Human Rights in the News: February 2020
/Curated by Nikki Bambauer
Welcome to the February 2020 edition of Human Rights in the News, Woven Teaching’s monthly collection of important stories from around the world.
Antonio Guterres from the chest up, seated and speaking into a microphone (Credit: Eric Bridiers, United States Mission Geneva, via Flickr)
Human rights under assault worldwide: UN chief
Nina Larson | AFP | February 24, 2020
In his opening speech at the UN Human Rights Council’s annual session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that “human rights are under assault” in today’s world. Although he did not name any countries specifically, he urged against political polarization, human trafficking, and the exploitation of women. Learn more >
Protestors in the distance blockade a railroad. A banner in the foreground reads: “We stand with the Wetsuweten” (Credit: Christinne Muschi/Reuters)
Canada at ‘tipping point’ over Wet’suwet’en land dispute
Brandi Morin | Al Jazeera | February 21, 2020
For the past several weeks, protestors have brought transportation in Canada to a standstill in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en land defenders. The Wet’suwet’en people are fighting to stop the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline across their unceded territories in British Columbia. Learn more >
A photo of Harriet Tubman, standing with hands clasped in front of her, on a white background (Credit: Getty Images)
Disability Narratives Are Often Missing In Black History
Sarah Kim | Forbes | February 24, 2020
How do you teach about Black history? “The erasure of disability in Black history,” Kim writes, “speaks volumes about how society recounts stories of disabled people and the particularly narrow lens through which disability narratives are represented.” Learn more >
A woman stands with suitcases amidst the ruins of several homes in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian (Credit: R Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images)
Climate Refugees Have a Path Forward for the First Time
Mekela Panditharatne | Slate | February 19, 2020
Will those escaping the devastation of climate change soon be added to the list of acceptable asylum-seekers? One lawyer/journalist believes international law may be moving in that direction. Learn more >
Demonstrators hold a rainbow flag and trans pride flags at a protest (Credit: Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Nonbinary people could get a gender-neutral passport under new legislation
Katelyn Burns | Vox | February 25, 2020
Ro Khanna (D-California) recently introduced a bill into the House of Representatives that would create a third gender marker option on U.S. passports. If passed, the bill would allow nonbinary or intersex individuals to use “X, unspecified” as their gender on a passport or passport card. Learn more >
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