Human Rights in the News: January 2020
/Curated by Nikki Bambauer
Welcome to the January 2020 edition of Human Rights in the News, Woven Teaching’s monthly collection of important stories from around the world.
Moms 4 Housing spokesperson Dominique Walker, wearing glasses and a headwrap, speaks into several news microphones on a stand. Other members of Moms 4 Housing and supporters can be seen in the background.
’We're Not Leaving': Homeless Mom Says After Judge Orders Oakland Home Vacated
Molly Solomon | KQED | January 10, 2020
In November, a group of homeless mothers known as Moms 4 Housing took over a vacant property in Oakland, CA. The property is owned by a real estate speculator. In court against the speculator, the mothers argued that because housing is a human right, they should be allowed to both stay in the house and purchase the property. Learn more >
A supporter in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en people holds up a fist and a red sign which reads: “No access without consent” (Credit: Marianne Klowak/CBC)
B.C. human rights commissioner calls on Canada to stop eviction of Wet'suwet'en people in pipeline standoff
Eva Uguen-Csenge | CBC News | January 10, 2020
Kasari Govender, British Columbia’s human rights commissioner, is urging the Canadian government to stop the eviction of the Wet’suwet’en people. The First Nation peoples have been protesting the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline across their land. The UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has also called for a stop to the pipeline. Learn more >
Kenneth Roth, wearing glasses and seen from the neck up, speaks into a microphone (Credit: Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images)
Head of Human Rights Watch denied entry to Hong Kong
The Guardian | January 12, 2020
Kenneth Roth, the head of Human Rights Watch, was denied entry to Hong Kong. During the last seven months of anti-government protest, the city has barred many activists, journalists, and others. Protests in Hong Kong are the result of China’s strong grip on the city and its lack of freedoms. Learn more >
South Sudanese First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, seen from the neck up, speaking into several news microphones (Credit: Reuters)
South Sudan's First VP Denies Allegations of Human Rights Abuses
Dimo Silva Aurelio and Waakhe Simon Wudu | Voice of America | January 10, 2020
The United States recently sanctioned South Sudanese First Vice President Taban Deng Gai. It alleges South Sudan's government refuses to create "political space for dissenting voices, from opposition parties, ethnic groups, civil society, or media.” Deng has denied the allegations. Learn more >
Demonstrators, most with one arm raised, protest India’s new citizenship law (Credit: Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto/Getty Images)
Ex-Google policy chief dumps on the tech giant for dodging human rights
Natasha Lomas | TechCrunch | January 2, 2020
Google’s ex-head of international relations, Ross LaJeunesse, has recently claimed that the tech company’s leadership actively evaded attempts to push it to adopt a company-wide policy on human rights. Learn more >
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