Any human Rights activists in New Delhi?

Maltesian

Hi to everyone! I'm about to move to New Delhi from Europe in a couple of weeks time to work for a human rights organisation over there. I was wondering if there are any fellow human rights workers in this forum who are active in India (or anywhere else in the world actually). At the moment I am focused on the refugee situation in the Mediterranean - I wonder what the next big issues I will find in India will be!

edwardseco

Tribals, debt bondage, untouchables, women, Dowery victims, communal victims, etc..

lotus blossom

i would love to work with the women in india, with many of the issues that you mention edwardseco. perhaps it would be a challenge for an outsider to work with them on issues that are deeply cultural. i wonder if i would be seen as an ego masquerading as the "great white hope". i don't know?

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Not all who wander are lost

edwardseco

Maybe yes, but the Indian hospitality takes over. Manushi does the cutting edge on women in India (as a former contributer). Delhi seethes with this. Go to JNU..

Maltesian

The best to way work effecitvely in human rights is to be part of a structure working for the goal you are trying to achieve. Some people do this through government structures or inter-governmental organisation such as the various branches of the UN. I much prefer the non-governmental organisation set-up where you are much freer and less influenced by outside 'forces'. The important thing is to have some credibility (either you personally or at the begining at least the NGO which you work for) with the the authorities even if the latter don't quite like you because of the hot issues you bring up. The refugee crisis in the Mediterranean is a very hot topic down here and both authorities and public would like us to back down from our fight for the refugee's rights. But at least they respect us in a way - though it took some court cases and much dialogue before that came about!

zenkris

how about volunteering in Englistan?

from the current news it seems that since police is starting to shoot suspects lying on the floor, London may need you more than India.

agni5454

The fact is, we need humanitarian workers here as well because not everything is well at our back yard either; ranging from killing babies (abortion) to abuse of women (domestic Violence). For crying out loud, didn't the US government sponsor a shooting spree to kill off the Native Americans? They were hunted down like animals and now everyone is wondering where they (Native Americans) went.*

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Source: *Native American Genocide still haunts US

**The White Book of Capitalism

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"Human Life without happiness or hope of happiness is not a life, but rather a death in life" - David Swenson The Dignity of Human Life

"History is always a perspective; but numbers never lie"

zenkris

killing babies?

neo-conserative alert!! lol


but you did remind me that south india, especially tamil nadu is supposed to be the number one in the world in female infanticide.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organiza...25/george.html

so that could be an opportunity to volunteer as well, perhaps.

Maltesian

I agree with all of you that there are severe human rights violations everywhere including Europe and the USA. I witnessed the poor condition which some Native American Indians live in, in South Dakota close to Rapid City. I was shocked and realise that their rights are being trampled upon in a major way. Europe is really getting worse with human rights violations - especially where immigrants are concerned. I plan on returning to Europe to fight for human rights after my experience in India. I'm off to India coz the opportunity came along to work for an NGO for one year and I felt it is the right time of my life to do this (I'm 27). But I'm not gonna be a hypocrate and say that I'm going to India coz the situation there is worse than here. I've seen some shocking stuff in Europe which most Europeans wouldn't even dream happen in our so-called civilised continent.

agni5454

Infanticide record goes to China. 800,000 babies killed since 1998. Maybe you should look up facts before yelling out something. Also there was 200,000 babies aborted in US in last 5 years. What is your excuse?

lotus blossom

it is true, human rights vilolations exist worldwide. i used to volunteer at a shelter for battered women so have seen it first hand. america has its share of problems, esp. when considering the atrocious human rights violations that we inflict on iraqi's, afghani's, etc., not to mention the innocent people being held captive in guatanamo bay.

agni5454

For example, we hear everyday about the US soldiers killed in action. BUT How many death counts of Iraqis have we heard? Frankly, i think people in the western hemisphere should be the last group of people to talk about humanitarian movements and humanitarian "anything". Afterall, the wars we started in the 20th century (not to mention, the colonialism, conquest, etc) killed more people than any other century in the history of human-kind. Not very "humanitarian" i guess.
Sure Chinese and Japanese Kingdoms have killed as well but not as many as us (in WW I and WW II).
So whats next? the KFC colonel starting a Chicken preservation movement?

SOURCE http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/war-1900.htm

crvlvr

maltesian, with all due respect, I think indian human rights activists (and there are quite a few) will me much more effective in India than some one from abroad. Cultural sensitivty, language, religion, tradition etc, are all major issues that play major part in the dynamics of society in India.

Maltesian

Sure - I totally agree with you that locals have more potential to make a difference in every country. Though once I am going to be working in India I'm gonna do my best to fulfill my potential as I do where ever I go. I always try to make a difference where ever I go and whatever I do - and sometimes I do manage. I'm gonna try and do that in my new job too.

I'm not expecting to go on a solo-quest to save the world. I'm gonna have Indian colleagues who will guide as to what I can do to help out - I will be part of a mostly Indian team. If they chose me to be part of their team I would think that there must be a reason. Maybe because I have experience in the field (though of course in other countries). Maybe coz I'm a qualified human rights lawyer with some experience in very tough situations in various Mediterranean countries and thus they know I will not crack under pressure. Another point is that often foreigners with experience in the field have come to my country and taught me much thanks to their experience and perhaps different perspective. I'm not gonna be arrogant towards my colleagues and say I'm gonna teach them anything - if anything I am going to learn from THEM. But if I can give anything of what I can offer then I will by all means.

Sama

IM is certainly not the place for an abortion debate!

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My India, 2005-2008
sama: Pali/Sanskrit: that state of consciousness which reflects neither attachment nor aversion