Covenants without the sword: International humanitarian law (IHL) and sexual violence

by LISA SHARLACH, PhD **Trigger warning: this blog speaks about sexual violence against women. How do we stop sexual violence in civil war?  My goal is not to offer a comparative assessment of various tactics to stop war rape.  Instead, I look at the ineffectiveness of one particular tactic – law, both domestic and international.  … Continue reading Covenants without the sword: International humanitarian law (IHL) and sexual violence

Neither Voice nor Representation: When and Where I Enter

As mentioned in part one of this blog, enfranchisement is the act of participating in the political process, namely through voting. It is the acknowledgement and acceptance of citizenship. White men determined and established citizenship for themselves as leaders in the public and political sphere during the founding of the United States. By securing citizenship … Continue reading Neither Voice nor Representation: When and Where I Enter

Reframing Intimate Partner Violence: Human Rights in the Home

co-authored by Lindsey Reid, Ajanet Rountree, Nicholas Sherwood, and Nora Hood Domestic violence, domestic abuse, domestic terrorism, intimate partner violence (IPV)—all refer to abusive patterns of behavior within the context of relationship. While a universal definition has not been agreed upon, this blog operationally defines IPV as “causing or attempting to cause physical or mental … Continue reading Reframing Intimate Partner Violence: Human Rights in the Home

The Death Penalty: Violation of the Right to Life

The most fundamental human right is the right to life as recognized in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The denial of the right to life, through the practice of capital punishment, is internationally condemned with nearly two-thirds of countries worldwide banning the death penalty in law or in practice. The United … Continue reading The Death Penalty: Violation of the Right to Life

The Arc of History Bends towards Justice

On Sunday, January 15, 2017–the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr–Ajanet Rountree and I filed into the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, a day before the nation officially recognized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The historic location held a special church service commemorating King and his contemporaries, reinforcing the role Birmingham … Continue reading The Arc of History Bends towards Justice

From hostility to hope: Kosovo’s struggle for inclusion and independence

  Ambassador Ahmet Shala, former Minster of Economy and Finance in the government of Kosovo, recently visited the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Institute for Human Rights to speak with faculty and students about minority rights in the Balkan Peninsula, current economic development in Kosovo, as well as efforts to modernize the country. The Republic … Continue reading From hostility to hope: Kosovo’s struggle for inclusion and independence

Threads in American Tapestry: Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Ilhan Omar is a Minnesota state representative. She is the first American lawmaker of Somali descent. She is a former refugee. Omar and her family fled Somalia during the civil war and lived in a Kenyan refugee camp for four years before emigrating to the United States in 1995. Wearing a white hijab, Omar who … Continue reading Threads in American Tapestry: Asylum Seekers and Refugees