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On the Issues: Human Rights and Peacebuilding

Thursday, March 26, 2009

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USIP has supported over 300 products, projects, and activities related to human rights and peacebuilding. From grants to fellowships, from training to education, from working groups to publications, the Institute strives to encourage more practice and scholarly work on the issue of human rights, and seeks to deepen understanding of the role human rights play in conflict and in peace.

USIP has supported over 300 products, projects, and activities related to human rights and peacebuilding.  From grants to fellowships, from training to education, from working groups to publications, the Institute strives to encourage more practice and scholarly work on the issue of human rights, and seeks to deepen understanding of the role human rights play in conflict and in peace.

Projects

Below are brief descriptions of some of USIP's recent and past projects that focus on human rights:

  • Capacity Building and Conflict Resolution in Guatamala
    The widespread violence during the 2007 elections revealed that Guatemala is in a difficult stage of its post-conflict transition. If Guatemala is to avoid another cycle of armed conflict, its fragile democratic institutions must successfully confront the profound challenge of the culture of impunity that is one of the most damaging legacies of the internal armed conflict. The role of civil society organizations is crucial to democratic strengthening and tackling impunity. This project has four objectives: To strengthen the capacity of grassroots groups to defend the human rights of their communities; To enable the members of the new human rights groups to develop the capacities and knowledge necessary to sustain their groups; To increase the awareness of groups of women, students and community mayors about non-violent conflict resolution and human rights; and To enlarge the team of legal promoters of the Spring Human Rights Network to support community mayors in the non-violent resolution of conflicts.
  • Public Awareness Campaign on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Bill of Rights in Sudan
    One of the most important aspects of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is the Bill of Rights enshrined in the Interim National Constitution. The Bill of Rights has not been well publicized, with the result that many Sudanese do not understand how the CPA can lead to a peaceful and equitable political system. By building public awareness of the provisions of the Bill of Rights, the project aims to generate a broad base of support for full implementation of the CPA.
  • Human Rights and the Women of Iraq
    Individuals who cannot read often have difficulty accessing information on human rights and other key concepts of democracy. This is the case in rural Iraq, where the female literacy rate is less than 40 percent. Recognizing this, USIP funded a project to develop a 45-minute animated film on the status of girls and women and their rights in Iraqi society. Produced in both Arabic and Kurdish, the film targets primary, middle, and high school students, as well as women in rural areas. In just 36 weeks the film was shown in 700 schools, and was broadcast via local and satellite television throughout Iraq. In interviews with participating educators and students, 95 percent indicated that the film and workshops strengthened their understanding of democracy, the constitutional process, and human rights.
  • Human Rights Implementation Project (1999-2004)
    Since the 1970s, the promotion of human rights has been an explicit goal of U.S. foreign policy. Successive presidents have joined with senators and representatives, hundreds of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and millions of ordinary citizens in deploring human rights abuses and urging that American power and influence be used to right such wrongs. Vigorous debates, bold declarations, and well-crafted legislation have shaped numerous policies designed to counter abuses and promote U.S. values across the globe. This project seeks to examine several issues, including U.S. interests in human rights, the objectives set by former and current officials with respect to human rights, the current array of human rights problems as perceived by the policy community, and the tools available to bring about improvements in human rights conditions in other countries.
Publications

Task Force Reports

Special Reports

Books

Peaceworks

USIPeace Briefings

Jennings Randolph Senior Fellows and Peace Scholars
  • The Cultural Roots of Human Rights Violations in Sudan: Identity and the Civil War
    Report by Albaqir Mukhtar, July 2006
National Peace Essay Contest
  • "Confronting Crimes Against Humanity"
    2008-2009 Essay Contest Topic
  • Safeguarding Human Rights and Preventing Conflict through U.S. Peacekeeping
    Essay by David Epstein, 2002 Essay Contest Winner
Congressional Testimony
Events

 

Education and Training Programs
  • Institute Promotes Human Rights and Peacebuilding Education in Idaho
    October 2–3, 2008 | McCall, Idaho
  • Workshop for Iraqi Officials on Reconciliation and Human Rights
    May 2-4, 2008 | Iraq
  • Workshop on Human Rights, Teaching Methods, and Organization Management
    June 28-July 2, 2006 | Beirut, Lebanon

 

Library Resources
Specialists
  • Tani Adams
  • Linda Bishai
  • Virginia Bouvier
  • Charles "Chuck" T. Call
  • Scott N. Carlson
  • Elizabeth "Lili" A. Cole
  • John Dempsey
  • Jason Gluck
  • Jeffrey Helsing
  • Colette Rausch
  • Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr.
  • Steven Riskin
  • Leonard S. Rubenstein
  • Heather Sensibaugh
  • David Tolbert
  • Keith David Watenpaugh
  • Lawrence Woocher
  • Scott Worden

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s).

PUBLICATION TYPE: Analysis