Transcript Title

Wednesday, July 24, 2013. 3:00 PM EST
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MISSION: The US Human Rights Network is a
national network of organizations and
individuals working to build and strengthen a
people-centered human rights movement in
the United States, where leadership is
centered on the most directly affected by
human rights violations, and the full range of
diversity within communities is respected and
embraced.
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Jamil Dakwar: ACLU
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Amy Bergquist: Advocates for
Human Rights
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Colette Pichon Battle: Gulf
Coast Center for Law and Policy
◦ Update on the Review Process & Synopsis of U.S.
Reply
◦ 10 Steps to Writing a Shadow Report
◦ Audience Q&A
◦ Next Steps in the Process and Available Resources
July 24, 2013
Amy Bergquist
The Advocates for Human Rights
Colette Pichon Battle
Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy
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10 steps
◦ Set the stage (1-4)
◦ Plan and gather information (5-7)
◦ Implement (8-10)
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“Case study”
Questions
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Your issues
Your advocacy
goals
Your resources
◦ Who can help?
◦ What can they do?
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Enlist people to
help as soon as you
can.
Image source: scpr.org
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Allied organizations
or experts
◦ collaborate
◦ “sign on”
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Other allies
(networks, research
institutions)
◦ Information, tactical
tips
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Power in numbers
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The International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights
◦ Relevant articles
◦ “Each State Party … undertakes
to … ensure … the rights
recognized in the present
Covenant, without distinction of
any kind, such as race, colour,
sex, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or
other status. ” (art. 2(1))
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Read up on what
has happened so
far as it relates to
these rights:
◦ outcome of the last
review
◦ US Government
report
◦ list of issues
◦ US Government
response
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You can shed more
light on these
rights and related
issues:
◦ on-the-ground
information
◦ first-hand accounts
◦ reports
◦ specialized
knowledge
◦ other information
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Committee’s inperson review with
the U.S.
Government
delegation in
October 2013
◦ questions
◦ concluding
observations
◦ recommendations
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Connect Steps 5 &
6
Gather information
◦ sources
◦ credibility and
relevance
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Plan to use the
report beyond the
UN review
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Set up a writing team
Take information from
Steps 3, 4, and 7
Template
Incorporate proposed
questions and
recommendations
(Step 6)
No “abusive” language
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Due to the
Committee Sept. 13,
2013
Optional:
◦ Get stakeholder input
before you submit.
◦ Recruit “sign-ons.”
◦ Submit to USHRN by
Aug. 23, 2013 to be
included in
compilation.
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In the UN review
◦ Advocacy with the Committee
◦ Follow-up during the October
process
◦ Advocacy for implementation
of recommendations
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Promoting longer-term
social justice
◦ Report as a tool for education
and outreach
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NGO Shadow Report Clustering Chart
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ICCPR Shadow Reporting Template
Other Online Resources
-www.ushrnetwork.org/iccpr-newsletter-3
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Visit us at:
www.ushrnetwork.org/iccpr-newsletter-3
To find:
NGO Shadow Report Clustering Chart
Shadow Report Template
U.S. Reply to the List of Issues
Current and Past US Periodic Reports and
Concluding Observations
◦ Past Training Call Audios
◦ ICCPR Taskforce Work Plan
◦ Much More
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Visit our website to learn more about the Network:
www.ushrnetwork.org
Visit our ICCPR newsletter page for all the resources
discussed on the call and more:
www.ushrnetwork.org/iccpr-newsletter-3
Email us at [email protected] with any ICCPRrelated questions or issues.
Consider becoming a member of the Network:
http://www.ushrnetwork.org/join-movement