, with one of the highest rates of murders of LGBTI+ people, especially trans people, according to the dossier released by the National Association of Travestis and Transgenders (ANTRA), was also part of the script for active listening with activists from the northeast region, and for having the ‘Sister Imelda Lima Pontes Prison Unit’,  aimed exclusively at the LGBTI+ prison population.

Acknowledging that it is still too early to draw opinions and conclusions on the LGBTI+ Rapporteur’s visit to the country, Race and Equality brings to its audience an overview of the impressions shared by Roberta Clarke after talking to more than 15 organizations of the LGBTI+ movement in the visited cities. The Rapporteur’s impressions about the LGBTI+ population in the country were also reported during the public event held in Rio de Janeiro; “Building Bridges: LGBTI+ People’s Rights in an Intersectional Perspective”, hosted by Race and Equality.

During the week in which the Commissioner was in Brazil, two issues concerning LGBTI+ rights – which have already been achieved – were under discussion at the national level. One of them refers to equal civil marriage, which, due to the advance of extreme right-wing politicians in the Brazilian Congress, has once again been questioned as to its validity. Since 2011 and 2013, the Supreme Court (STF) and the National Council of Justice (CNJ) have equalized same-sex civil unions with heterosexual civil unions; however, Bill No. 5,167/2009 aims to annul this right. Although it has been postponed twice due to pressure from LGBTI+ deputies, and the vote remains suspended, it may return to the agenda in Congress. The other agenda that was under discussion refers to a manipulation also orchestrated by the growing anti-trans ideology that created a movement to attack the use of unisex bathrooms. The fomentation of intolerance on the part of conservative political actors has created a false idea that this was an urgent agenda item to be voted on.

These facts, for the Commissioner, reflected another Brazilian reality, since among the countries in the region, Brazil stands out among those that have made the most progress on LGBTI+ rights. In this regard, Roberta Clarke expressed concern about what is happening in the country and, particularly, about the issue of gender-based political violence, a topic that has been repeatedly denounced before the IACHR. For her, the spread of hate speech and the growth of the anti-trans movement has led to the need for reflection and the need to work together between social movements and LGBTI+ leaders. That is, to organize strategically to understand when it is worth expending efforts to the attacks of conservatives who aim only to spread fake news to dismantle civil society and interrupt the progress of the LGBTI+ political agenda.

In the face of these setbacks, the Commissioner demonstrated her solidarity and highlighted that the opportunity of having experienced different perspectives from across the country made her understand, in an intersectional way, the various types of violence that differentially affect the LGBTI+ community. While acknowledging the progress achieved through the historic struggle for visibility and rights, listening carefully to activists revealed that there is still much to be done. The country’s current situation has shown that there is strong pressure from the far right to destroy the progress made through gender equality policies and the recognition of LGBTI+ rights, and how through the spread of hate speech, trans people feel increasingly threatened and forced to live without access to basic rights.

Thus, Roberta affirmed the IACHR’s commitment to pay close attention to what happens in the country in the coming months, given that Brazil is a country of continental dimension and what happens in its territory has political influence on the entire region.

In her dialogue with the LGBTI+ social movement, the Rapporteur expressed concern about the difficulties reported in the documentation required for the process of civil rectification of name and gender; the various forms of violence against lesbian women; and the gap in the provision of public policies that meet their specificities, from the lack of data collection to the absence of health policies. In addition, lesbian women strongly emphasized the social exclusion they experience when they show affection in public, corrective rape practices, and conversion therapies, in addition to being expelled from their homes when they openly embrace their sexual orientation.

From the conversation with transmasculine people, the Commissioner was able to perceive how the violence they face is crossed mainly by issues of race, class, and territory, especially with regard to police violence. In Ceará, the theme of education was a major motto among LGBTI+ activists, highlighting the need for school inclusion policies since many LGBTI+ students abandon their educational institutions, either due to LGBTIphobia, bullying, disrespect for gender identity, among other forms of discrimination, and some do not even complete elementary school. In this context, on September 19th, the National Council for the Rights of the LGBTQIA+ Population published a resolution establishing guidelines to ensure inclusion and respect for gender identity in educational institutions.

In Brasilia, in addition to meetings with ministerial offices, Roberta Clarke met with the board of directors of the National LGBTQIA+ Council and had the opportunity to learn about the current demands of the LGBTI+ political agenda, in view of the democratic resumption in the country. The meeting with activists from the region took place in the Drag District with a round table that discussed topics such as the need for social assistance policies for the LGBTI+ population, such as the promotion of shelters and access to healthcare for the trans population.

During her visit to Rio de Janeiro, the Commissioner received a report from the Brazilian Lesbian Articulation (ABL) about lesbian women in the country; and received the ‘Dossier on Lesbocide’, after talking to one of the authors. In addition, she was given the dossiers on murder and violence against Brazilian travestis and transgender people in 2022; and the ‘Trans Brasil’ dossier, on their situation in the prison system, both documents being produced by ANTRA.

Finally, Race and Equality is deeply grateful to the Brazilian LGBTI+ movement that mobilized activists from different regions of the country so that they could convey to the IACHR Rapporteur their life experiences and their trajectories of struggles for rights in a country where being and existing as an LGBTI+ person is an act of courage. We also thank the IACHR for accepting our invitation and engaging in dialogue with the Brazilian LGBTI+ civil society movement. In view of our mission, encouraging visits by rapporteurs and experts from international mechanisms is another step in ensuring visibility, non-discrimination, and the full realization of human rights. Therefore, we ask the IACHR to consider the following recommendations for the Brazilian State:

1 – Creation of a National Council to confront hate speech and the dissemination of fake news with an intersectional perspective, in view of the violence and attacks suffered by the LGBTI+ population in the country.

2 – Establishment of policies and bills that constitutionally guarantee same-sex equal marriage, in addition to guaranteeing the safety of trans people in public bathrooms according to their gender identities and the plurality of unisex bathrooms.

3 – Collection of disaggregated data regarding the LGBTI+ population, either through the National Census or through surveys that foster the creation of specific public policies for this population.

4 – Training and education policies aimed at public security forces so that they can ensure the safety of Brazilian LGBTI+ people.

5 – Construction of a policy to confront gender-based political violence, with the provision of measures to protect LGBTI+ members of Congress.

 

Race and Equality Revamps Its Website, Broadening the Scope of Its Work in Defense and Protection of Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean

Washington DC, August 24, 2023 – With updated information, a new design and the integration of advanced content search tools, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) is relaunching its website, www.raceandequality.org, this week. The site is fully available in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. In this way, the organization reinforces its commitment to documentation, training and advocacy in the defense and protection of human rights of historically marginalized and persecuted populations in different countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“It’s extremely important for Race and Equality to have a modern, up-to-date website that showcases the work that we do because it strengthens our advocacy work. We want all the information that is available on our website to be a resource for activists and human rights defenders across the region,” added Carlos Quesada, Executive Director of Race and Equality.

About the New Resource Center

One of the new features is the “Resource Center” section, where an advanced search tool provides a more organized and effective way to access all the content found on the website, such as reports, statements, and press releases. The search can be carried out by keywords, topics, country, and year.

Another important change is that now all the content is available in Portuguese, meaning that people can navigate and find information in the Portuguese version as they do in the Spanish and English versions. “When we decided to revamp the website, this (having the website in Portuguese) was a priority because we were aware of the lack of information available in Portuguese on the previous site, and because our work in Brazil has grown exponentially,” said Rodnei Jericó da Silva, Brazil Program Director at Race and Equality. 

Navigating Race and Equality’s New Site

The new website offers a broader and more detailed look at Race and Equality’s work in eight countries in Latin America, as well as with the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU), all in partnership with civil society organizations. In order to delve deeper into the purpose and scope of our work, the “Where We Work” section provides a summary of the context, actions, and achievements in each country and organization. 

In the same vein, the “Who We Are” section maintains the pages on Race and Equality’s mission and vision, its team, and partners, but contains new pages on the focus of the organization’s work, the impact achieved, and job opportunities available. Meanwhile, the “What We Do” section describes the lines of work in strategic litigation, capacity building, and documentation in greater detail.

The section “Who We Fight For” was created to outline our focus on actions in favor of marginalized populations, including Afro-descendants, the LGBTI+ community, indigenous peoples and women. These pages will house key information about the situation of these populations and our work carried out for the defense and protection of their human rights. 

This new website is another step in strengthening Race and Equality’s work of documentation, capacity-building and advocacy for the protection and defense of human rights. We especially invite activists, independent journalists, human rights defenders, and policy-makers to visit our website www.raceandequality.org, to keep abreast of its advocacy actions, reports, the monitoring of human rights situations, and the production of pedagogical content.

25J: Afro-Latina, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women in Spaces for the Protection and Defense of the Rights of the Afro-descendant Population

Washington D.C., July 25, 2023- The creation of new international mechanisms for the protection and promotion of the rights of people of African descent marks a key and historic opportunity to overcome the racism and discrimination faced by this population. Therefore, this International Day of Afro-Latina, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women, from the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) we call for the gender and intersectional perspectives to be taken into account in these spaces, so that they mark the work of monitoring the situation and making recommendations to the States.

July 25 and the Struggle for Racial Justice

July 25 was established as International Afro-Latina, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women’s Day during the First Meeting of Afro-Latina, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women, which was held on a day like today, but in 1992, in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), in recognition of the work of women of African descent in the fight against racial discrimination, sexism, poverty, and marginalization.

In our line of work on racial equality, we have been incorporating gender and intersectional approaches in all the actions we carry out (strategic litigation, capacity building, and documentation), as we believe that through these perspectives, we can guarantee the inclusion of women and all those with diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.

Likewise, in view of the creation of international mechanisms on Afro-descendant populations, we have supported the participation of Afro-descendant women in new spaces such as the International Mechanism of Independent Experts to Promote Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law Enforcement (EMLER) and the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD), as well as in other long-standing spaces such as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Afro-descendant Women Setting the Agenda in New Mechanisms

At the second session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which took place from May 30 to June 2 in New York, Afro-descendant women’s organizations from Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic formed a Racial Justice Delegation to denounce racial and gender-based violence in Latin America. With the support of Race and Equality and the Black Alliance to End Violence (Fundo Elas), the delegation also raised the need to build agendas and projects to combat, through an intersectional perspective, the different ways in which racist violence affects the lives of women in the region.

“The important thing about being present in this space was that I was able to bring the voices of several silenced women. Grada Kilomba, a black artist, writer, and intellectual says that the white man is at the top of the social pyramid, then comes the white woman, then the black man, and the black woman is invisible at the bottom of the pyramid. And we want to change that,” says Monique Damas, lawyer and Executive Director of Selo Juristas Negras, one of the organizations that made up the delegation.

Erlendy Cuero, Vice-President of the Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES) and who was also part of the Racial Justice Delegation to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Afro-descendants, believes that guaranteeing a gender perspective in these spaces is essential due to the persistence of racist and discriminatory actions aimed at harming their integrity not only because they are women, but also because they are Afro-descendant women.

“We are the ones who suffer the disproportionate impact of the armed conflict, when our bodies continue to be sexually abused as strategies for banishment and uprooting from our territories, when we cannot access education, employment, decent housing, health, etc.,” she says.

Regarding what is expected with the participation of Afro-descendant women in these new mechanisms, as well as in others that have been in operation for several decades such as CERD and the CEDAW Committee, Cecilia Ramirez, Executive Director of the Center for the Development of Peruvian Black Women (CEDEMUNEP), says: “More just, egalitarian, and equitable societies guarantee the autonomy of Afro-descendant women; also, increase the capacities of young Afro-descendant women and provide them with the necessary opportunities to develop their full potential”.

“We hope that our states can generate affirmative actions and public policies with budgets that guarantee the closing of the inequality gaps that we face not only because of our gender condition but also because of our ethnicity,” adds Ramírez. It is worth noting that during the review of the CEDAW Committee in Peru in 2022, Afro-Peruvian activists participated for the first time, through CEDEMUNEP with the support of Race and Equality.

From Cuba, Marthadela Tamayo, from the Citizens’ Committee for Racial Integration (CIR), highlights the gender approach and intersectionality as key tools in spaces on the Afro-descendant population. “Because they are necessary spaces for these populations to explain or narrate the realities they live from all the intersections they go through in their daily lives in their neighborhoods or communities,” she says.

“In addition, these spaces can be very positive scenarios for women to articulate, develop, and participate in the political and public life of a country,” she adds.

Race and Equality will continue to promote the participation of Afro-descendant women in existing regional and international mechanisms for the protection and promotion of the rights of Afro-descendant people. It is essential that the gender and intersectional perspective be taken into account in data collection, situation analysis, and the formulation of recommendations to the States.

Transcendent Voices: Art and Culture as Forms of Resistance and Pride

Washington D.C., June 28, 2023 – On International LGBTI+ Pride Day, the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) wishes to dedicate this article to recognize, celebrate, and highlight the presence of LGBTI+ persons in the region in the field of art and culture, which have always been forms of resistance, survival, and pride for LGBTI+ persons. Their disruptive forms of artistic expression have revolutionized this sector, not only enriching it but also challenging and transforming the dominant narratives of cisheteronormativity.

From a human rights perspective, the A/HRC/14/36 report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights states that cultural rights are essential for the recognition and respect of human dignity in many aspects. Through these rights, the development and expression of diverse worldviews – both individual and collective – are protected, encompassing important freedoms related to issues of identity.[1]

In this sense, the representation and dignified visibility of historically marginalized groups, such as the LGBTI+ population, are crucial to reclaim their bodies and identities and promote their human rights. “Combat stigma and discrimination. Positive representation in culture contributes to challenging the negative stereotypes and prejudices surrounding sexual and gender diversity,” mentions Alex Aguirre, Human Rights Researcher at the Institute for Peace and Development (Ipades) in Nicaragua, who points out that this also applies to oneself when characters and narratives reflect personal experiences that contribute to developing greater confidence and accepting one’s gender identity or sexual orientation without shame or guilt.

“Diverse artistic expression makes things visible, exposes, portrays, and enriches. Being able to enjoy art created by sexual and gender diverse individuals provides a different perspective to the audience, humanizing and making their expressions their own,” says Fhran Medina, lawyer and LGBTI+ rights activist from Fraternidad Trans Masculina Perú.

From the perspective of the meaning of art and culture, Guillermo Valdizán states in his book Creación Heroica that “forms of cultural production are intimately linked to processes of social transformation.”[2] In other words, cultural production does not exist outside of a specific social, political, and economic context and has been present throughout the history of societies; therefore, it is part of the social process and not just a tool. As Sol Ámbar Sánchez Latorre, Advocacy Director at the GAAT Foundation in Colombia, says, there is an appropriation of the more visible cultural sphere by LGBTI+ persons, which produces new representations and reflections on sexuality and gender, fostering cultural transformations.

Next, Race and Equality’s counterparts recommend some notable examples of cultural productions that have contributed to the visibility of LGBTI+ people:

Yunior Pino, Cuban photographer and activist: “We are courageous individuals endowed with talents and gifts; we educate to eradicate the taboos that have caused a lot of harm and discrimination for generations. I recommend the Cuban film titled Fátima because it portrays the harsh reality experienced by the majority of the LGBTI+ community in Cuba, facing a macho and discriminatory society and a system that forces family separation and prostitution.”

Sol Ámbar Sánchez Latorre, Advocacy Director at the GAAT Foundation in Colombia: “I would like the work of Kia sonorica, a Paraguayan trans artist, to be more widely known. She is also an anti-colonial historian and has a deep understanding of art history; and now she is one of the pioneering Latin American artists using artificial intelligence to create artistic works.”

Fhran Medina, Peruvian lawyer and activist: “Antay is my favorite Peruvian singer-songwriter, not only because he is a great singer, but also because of the work and immense heart he puts into each song and performance. His lyrics are filled with tenderness and artistry. As a trans singer-songwriter, he carries many stories and experiences of the trans population. The music video for the song “Júrame” is something that everyone should watch, and you can find more of his productions on Spotify and YouTube.”

Articulación Brasileña de Lésbicas – Rede ABL: “We recommend the work of Bia Ferreira in music because she is a black woman and ‘sapatão’* who brings true ‘gospels’ of liberation in her songs. It is important for other people to know her work because she explains the cause and solutions to various social issues in a didactic way.”

Alex Aguirre, Human Rights Researcher at the Institute for Peace and Development (Ipades) in Nicaragua: “I recommend the artist Ru Paul, an iconic Drag Queen and host of the show RuPaul’s Drag Race. Ru Paul has been an important figure in LGBTI+ culture and has promoted acceptance and celebration of diversity.”

In conclusion, the visibility of LGBTI+ persons in the field of art and culture is a powerful indicator of progress in human rights. Through cinema, music, dance, theater, visual art, and more, a space has been conquered where these transcendent voices can be heard, and their experiences can be authentically represented. Race and Equality reaffirms its commitment to promoting the visibility and representation of LGBTI+ individuals in all areas of life and wishes them a Pride Month filled with music, art, and culture. All people deserve to live in a society free of violence, more just, and without discrimination. Human rights always!

*’Sapatão’ is a word of pride that refers to lesbian women in Brazil. It is similar to how the trans movement has embraced the word ‘travesti’.

 

——–

[1] Report of the independent expert in the field of cultural rights, Ms. Farida Shaheed, submitted pursuant to resolution 10/23 of the Human Rights Council. Available at https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G10/124/40/PDF/G1012440.pdf?OpenElement

[2] Valdizán, Guillermo (2021). Creación Heroica: Neoliberalismo, políticas culturales y estrategia comunitaria en el Perú del siglo XXI. Lima: RGC Ediciones

Afro-Descendant Activists from Latin America and the Caribbean take over New York and Washington D.C.

Washington D.C., May 31, 2023 – In light of the second session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants (PFPAD), which will take place from May 30 to June 2 in New York City, organizations representing Afro-descendant women from Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic have formed a Delegation for Racial Justice to denounce racial and gender violence in Latin America. With the support of the International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) and the Black Alliance to End Violence (Fundo Elas), the Delegation for Racial Justice aims to highlight the experiences of Afro-descendant women and the urgent need for international support in building agendas and projects to combat the various forms of racist violence affecting the lives of Latin American women from an intersectional perspective.

Additionally, Race and Equality, together with the Open Society Foundation, is promoting the participation of 15 other organizations, predominantly composed of Afro-descendant women from Latin America and the Caribbean, in the Permanent Forum of Afro-Descendants. With this collaboration, the Delegation for Racial Justice will comprise approximately 30 organizations, united in their call for international cooperation to end racial and gender violence in the Americas. The objective of this delegation is also to prepare a report with recommendations and insights on the first and second sessions of the Permanent Forum, to be presented during the third session scheduled to take place in Brazil in 2023.

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants was established in 2021 by General Assembly Resolution 75/314, serving as a consultative mechanism to contribute to the fight against racism and the promotion of the rights of the Afro-descendant population. The forum collaborates with the Human Rights Council and other UN mechanisms. The first meeting took place in December 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, and in addition to the upcoming session in New York, the forum is scheduled to convene in Brazil in December of the same year. The Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants is part of the implementation activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent and is chaired by Epsy Campbell Barr, the former Vice President of Costa Rica.

Parallel Event: Racial and Gender Violence in Latin America

On Thursday, June 1, at 1:15 p.m. (New York time), the event ‘Racial and Gender Violence in Latin America‘ will be held at the Church Center of the United Nations. The event will call upon political actors present in New York to listen to the realities of Black and LBTI Latin American women. With panels on ‘Women’s Rights and Intersectionality’ and ‘Civil Society’s Vision in the Fight Against Gender Violence in Latin America.’ This space, organized within the framework of the Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants, aims to facilitate dialogue among Latin American women leaders, discussing the different contexts in which they live, where the brutality of structural racism manifests in terms of discrimination and violence.

Moreover, the urgency to address racial and gender violence is supported by data indicating that Latin America is one of the most violent regions in the global south, with the Black population being disproportionately affected due to the absence of specific policies. Therefore, this delegation aims to contribute to the development of the agenda and declaration of the Permanent Forum with a focus on combating racial and gender violence in Latin America. Furthermore, it seeks to establish appropriate channels for obtaining disaggregated data to better implement and propose public policies tailored to the realities of Afro-descendant individuals, particularly Afro-descendant women.

Political Advocacy Week in Washington D.C.

To strengthen and continue the work carried out during the Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants, the delegation will travel to Washington D.C. from June 5th-7th. With the support of organizations such as the Washington Brazil Office (WBO) and Black Women Radicals, they will meet with representatives from the Department of State and Afro-North American organizations, including the Black Caucus. They will also hold meetings with missions from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Additionally, the Delegation for Racial Justice will strategically work towards the implementation and strengthening of bilateral international treaties among their countries, such as the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance (CIRDI), the Joint Action Plan for the Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and the Promotion of Equality (JAPER), which has recently been reactivated between Brazil and the United States, and the Action Plan between the United States and Colombia for Racial and Ethnic Equality (CAPREE).

“For this delegation, it is crucial that Afro-descendant women directly present their realities and recommendations for positive change because they play a key role in defending their communities. Moreover, the context of racial justice in the Americas is an important point of exchange between Afro-Latin American and Afro-North American organizations,” explains Elvia Duque, Race and Ethnicity Officer at Race and Equality.

To conclude the week of political advocacy, the ‘Black Women’s Movement in Washington D.C.‘ event will take place on June 7, starting at 11 a.m. (Washington D.C. time), at the meeting center for Afro-descendant women, ÌPÀDÉ. The panel discussion on communication and mobilization strategies against racism and racial violence in the Americas will feature the leaders who make up the delegation.

Agenda

 Delegation for Racial Justice of Afro-Descendant Women from Latin America and the Caribbean

United Nations Permanent Forum on Afro-Descendants – May 30th to June 2nd in New York

Parallel Event: Racial and Gender Violence in Latin America

Thursday, June 1, 1:15 p.m. (New York time)

Venue: UN Church Center – 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. 8th floor. Located a two-minute walk from the UN headquarters.

Political Advocacy Week in Washington D.C. – June 5th to June 7th

Event: Black Women’s Movement in Washington D.C.

Wednesday, June 7, 11 a.m. (Washington D.C. time)

Venue: ÌPÀDÉ – 1734 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

 

 

Two Homelands Documentary: A Film on Human Rights Violations in Cuba

Washington D.C., April 4, 2023 – “I have two homelands: Cuba and the night, or are they one and the same?” With this excerpt from one of Cuban politician José Martí’s best-known poems, begins the documentary: Dos Patrias, a production of the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) and La Tiorba Productions, which reflects on human rights violations in Cuba.

The 70-minute film was presented publicly in mid-March at Florida International University (FIU), in the city of Miami (USA), and reveals images and testimonies of people who have suffered repression by Cuban authorities.

“The documentary ‘Two Homelands’ deals with the experiences of three activists: Eduardo Cardet, Xiomara Cruz and Aymara Nieto, who is serving a five-year prison sentence for her critical stance against the Cuban government. Their struggles reflect the struggles of many people on the island who have been and are being harassed and their rights violated for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and peaceful protest,” says Carlos Quesada, Executive Director of Race and Equality.

The film, which will be presented at the end of April in Brussels, Belgium, details how these three people have lost their freedom for demanding that Cuba be free, which for the director and producer of Dos Patrias, Hilda Hidalgo Xirinachs, “is an irresolvable paradox”.

“During the research for this production I discovered that Xiomara was in prison 1215 days, Eduardo 1095, and Aymara has been in jail for more than 1600 days. This, and in general the whole process of making this documentary was stark for me,” says Hidalgo, a Costa Rican who also studied film on the island.

With the documentary Dos Patrias, Race and Equality denounces that Cuban authorities ignore the fundamental rights of people living on the island, and shows that activists, human rights defenders, artists, and independent journalists are victims of state repression. We demand that the government of this country cease all forms of violence against critical and dissident voices, and that those deprived of their liberty for political reasons be released immediately.

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