ACTIVE Term 2 2013

ACTIVE

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Aotearoa NZ’s Youth Magazine

Our Rights.

Our Future.

Make Our Rights Law. IN THIS ISSUE > ARMS TRADE TREATY CELEBRATIONS > FREEDOM CHALLENGE 2013 > MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NZ > DOVE AWARD WINNERS

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UPDATES

A note from Kristian Hello. Welcome to ACTIVE, I hope you enjoy your stay, get your read on. I’m your Youth Intern, Kristian Rusten. My job is to help out in any way I possibly can, so now I’m writing stuff for your Magazine.

I’m hoping to see a bit of you guys before I finish my internship, send you some more Newsletters before I go, so hopefully we’ll be in touch. I’d like to be here with you guys forever, to be stuck in some kind of time and space vortex. Unfortunately time is an unkind fellow, so we’ll have to make the most of it.

“We need your updates... So if you like writing, drawing, taking photos, whatever your medium, get it to me” I have one humble request. We need your updates; blog-like posts, your experiences in human rights, your life story, why you like Amnesty, what your group’s doing now, an opinion about current human rights events, what you had for breakfast, anything. Your voice is important to us.

This is Your Magazine; you are Amnesty, so if you like writing, drawing, taking photos, whatever your medium, get it out to me.

When you do you’ll see what it looks like on pages 9-10.

My email is youth.intern@amnesty.org.nz.

The next ACTIVE goes out at the start of next term, so get your submissions to me by 1 July and I’ll have time to incorporate everything.

For now I’ll leave you to our pages.

This is the end of my note. I’ll see you guys around.

Kristian.

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ARMS TRADE TREATY

Arms Trade Treaty

Celebrations!

From all the staff at Amnesty International NZ, a huge thank you! - WE DID IT!

FOR more than 20 years (yep, longer than most of you guys have been alive) Amnesty International has been working to get the world a bulletproof Arms Trade Treaty. Its aim - to prevent small arms and all sorts of terrible weapons from ending up in the hands of people who want to use them to commit grave human rights abuses.

And after everything, all the hard work and campaigning, protests, letters, demonstrations, Harlem Shakes, it paid off! In March, the United Nations passed the treaty 155 to three (with the remaining 23 countries abstaining).

This treaty holds human rights issues at its core so we now have a platform from which we can work to stop the unregulated trade of small arms. It is these weapons which so often are at the forefront of the worst human abuses.

Thank YOU. This is a huge victory and you’ve been with us every step of the way, together we’ve made history!

Syria, North Korea, and Iran disagreed with the Treaty, but the rest of the world wasn’t so cruel. Even though we didn’t get the full agreement we really wanted, the world’s nations gave a real, solid indication that the overwhelming majority want to work together toward a future in which these abuses simply don’t happen.

Amnesty International staff and volunteers in Japan celebrate!

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Amnesty International staff at the UN say thank you!

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FREEDOM CHALLENGE 2013

Street art against sexual harassment in Cairo © Amnesty International

THAT’S right!! We are already into Freedom Challenge mode because it’s gonna be a big one!!

Get ready to flex your creative muscles, because for Freedom Challenge 2013 we will be taking action against sexual and gender-based violence in Egypt and drawing on the street art proliferating as a creative form of protest.

Which is why this year’s theme is:

It will see us standing in solidarity with the incredibly brave women human rights defenders who helped to bring down the Government of long-standing dictator Hosni Mubarak. But those rights, the freedoms and security hoped for have not eventuated under the new Government of President Morsi.

Egyptian women still face discrimination in all facets of life. Almost every girl and woman who has walked the streets or taken public transport in Cairo, has experienced some form of verbal or physical sexual harassment.

After decades of harsh repression, these women are not waiting for an invitation to stand up for their rights. They are loud, proud and actively engaged in the human rights struggle.

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“The fear is broken. Everyone talks about politics. In the past, women and girls didn’t talk about sexual harassment, but now they do and they are fighting back against it.”

- Azza Suleiman, head of the Centre for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance.

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STREET ART SENDS A MESSAGE

FREEDOM CHALLENGE 2013

IN a country where voicing your opinion can get you beaten up or gunned down, people are finding new and creative ways to get their message heard.

In Egypt people have turned to ‘the oldest art form’ and thoughtful, challenging, hopeful street art has the capital Cairo, awash with colour.

Once bland surfaces are covered with powerful visual statements demanding respect for human rights.

Cairo is now considered the street art capital of the Middle East.

And so the two overarching themes of women’s and street art will be drawn on throughout Freedom Challenge 2013.

WHAT IS FREEDOM CHALLENGE? A team challenge for young New Zealanders to take action for human rights around the world.

Each year it focuses on a particular campaign. Each team organises an event (or events!) to highlight this year’s human rights issue.

Get creative! You might use your voice, assemblies, drama, art, host events, social media, theatre, and any other ideas no matter how crazy they may seem and get media coverage of your event.

Freedom Challenge helps builds pressure for positive human rights change, raises money and awareness, develops leadership skills and recruits more people to join Amnesty in its vital work.

>>TAKE ACTION! Send postcards to President Morsi. Tell him to condemn sexual and gender based violence, and put in place a comprehensive strategy to end it; to bring perpetrators of such violence to justice and to stop discrimination against women in law and practice.

Petition other political leaders in Egypt - demand they also speak out against sexual and gender based violence and put pressure on President Morsi to deliver on the above asks.

Celebrate and support Egypt’s women activists with solidarity messages and photos.

Check out your Freedom Challenge kit and our website. www.freedomchallenge.org.nz for full details on these actions.

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FREEDOM CHALLENGE 2013

HOW TO GET STARTED FOR 2013?

NOW is the time to start planning your Freedom Challenge events. > FIRST - Save the Date. This year our Freedom Challenge week begins on the second week of Term Three, August Monday, 5-12. International Youth Day is also celebrated on 12 August. Book your mufti day fundraiser ASAP and start thinking about what other actions your group might take. > NOW Get everybody in your group to read ACTIVE and the material in the enclosed Freedom Challenge kit > THEN have a brainstorm session with your Amnesty group at the next meeting to see what ideas everyone can come up with. Be as creative as you like, new ideas are always great to capture people’s attention. Brainstorm actions your group can take. There are lots of fun ideas in your Freedom Challenge kit

We know you guys have all the good ideas!

But just to get you started...

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5 – 12 August 2013

> WHY don’t you come along to a Freedom Challenge workshop (See page 11 for Freedom Challenge workshops dates in Dunedin, Christchurch.

And Wellington tbc. > HAVE discussions about any links or contacts your group or institute has with Egypt, with individuals working to protect women’s rights around the world or with local street artists! > FIND a contacts list for other groups in your region enclosed. So remember, you can get in touch with other groups if you want to share ideas or hold a joint event. > REGISTER for Freedom Challenge 2013 via the form enclosed with the kit, or online. Keep us informed about what you’re planning and get your orders in for the resources you will need! > AND don’t forget to check that the dates work for your school or institute. If not simply change the date to one that works for your team.

Graphic art by Jade Oskar Harvey of Mt Albert Grammar School

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INSPIRATIONAL YOUTH

2013 Dove Award AVONDALE College are Amnesty International's 2013 Dove Youth Award winners.

Winners!

The group were recognised for their ongoing efforts to promote the protection of human rights on Saturday 4 May at Amnesty’s Human Rights Conference.

Avondale College has had an active group since 2001 and for more than a decade it has excelled across the spectrum of activism asks – fundraising, campaigning, recruitment.

The group has written letters, done skywrites, they’ve had their mouths taped for a school week, they’ve baked, they hosted mega mufti days, they've collected signatures on the Syrian flag and bloody bandages to help us build pressure for change in this violence -torn country; and gathered handprint signatures to help us end the use and recruitment of child soldiers.

Each year the group raise $4-5,000 during takes part in Amnesty International's Youth leadership event Freedom Challenge and they consistently for human rights work.

As he accepted the award co-leader of the group Omar Shahin said, "The award encourages us to grow as a group and basically to do more. It feels like what we were doing in the group is evidence that what we do affects not just us but other people as well. It's really amazing that we have been acknowledged for this."

Anti clockwise from front student leaders, Crystal Liu and Naafiah Islam; Omar Shahin and teacher co-ordinator Alan Jones accepting the Dove Award.

A word with Lingshu Liu: What's driving the group to be so active?

AUCKLAND’S Kristin College group has been incredibly active of late, sending in hundreds of letters and taking a leading role in Amnesty's presence at Auckland's Gay Pride parade in February.

So we decided to ask Lingshu Liu, a leader within the group, for some insider tips and info.

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We take turns researching a case that interests us almost every week which we present to the group. Then everyone tells their friends about the cases and asks them to sign. By doing this we are raising awareness as well as collecting many letters. It is amazing the number of people who are unaware of the human rights abuses that are occurring in the world.

Your group’s involvement in the Pride Parade really stood out for us here in the office. Is there something that appeals specifically to you about LGBTI rights?

I have friends who are part of the

LGBTI community. They experience discrimination from many people because of who they are. I strongly believe that something should be done for them to change the way others think about them and the Pride Parade was the perfect opportunity for this.

Lastly, why Amnesty?

Why not? Nah, it's because Amnesty is highly organised with its resources as well as providing the freedom to choose the topics you are interested in. Also because the interns are so friendly and helpful, going out of their way to read my long emails and putting together specific emails to my many questions. ☺ 7

DEATH PENALTY

END the death penalty THE only thing deserving of a death sentence is the death penalty itself.

Amnesty International is totally opposed to the death penalty in all cases and campaigns for its total global ban. We’ve just released a major report with facts, and figures, supporting blogs and videos available at www.amnesty.org.nz. Perfect in assisting with your homework assignments, debates and discussions on this tough issue.

The good news is we’re getting closer to a global ban with the majority of countries now abolitionist in law or practice and every year that number is growing. Only one in 10 countries worldwide carried out death sentences in 2012.

Amnesty’s concerns with the death penalty The death penalty is premeditated, state sanctioned killing. It is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is in breach of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “The right to life”.

The use of such calculated violence in the name of justice stains any justice system.

And the Death Penalty doesn’t work, as many claim, to deter serious crimes. There is simply no evidence to confirm this.

Amnesty Demonstration by German students against the Death Penalty in Freiburg, Germany. © Amnesty International / Florian Zeidler

“If the death penalty is not a deterrent, and it is not, and if the death penalty does not make us safer, and it does not, then it is only high-cost revenge.”

- Florida senior judge Charles M Harris, April 2012 Disturbingly, the countries that execute the most are also the ones where serious concerns exist about the fairness of the justice system, such as in China where more people are executed than anywhere in the world. Lack of access to lawyers, the use of confessions gained after torture, death sentences applied for political reasons are just a few issues in death penalty countries.

In the majority of places where people were sentenced to death or executed, the death penalty was imposed after unfair trials In breach of international law countries also use the death penalty against those who committed crimes as children.

Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen last year detained people who were children or juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes and who now face a death sentence.

Youths against child executions at Amnesty Norway

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DEATH PENALTY IRAN

IRAN STOP HANGING onto the death penalty BECAUSE Iran is the world’s second biggest executor, because it continues to execute child offenders, because over 70% of death penalty convictions are for drug offences that don’t qualify as most serious crimes, because Amnesty has concerns about the fairness of most trials in Iran – we are asking you to urge Iran to stop hanging on to the death penalty.

Last year, Iran officially executed 314 people, the bulk for drug-related crimes. But Amnesty International has credible evidence to suggest a further 230 executions took place, making for a possible total of 544.

Of those executions four may have been children at the time of the crime they were sentenced to death for. And last year two juvenile offenders have been sentence to death.

In January this year Ali (Kianoush) Naderi (21) was executed in Raja’i Shahr Prison.

He had been sentenced to death for his alleged role in the murder more than four years ago - when he was apparently still only 17 years old - of an elderly woman during the course of a burglary. Those under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged offence are considered to be children under international law and their execution is strictly prohibited.

The age of criminal responsibility in Iran is still “maturity”, meaning nine lunar years for girls and 15 lunar years for boys.

“Iran is one of the very few countries in the world where executions of juvenile offenders are still carried out, in contravention of its Active Term 2 // 2013

international human rights obligations. The Iranian authorities must immediately end the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders, ” says Ann Harrison, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

Proposed amendments to Iran’s Penal Code, which have not yet come into force, would end the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders for some crimes such as drug trafficking, but not for murder.

In March this year, Iran’s human rights record was discussed by the UN’s Human Rights Council with its continuing high rate of executions and the practice of executing juveniles for murder just two reasons why Iran’s human rights record remains a matter of international concern.

The death penalty is carried out by hanging in Iran which is why we’re calling on Iran to stop hanging on to the death penalty. The Iranian Government needs to end the use of the death penalty for juvenile offenders first, whatever crime they’ve committed, with the aim to completely removing the death sentence as a penalty.

You can seek signatures on the enclosed letter template or create your own hanging imagery to send a message to the Iranian Government to end its use of the death penalty.

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MAKE MY RIGHTS LAW

MAKE

MY RIGHTS LAW

Do you think all your human rights are equally protected in NZ law?

Our Rights. Our future. Make our rights law.

Think again!

DID you know that some but not all of your rights are protected by law in New Zealand?

But without legal protections, access to some of your most basic human rights, such as the right to EDUCATION, HEALTH and HOUSING are at risk.

Without those legal protections it’s much harder to hold decision makers to account when things go wrong. Things like having 270,000 of our kids living in relative poverty, things like NZ having third-world rates of acute rheumatic fever.

It’s time for New Zealand to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights are protected equally alongside civil and political rights. And that our decision makers are obligated to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.

that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” so too it confirms that all rights are universal and indivisible. That means that no right is greater than any other. All must be equally promoted, respected and protected.

So, later this month we’ll be sending out to all our Youth teams a Make Rights Law campaign kit – which will include posters, postcards, information and resources to allow you to find out about your rights and then help us spread the word that ALL our rights must be protected.

By acting today we can ensure that all our rights will be equally protected tomorrow.

Find out more here www.amnesty.org.nz/makerightslaw

Education is a human right. It is my right. Protect it.

Make my rights law.

Which is why later in May we’re launching our Make Rights Law campaign to tell New Zealanders which of their rights are and aren’t protected. And to encourage them to join us in ensuring all our rights are equally protected.

This campaign is part of our global Demand Dignity campaign which seeks to end the human rights abuses that contribute to or cause poverty.

Right now we’re in an educational phase of the campaign because in the outreach and research we’ve been undertaking since 2010 we’ve found that many people and including decision makers, think of economic, social and cultural rights are not as important as civil and political rights.

But just as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms Active Term 2 // 2013

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MAKE MY RIGHTS LAW

My Rights. My Future. Make My Rights Law

HAVE YOUR SAY In New Zealand’s

future THERE’S never been a better time to discuss legal protection of our rights as New Zealanders are this year being asked to comment on a constitution that will help create the future we’d all like to live in.

www.ourconstitution.org.nz. It includes advice on how to write submissions, the ability to request an information kit, events that discuss the constitution etc.

It’s easy.

If you and your Youth team are thinking of making a submission please let Kristian Rusten youth.intern@amnesty.org.nz know and we can provide you with information on the human rights changes we’d like to see included.

You’ll find plenty of easy-tounderstand information on the Constitution Conversation here

Or come along to our regional skillshare/ training days which will include workshops on our Make Rights Law

And YOUth voices particularly need to be heard because after all it is your future. Get your submissions in by 1 July.

campaign and Freedom Challenge.

Confirmed dates are 19 May in Dunedin and 15 June in Christchurch.

Dates for Wellington and Kapiti Coast will be confirmed soon.

Looking for YOUth to join the Amnesty Team AMNESTY’S Governance Team is offering an exciting opportunity for a keen Amnesty youth member (13-25 years) to get involved with Amnesty at a governance/board level.

The Governance Team is looking for a Youth Co-optee to join the team as a way to increase the youth perspective in Amnesty’s governance as well as provide an opportunity for an active youth member to both further contribute to the work of Amnesty and learn more about governance and the work of the organisation.

For details of the role and what it entails visit http://bit.ly/18gCqDp. Youth Co-optee job description here http://bit.ly/12uvNr1

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CHILD SOLDIERS

THE TERMINATOR’S LAST MOVE? “It’s reminder to all of us that the unthinkable is possible”, - Sarah Jackson, currently heading Amnesty's Office

in Kampala, Uganda, after Bosco Ntaganda turned up at the US Embassy in Rwanda on 18 March, asking to be handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Just why he chose the US Embassy in Rwanda is not clear, since neither the US nor Rwanda are signatories to the Rome Treaty for the ICC and so were under no obligation to hand him over. International pressure saw them do so.

Bosco Ntaganda arrived in The Hague on 23 March, and made his first appearance at the ICC on 26 March.

As Sarah Jackson said, “It’s a new beginning, an opportunity for victims who have waited for so long to see justice. It’s just a glimmer of hope, an opening to push for a better future in the Kivus and the Great Lakes.

One of world’s deadliest conflicts More than four million people have been killed in the DRC in what has been described as one of the most deadly conflicts since the end of the Second World War. Ituri was one of the areas worst affected by the fighting with more than 60,000 civilians slaughtered there alone.

What started as a local armed conflict in Ituri between two ethnic groups spiraled, the number of armed groups multiplied, and the region became a battleground involving the governments of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Competition for the lucrative gold mines and trading routes was a major factor. Civilians were often targeted as foreign armies and armed groups fought to take control of the mines as a way to money, guns and power.

Bosco’s killing history Born in Rwanda, Bosco Ntaganda moved to the DRC where for more than 20 years he fought for several rebel groups as well as serving in the Congolese army.

Known as the “Terminator”, Bosco Ntaganda was indicted by the ICC in 2006, accused of war crimes in the Ituri district of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including recruiting child soldiers Further charges were added in 2012, bringing the total to 10.

Despite, its obligations to hand him over to the ICC, the Congolese Government promoted him to General and he was often seen wining and dining with Government Ministers.

However, his relationship with the DRC Government soured and last year fighters loyal to him defected from the army after President Joseph Kabila hinted that the Congolese authorities would put him on trial. Ntaganda and his supporters formed a new rebel group known as M23 – named after 23 March, the date it was formed.

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Child soldier, Sanghe, Democratic Republic of Congo © Private

Between March to September 2012 Amnesty International documented numerous human rights abuses by M23 fighters, including unlawful killings, forced recruitment of children and rape.

There was a split in the M23 leadership which led to fierce fighting, leaving Bosco Ntaganda vulnerable and forcing him to flee.

Thank you Amnesty New Zealand’s Youth Network has regularly campaigned on child soldiers issues in the DRC. Amnesty’s DRC campaigner Sophie Rosenberg, has sent her best wishes and thanks to the network.

“It is great to hear of engagement in school and university groups in New Zealand, particularly on the issue of Bosco Ntaganda's transfer to the ICC and child soldiers, “ she said.

For information on this issue and useful backgrounder to the conflict Sophie has generated a series of opinion pieces: http://bit.ly/10mGHTX and http://bit.ly/1607hjz and a Q&A briefing - http://bit.ly/12Rf69n

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CHILD SOLDIERS

HUNT

FOR KONY ON HOLD

TO the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been the scene of fierce fighting by the Séléka coalition of rebel groups. The fighting has forced President Bozizé to flee.

It was there that Ugandan troops, with intelligence support provided by 100 US special forces, had been hunting for Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s

© APGraphicsBank

Resistance Army. He is wanted by the ICC for war crimes including the use of child soldiers.

The Séléka rebels leader Michel Djotodia has appointed himself President, and has announced a new government. This has led to the decision by the Ugandan and US forces to suspend

their operations in the Central African Republic. Meanwhile, the African Union has suspended Central African Republic's membership and imposed travel restrictions on the country's self-appointed leaders.

It’s not about Hair.

It’s about Human Rights

In North Korea IN North Korea there are 28 Government sanctioned hairstyles.

Yes, hairstyles. The Government has decided that they are the only ones you can wear without courting ‘the capitalist lifestyle’. So what they’ve done is set down restrictions to specific hair styles their citizens are allowed to sport.

What makes us human comes through in the smallest pieces of personal expression we exercise every day. We construct our identities through simple things like our hair, clothes, piercings, accessories, and even just the way we walk.

So we want to show North Korean Active Term 2 // 2013

authorities that everyone should be able to choose how to wear their hair; we want to make a stand for human rights and defend freedom of expression by showing them how we express ourselves every day.

Upload your picture at www.hairprotest.org and make it crazy. We want to crash through the universe’s fourth wall and meet your hair in the sixth dimension, the more out there it is the better.

Then you can also send it to me at youth.intern@amnesty.org.nz so I can

see them and share them around.

That way we can show the people who think that specified, mandatory hairstyles are a good idea just how © Private much fun hair can be. And show them that freedom of expression is fantastic even in its most basic forms.

I look forward to seeing your pictures.

Shout outs to our friends at Amnesty International Poland, they started this action not too long ago and it’s already looking like one of the largest photo petitions ever created.

With our help it can get even bigger.

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SCHOOL UPDATES

Pink PUNK ACTION on Waiheke

ONE of our newest school groups went pink and punk to highlight Amnesty’s presence at their school.

Waiheke High School (WHS) AI group Teacher co-ordinator, Catherine Attwood said their first fund and awareness raising campaign focused on Russian punk band Pussy Riot.

“WHS is quite a small school, but the team were pleased to raise $110 during their lunchtime event. They sold cookies, cupcakes and candy floss and handed out leaflets about Amnesty International, with a focus on the right to freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial. They also highlighted and explained to other students the situation that Pussy Riot has been experiencing in Russia,” said Catherine.

She added that the group will be using the funds raised to support their future campaigns in the coming terms.

To date we’ve received 437 signatures from you on our Pussy Riot petition. All have been sent off to Russian authorities.

Please forward all your outstanding petitions to Amnesty International, PO Box 5300, Wellesley Street, Auckland.

Kristian’s school adventures.....

YOUTH Intern Kristian Rusten reveals the insights he’s got from visiting Auckland schools since February.

“My job takes me to some crazy places. Well, OK, so Auckland schools aren’t really crazy. They are cool though, and most of them have great Amnesty groups.

“Amnesty groups like Westlake Girls’.

They have one of the largest groups I had ever seen.

Having been in a group of about half a classroom when I was their age, it was quite a shock when I was stood in front of a double-room packed with 200+ students, with barely half of them actually sitting at desks, and having to yell at the top of my voice just to get them to hear me.

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Westlake Girls’ Amnesty leaders wtth Arms Trade Treaty postcards & their letterbox

These guys are awesome and they keep churning out so much activism they even have their own Amnesty letterbox.”

Kristian has also visited Rangitoto College, Diocesan School for Girls’, One Tree Hill, Mount Roskill Grammar, and an International School in the last couple of months.

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SCHOOL UPDATES

TUNE IN to Amnesty at Vic University

THE Victoria Uni group in Wellington (just like so many of our University groups) is an AMAY-ZING Amnesty group, so amazing that they’ve even got their own radio show.

Every Tuesday from 3.00-4.00pm these guys get together and reach out through the soothing, delicious sounds of their soft and smooth voices. They play Human Rights

music and talk about the issues facing us as Human Rights campaigners today, and they’re brilliant at it.

There’s a live stream at humanfm.co.nz, or if you’re down in Welly you can tune into 88.1.

BLINDLY FOLLOWING in the FOOTSTEPS of

FAILURE!

A masked Julia Gillard (aka Chennoah Walford) leading a blindfolded John Key down the wrong path in the treatment of asylum seekers.

AND staying with Victoria University Group brilliance...

It’s not everyday you get asked to don a suit and a mask of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and to lead a blindfolded NZ Prime Minister John Key. But that’s exactly the role that Victoria Uni group member Chennoah Walford

OTAGO’S

TUMBLING Active Term 2 // 2013

played in front of Parliament Buildings, Wellington in April.

She participated in an action organised

by Amnesty to oppose the government’s Immigration Amendment Bill which will see this country go down the disgraceful path of Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers - truly following in the footsteps of failure .

For more information on Amnesty’s concerns visit: www.amnesty.org.nz/news/open-letternz-mass-arrivals-bill-major-setbackhuman-rights.

And for backgrounders, fact sheets etc on refugee and asylum seeker rights visit: www.amnesty.org.nz/our-work/ refugees-asylum-seekers-migrants

OTAGO University and Otago Polytechnic also have an awesome Amnesty group.

You can see it for yourself as they’ve just set up a Tumblr account and uploaded some very cool pictures. Their Tumblr is here amnestyinternationalotagoup.tumblr.com/.

Follow them, re-tumbl them, and why not see if you want to copy them and set up your own Amnesty group tumblr and let know so we can share it!

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GOOD NEWS

NEW ZEALAND: MARRIAGE EQUALITY PASSES INTO LAW

GOODNEWS

NEW ZEALAND became the thirteenth country in the world to commit to marriage equality and enshrine that in law.

When the NZ Parliament voted 7744 to pass the Marriage Equality bill on 17 April it didn’t just bring in a legal standard that reflects the equality all people should enjoy, they made dreams a reality.

Now two consenting adults irrespective of sexual orientation can get married in New Zealand.

It also means that somebody like Lexie no longer has to choose between her legal gender or her marriage and family. Check out her story on our blog to find out what this decision means to just one New Zealander. http:// blog.amnesty.org.nz/what-marriageequality-means-to-me/.

MALDIVES: THE RIGHTS OF AT RISK CHILDREN

Amnesty International supports equality and freedom from discrimination.

This decision means New Zealand is now a little bit better at that.

USA: NIGERIAN ACTIVIST HONOURED BY AMNESTY USA

THE Government of Maldives recently committed to protecting a 15-year-old, who was found guilty of “fornication” and sentenced to house arrest and flogging.

Following the release of an Amnesty Urgent Action and global condemnation, the Government of Maldives released a statement on 28 February acknowledging that the girl is also a victim of sexual abuse and should therefore be treated as a victim, and “her rights should be fully protected”.

The Government also affirmed that all cases of child abuse, including sexual abuse, should be viewed “through a human rights lens” based on the “best interest of the child”.

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Amnesty volunteers, including students from Kristin College take part in Auckland’s Pride Parade, February 2013.

DURING its annual Human Rights conference in March Amnesty USA honoured Nigerian human rights defender Esther Kiobel.

She has campaigned for decades to hold Royal Dutch Shell to account for its complicity in the killing of her husband in 1995, Dr Barinem Kiobel , an Ogoni and environmental rights activist.

During the meeting Amnesty International USA described Esther as a source of inspiration and reflection for other activists in the human right struggle for justice.

In her thank you speech, Esther said. “....I have been beaten, spat at, shamefully tortured, stripped in public, put in jail without charges, and labelled insane for standing up for my rights. One of my husband’s captors even demanded sex in return for allowing me to bring my husband food, when my husband was unjustly detained, held in deplorable conditions, and eventually murdered after an unfair trial for something he did not do.

When I said NO, I did so for dignity, self-respect and honour. All women deserve to be treated as such no matter the circumstances they face in life!

Since then, it has been a worthwhile fight for freedom against oppressive regimes and lawless Corporations around the world. I will not stop fighting for freedom, justice, and human rights because that is what Amnesty International stands for and that’s what my late husband and I believe in. I am happy to see many youths at the forefront of human rights today. May God Bless you and keep you safe as you fight for your rights, and the rights of others.”

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