Brown Eyed View: Am I Not Human

note:

Roots of Humanity thanks Ms Lady Deborah of Brown Eyed View for this incredible post focusing on Children's rights and needs. Thankyou for allowing us to repost this on the main blog.
Please also visit Villager who posted a link about Seeking justice for the war crimes in the Gaza conflict and sign the petition.

On the 27th of each month a group of bloggers post on the subject of human rights. The Am I Not Human Campaign was designed to help bring awareness to social issues that you can help to work on solving.

MBEV focuses on human rights issues that involve children. This month I would like to draw your attention to two different children's rights issues.

I AM 60 FEET UNDERGROUND


The International Rescue Committee is working to improve the lives of children and their families. IRC is currently sponsoring a petition to urge President Obama to sign the UN Convention on The Right of the Child.

Can you imagine being 60 feet underground? Working to sift rocks for gold instead of attending school or having the opportunity to play with your friends? In America we have laws that protect children from being exploited. The child featured in the video is 10 years old. There are other children just like her all over the world. Children who need the help and support of the international community to improve their lives.
Please stand up for this child-and others like her.
Sign the IRC petition asking President Obama and the Senate to protect children around the world.Over nearly 20 years, 193 nations have stood up one by one to declare their commitment to protecting children by ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Convention protects children by defining their basic human rights: the right to live free from violence, protected from exploitation, the right to learn and the right to live a healthy life.

The Convention ensures nations support all actions and policies in the best interests of children.

Only 2 countries have yet to show their support by ratifying the Convention—Somalia and the United States.

This cannot continue.Please sign the petition now so that children no longer pay the price for the United States' delay. (link to the petition)

Homeless Children In America
The second issue that I want to bring to your attention today is Homeless Children in America. It is an issue that we cannot ignore. The impact that it has on the lives of our youngest citizens. I work with children who have been homeless. Every day I see what that situation has already done to their psyche. They are often very insecure and very angry with everyone. When I consider that they are only 3, 4 and 5 years old-it hurts me to my heart.

There is an organization that works on the issue of homeless children in America. The National Center to End Family Homelessness. I am asking that you visit their website and take the time to learn what is going on in your home state around the issue of child homelessness. Take the time to consider what you can do to help families secure adequate and permanent shelter.

Homeless children in America have a youthful advocate who is donating her time and talent to help raise awareness and funds for their cause. Check out entertainment sensation Jamia as she talks about why she is working on behalf of homeless children.



You can link here to hear the finished production of Jamia's song, "Take The Time".

Please visit the Am I Not Human? Campaign blog. You can learn about other human rights issues. There is also information available on how you can participate in this effort to inform and advocate on the different Human Rights issues around the world.<

Am I Not Human: Finding New Ways To Make A Difference

image: Allafrica.com

3 points struck me deeply, and somewhere inside of myself the night I finished watching it, I committed to finding a way to do more to support our human siblings in re-developing countries struggling to survive, through different methods. Lots of ideas passed through my mind. I thought maybe a 'PeacefulPens collective' could somehow connect with folks providing relief in refugee camps so we could put a face to some of the people suffering and write their stories. Not sure if that was the exact idea, I turned the idea around in my mind thinking maybe it should be a 'HappyEndings' children's story collective that would feature children from the refugee camps in Darfur and other areas in the world, with the proceeds going completely to funding [healthy] education and survival needs, but I want to begin something I'm sure I can finish surely and thoroughly, and am unsure I could handle writings hundreds, or thousands of short stories in a small space of time without assistance, as it can be hard (especially during difficult financial times like these) to find folks willing to offer their assistance with no promise of profit. Enough working pens would be necessary and no child refugee's story should be left out of such a venture.

So for now I've decided that I can have a trusted non-profit collect monies accrued from 2 forthcoming fantasy anthologies and have them donated in full to ensure healthy education, and survival needs are supported for survivors living in refugee camps, looking to start their life anew, with security, and hope.

Have you been giving thought to what you can do that might go beyond petition-signing, and days of blogging (both good and powerful things, but for those who can do more the need is certainly there)?

On behalf of all of my human siblings barred from communication, or denied the technology to express what they've been enduring at the hand of greedmongering and unimaginable inhumanity, I ask:

A promising way to support the healing of the Motherland.

Click for more information.

3 Points

Peace. Protection. Punishment.


Our voices and ingenuity are still needed. How can we get the attention of politicians that will make a positive difference in the struggle Darfurees and Chadians have faced at the hands of the Janjaweed and the Governing of Omar Bashir that empowers them?

Are you a solid indie game designer? Can you create a game that will attract interest in masses of Americans and other national citizens to take action? Can you write a song that makes a difference, and donate the sales to aid refugees in need? Would you rather write a children's story, or dedicate a collection of art to supporting aid, protection, and education efforts for Darfuri's and Chadians? Will you design greetings cards that remind loved ones that they have the power to save lives in areas where the voices of the people have been assaulted? Maybe you love to bake, and can organize a bake sale and create a special Peace cookie. There are many ideas that will remind your local news, national, and international news that we haven't forgotten what happened in Rwanda, and know what is happening in Darfur, Chad, The Congo, Uganda, and Somalia for that matter. We know we have to make our concern known.

Our job is to raise awareness, write letters to our local representatives, to our President, to make our desire heard. Omar Bashir and those complicit in the inhuman atrocities that have targeted the innocent [likely over the oil in Darfur] must be brought before the International Criminal Court. It is essential to the safety of Darfuri's and Chadians, as well as the rest of the world. If crimes against humanity such as those exacted upon the innocents of Darfur and Bordering Chad are allowed to continue without punishment, these kinds of crimes can easily spread throughout the rest of the world and become seen as commonplace. We have the power to do something now.

What are you going to to do?

I'm over here brainstorming a master-plan for something I can do from my level of creativity, but for right now I can write letters to the government, and keep writing them, at least.

Eventually the government will have to start listening to what the people truly ask for, rather than invade lands criminally themselves. There's alot of clean-up to do and it starts with us.

Click here to watch the film
Visit Tracy Mcgrady's Darfur Dream team website