FOR EVENT HOSTS. Resource Guide Write for Rights 2018

Transcription

1 FOR EVENT HOSTS Resource Guide Write for Rights 2018

2 Thank you for joining Write for Rights 2018! Every year on December 10th, Amnesty International celebrates Human Rights Day with the world s largest grassroots human rights event. Activists in more than 140 countries around the world come together to write letters calling for the protection and promotion of human rights. Your handwritten letters, combined with millions from around the world, can change a life. Write for Rights is the power of one multiplied many thousands of times over to make a difference. Write a Letter Change a Life This year s ten cases are all women human rights defenders. The space to peacefully advocate for human rights is shrinking the world over, and this space is shrinking exponentially for women human rights defenders, whose advocacy may challenge patriarchal power structures or social norms. Despite the risk of harassment and violence, women human rights defenders are at the forefront of social movements across the world. By joining Write for Rights, you will be advocating on behalf of the courageous women human rights defenders who tirelessly advocate for our rights.

3 Step by Step PLANNING GUIDE 1. THE BASICS Human Rights Day is on Monday, December 10th Depending on your audience, choose a date, location, and event style that works for you. Write for Rights events come in all shapes and sizes check out the Activity Ideas section at the back of this guide for suggestions. Amnesty can provide insurance coverage for venues where needed. 4. REMIND PEOPLE TO COME If you made a social media event, post a reminder in the week ahead of your event. You can use our website to remind everyone who RSVPed to your event to attend. Need help writing an ? Reach out to writeathon@amnesty.ca. 2. INVITE PEOPLE! Connect with potential letter-writers in your community. Create fliers, posters, and social media events using the resources available at. Promote your event using the hashtag #write4rights. If your event is public, people will be able to RSVP to your event at. 3. ORDER MATERIALS Visit to order all the materials you need, including buttons, stickers, pens, promotional materials and more. Hosting a large event? Reach out to writeathon@ amnesty.ca to get an Ambassador Package. Make sure you have lots of paper, pens, envelopes, and stamps on hand along with copies of the case sheets. 5. BE WELCOMING Put up signs encouraging people to join your event. Create a welcoming atmosphere, greet everyone, and provide instructions, especially for first-time letter-writers. Consider accessibility needs and how you can help meet them. Include snacks, music, videos and more. Setup an area for children to create their own message using our children s cases available at. DON T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDE AT THE END

4 Step by Step PLANNING GUIDE 6. BUILD MOMENTUM Create excitement by including a letter counter at your event. Build momentum on social media and join the global conversation by using the hashtag #write4rights. Learn more in the Social Media section at the back of this guide. 7. SUPPORT AMNESTY Remind participants that there are many more cases to work on throughout the year. Amnesty needs support to continue our work beyond this event. Consider including Amnesty brochures or a donation jar to help cover the cost of mailing letters. 8. STAY CONNECTED Thank participants for making a difference on Human Rights Day. Use the sign-up sheets available at and return them to Amnesty International. We will thank everyone and keep them updated on the cases they worked on. 9. REPORT YOUR LETTERS Count all the letters that were written at your event and report the totals at. Reporting is just as important as writing! We use those numbers for advocacy on each case. WE RE HERE TO HELP! FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT WRITEATHON@AMNESTY.CA

5 Activity Ideas You can write for rights anywhere. At home, in your community, at work, or at school, you can bring people together to write letters and change lives. And we re here to help! Contact us at 1. In Your Community Gather friends in pubs or cafes or set up in bookstores, libraries, or shopping malls. Offer hot chocolate and letter-writing at bus stations or skating rinks. Connect with local artists and influencers to contribute to your event. 2. At School Offer letter-writing as a study break in the library or set up a booth with creative solidarity actions. Use our Educator s Guide for classroom activities connected to the cases. Order a copy of our Letters to a Prisoner toolkit to engage younger children.

6 3. At Home Include Write for Rights in your next gathering of friends and family. Throw a party or host a potluck. Show a film to encourage letter writers. 4. At Work Set up a hub in your break room and provide snacks to encourage people to participate. Visit for resources to use in your workplace. 5. In Your Spiritual Community Make an announcement about Human Rights Day and organize an event after a service. WHATEVER YOU DO, TELL US ABOUT IT!! Share your photos and report at writeathon@amnesty.ca or on Twitter.

7 2018 Cases WHO WILL WE HELP? CHECK FOR UPDATED CASE FILES AT WRITEATHON.CA KILLED FOR FEARLESSLY DEFENDING OTHERS Marielle Franco fought fearlessly for a fairer and safer Rio de Janeiro. In March, she was shot and killed. Experts said the bullets had likely belonged to the police. Urge the President of Brazil to bring Marielle Franco s killers to justice, including those who ordered the crime, and to protect human rights defenders in Brazil from further threats and attacks. HARASSED FOR STANDING UP TO BIG BUSINESS Pavitri Manjhi is part of an Adivasi Inidgenous community who are at risk of being kicked off their land to make way for two power plants. She has been repeatedly harassed and threatened for her work to stop it. Send a message to the head of the local police, urging him to give Pavitri the security she needs for her activism. JAILED FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY Atena Daemi is serving a seven-year jail sentence for peacefully protesting against the death penalty. Her trail was a sham it took 15 minutes. She is a prisoner of conscience, jailed solely for her beliefs. Call on the Minister of Justice in Iran to free her. VIOLENTLY EVICTED FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL LAND The Indigenous Sengwer people in Kenya have a deep, centuries-old bond with the beautiful Embobut Forest, but are being violently evicted by the government. Tell the Kenyan president to stop the house burnings and arrest sand remove all restrictions to the Sengwer people living in peace on their ancestral land. DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AS SHE FIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Gulzar Dushenova has made it her life s mission to ensure people with disabilities can live with dignity and move around freely. She faces daily discrimination in a society where women aren t meant to speak out and people with disabilities are seen as invalids with an incurable disease. Demand that the speaker of parliament support Gulzar and other activists as they fight for the rights of people with disabilities.

8 2018 Cases WHO WILL WE HELP? CHECK FOR UPDATED CASE FILES AT WRITEATHON.CA PERSECUTED FOR HER SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HEALTHCARE ACTIVISM Nawal Benaissa speaks out for social justice and better health care services in Morocco. Every step of the way, Moroccan authorities have attempted to silence her, arresting her several times and forcing her to shut down her Facebook page. Demand that Morocco stop harassing Nawal today. ON A HIT LIST FOR DEFENDING HER ANCESTRAL LAND Nonhle Mbuthuma is leading the fight for her community against a mining company which wants titanium from their ancestral land. As a result, she is facing threats and has even survived a murder attempt. Tell the President of South Africa to protect Nonhle and investigate the threats against her. VIOLENTLY ATTACKED FOR SUPPORTING LGBTI RIGHTS Vitalina Joval works hard to support local LGBTI people in Ukraine, but was violently attacked after organizing a peaceful protest. The assault is part of a wider surge in intimidation by far-right groups. Call on Ukraine s Minister of the Interior to publicly recognize the vital role of Vitalina and other activsts, and protect them from attacks. REFUGEE AND ACTIVIST SEEKING SAFETY IN THE U.S. FROM THREATS Awad is a Sudanese human rights defender facing harassment and threats for her activism. She is a refugee seeking resettlement in the U.S. who sis stuck in a seemingly endless limbo in Cairo. Send a message to the Chargé d Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, urging him to ensure that Awad is resttled to safety in the U.S. as soon as possible. PERSECUTED FOR EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE Geraldine Chacón helps empower young people in Venezuela, but the government imprisoned her for four months and has banned her from leaving the country. Her case still isn t closed, so she could be arrested again at any moment. Urge Venezuela s Attorney General to close the case against Geraldine and give her unconditional freedom, so she can continue standing up for young people.

9 WRITE FOR RIGHTS WORKS UPDATES FROM PAST CASES: To everyone who sent me countless letters from around the world...i want to express my deep gratitude, while in prison, these actions lifted my spirit and reminded me of the importance of international solidarity in the struggle for human rights. Taner Kilic, Amnesty Turkey, Board Chair Released in 2018 after more than 14 months behind bars write for Rights- Turkey I d like to thank our friends at Amnesty International for their remarkable support these last years, culminating just recently in the Write for Rights Campaign Albert Woodfox Freed after 43 years in solitary confinement 2015 Write for Rights - USA Receiving your letters really comforted me when I was in prison. Thank you! Yecenia Armenta Released from prison in 2017 after 4 years of injustice and police torture Write for Rights - Mexico Thank you very much each and every one of you. Not just for campaigning for my release, and the release of other prisoners, but for helping to keep our hope and our beliefs alive. Phyoe Phyoe Aung Student leader imprisoned after peaceful protest, freed in Write for Rights - Myanmar

10 Social Media Social media is a powerful tool to take action for human rights. Make sure to check out our website for even more resources! Here are a handful of ways to get started: Remember: use the hashtags #Write4Rights and #W4R2018 in all your posts! LIKE & SHARE Help us build momentum by liking and sharing Write for Rights videos and photos and taking part in the solidarity actions for each case. PROMOTE YOUR OWN EVENT LEARN MORE AT RESOURCES Using our website, it s super easy to create and register your own event. Check out the activity ideas in this guide, create your own event and then invite your friends and family-- make it fun! You can share your event on social media and make it as big or small as you like. Don t fret, we re here to help if you need support, just fire us an . TAKE PHOTOS (AND TAG THEM!) We love photos of all W4R participants but why not kick it up a notch and take photos of your team doing an extra action? Maybe crash a famous landmark in your city with Write for Rights signs. We ll pick the best ones and feature them on our platforms! @AMNESTYNOW

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