Advocacy Work at United Nations

The Advocates For Human Rights is a Minneapolis-based non-profit that promotes human rights in Minnesota, nationally and globally. Because they enjoy a consultative status with the United Nations, they regularly travel to Geneva to attend human rights and international justice sessions. As a volunteer, I have been invited to join the Advocates' upcoming March trip to participate in a review of the human rights records of the countries slated for review during this session (Russia, Cuba, Liberia, El Salvador, among others). 

Our group will be meeting with government delegates to the Human Rights Council and lobbying on targeted issues where the Advocates have hands-on in-country expertise, specifically including women's rights, LGBTQ rights and incarceration/death penalty issues. A broader array of issues addressed by the UN charter and treaties (i.e. racial discrimination, torture, migrant rights, enforced disappearance, etc.) will also be on the docket during our week's visit. We'll have the opportunity to sit in on the first morning's general session, focused on human rights in Israeli-occupied Palestine.  

I have been asked to do some fundraising for the Advocates as part of this opportunity, so am respectfully requesting a donation towards my $2,500 goal. These funds are used to support their overall UN work as well as work with the multitude of on-the-ground human rights organizations they partner with around the world.

Any contribution is appreciated! I will be sure to share my experiences with all of you upon my return.