Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Forum looks to foster human rights activism

From the slums of Haiti to low-income neighborhoods in Chicago, a global human rights discussion held Wednesday night had a broad agenda.

Led by the Northwestern University Conference on Human Rights as its first event of the year, “Human Rights 101,” held at Swift Hall, 2029 Sheridan Road, featured a panel of three speakers who discussed human rights issues on a multi-dimensional level.

The forum was meant to foster open dialogue and discussion on campus before the group’s main conference in January, when student delegates from across the country and prominent keynote speakers will converge on one academic platform.

The three speakers focused on local, international and bilateral approaches to human rights activism.

Doug Schenkelberg, associate director of policy and advocacy at Heartland Alliance, a service-based human rights organization, discussed the issue at a local and domestic level, highlighting poverty levels within the state of Illinois.

“More people who have generally experienced poverty in the past are falling deeper (into economic depression),” he said.

The organization’s grassroots campaign, “From Poverty to Opportunity,” concentrates on institutional changes that would alter the system for the benefit of the extremely underprivileged. Schenkelberg said most of the public recognizes human rights violations as existing in developing nations and places like Guantanamo Bay, but they ignore problems closer to home.

“What (they’re) not talking about is the people in (southern) Illinois, living next to coal mines that have shut down, living on dollars a day, ” he said.

Leonard Cavise, professor of law at DePaul University, focused on his own work in Haiti, which deals with law reform and codification of human rights. He said these projects aim to combat and reduce the island nation’s corrupt political infrastructure.

Kari Kammel, deputy executive director of the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University College of Law, highlighted the bilateral effect of foreign influence on human rights in Iraq.

“Prior to the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq probably had one of the best and most progressive health care systems in the world,” she said. “(After the occupation) the system fell apart … doctors were targeted and assassinated by different militia groups.”

Kammel said cultural differences place limits on American activism on an international level.

“A lot of Americans are very good-intentioned,” Kammel said. “Often (American ideals) are not the most wanted or best solutions in other countries.”

Hannah Kim, a Weinberg junior who helped plan the event, said she was impressed by the quality of the speakers.

“My initial reaction is just how much there is to learn,” she said.

The Conference on Human Rights in January will feature delegates addressing case studies on slums everywhere from Rio de Janiero to the Paris Red Belt.

Shannon Kritzer, chair of delegate development of NUCHR, said the United Nations definition of slums dictates they have to be in developing nations.

“The reason why a Chicago panel is included is because we are challenging the (international) definition of a slum,” the Weinberg junior said.

Schenkelberg encouraged students to actively address these issues.

“Your voice as constituents, as people on the street who hear about this, makes a huge difference,” he said. “Get out there, volunteer, find your voice.” [email protected]

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Forum looks to foster human rights activism