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Liberté, égalité, fraternité?

December 22, 2020November 10, 2021 Misbah Lalani

Reports of terrorist acts often plant biased rhetoric and paint the Muslim population as a whole in a violent and ruthless light. There is no undermining the severity of these attacks, however it is not uncommon for them to serve as a contribution to the common narrative depicting the Islamic religion as one with savage inclinations. Rather than painting the attacks as isolated anomalies, media outlets often use them to feed into an ever present mentality of bigotry, something that the Muslim community has had to work in one way or another, to prove themselves separate from.

Myanmar Following the 2020 General Elections: An Interview with Professor Kuhonta

December 20, 2020November 10, 2021 Kai Scott

On November 11, 2020, Managing Editor Kai Scott sat down with Prof. Erik Martinez Kuhonta, Associate Professor in the department of Political Science at McGill University, to discuss the results of the 2020 general election in Myanmar, and what these mean for democratization in the country.

A Glimpse of Myanmar’s 2020 Elections: A Hard Road to Democracy

December 19, 2020November 10, 2021 Ruolan Ma

A future of a fully democratized Myanmar might still be distant, but with politicians like Aung San Suu Kyi, gradually improving of economic competitiveness, improved civil rights protections, and a growing civic consciousness, Myanmar’s road to democracy is by no means out of reach.

The Violence of Silence: How the West Ignored the Armenian Diaspora

December 17, 2020November 10, 2021 Adriana Gabriela Franco

The right to self determination is a founding principle of international law and the United Nations, but as Mariam Grigoryan points out, the case of Arsakh demonstrates that “in the world where oil money costs more than human lives, there’s not much hope for international law and human rights”.

Reparative Conversations: Transitional Justice in Albania, an Interview with Kristale Ivezaj Rama

December 16, 2020November 10, 2021 Adriana Gabriela Franco

Rama believes this project is a “tiny seed” in the greater movement towards transitional justice, something those living in Albania need to be able to move forward. Limitations on free speech and an unstable economy are just some of the lasting effects of this period in Albania, and as Rama so eloquently put, the “people can’t think about the past if they are too preoccupied with the present and worry about their future”.

En Route to Equality: Transgender Rights In Turkey

December 14, 2020November 10, 2021 Kibel Aker

To this day, Turkey is still not a country where all rights of transgender individuals are protected and all prejudices are eliminated.

Buying a Blind Eye: The Abuse of Liberty in Saudi Arabia

December 11, 2020November 10, 2021 Santhindu Wijesooriya

The Saudi agenda is based purely on the goals and aspirations of the royal family. It violates and marginalizes many groups such as Shia Muslims and women through the use of strong central authority and strict enforcement of arbitrary laws and regulations. The government condones and conducts the unfair treatment of activists and those who aim to change the discriminatory status quo in the powerful, oil-rich state.

Grappling With the Surge of Gender Violence During COVID-19

December 10, 2020November 10, 2021 Misbah Lalani

Activism in the realm of women’s rights and more specifically in prevention and treatment of violence towards women is an arena that must be tackled from multiple angles. Gendered violence is an age-old problem that cannot be solved in one fell swoop. Rather, one must recognize the severity and depth of the issue in order to properly act.

Alessandra Munduruku: A Symbol Hope for the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil

December 9, 2020November 10, 2021 Ines Navarre

Above everything, the 2020 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights prize has revealed the importance of Alessandra Korap Munduruku and other Indigenous peoples’ claims and has officially marked her place as a relevant figure for human rights activism. The award may be perceived as just another step closer to the recognition of Brazilian indigenous’ rights.

Human Rights Activism Week — Opening Statement

December 8, 2020 The Catalyst Editorial Board

The need for action on Human Rights is at an all-time high—and our set of pieces selected for this week aspire to demonstrate the various ways that organizations and individuals have worked to push back against growing inequities present across the world. In the end, we hope that these articles will fuel a sense of empowerment, ultimately showing that bottoms-up activism remains alive and well, despite trying times.

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