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5 Films That Provide a Glimpse at Human Rights Issues from around the World

May 6, 2017

Signed in 1948, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was born out of the experiences of World War II. It was created to provide a common understanding of the fundamental rights of people as human beings. And it serves as the foundation on which the ideals of freedom and justice are built. But despite the efforts to promote human rights, there are many abuses, violations, and other issues that affect marginalized groups of people worldwide. Here are some of the best films to watch that provide a glimpse at human rights issues from around the world.

A Quiet Inquisition (2014)

This film depicts the story of Dr. Carla Cerrato. A gynecologist working at a public hospital in Nicaragua, she struggles between following Nicaraguan anti-abortion laws and treating women whose lives are at stake.

Malcolm X (1992)

This biographical film tells the story of a controversial black activist, his imprisonment, and how his assassination left a legacy on the civil rights movement.

Sepideh (2013)

Sepideh is about a teenage girl who lives in a rural area in Tehran, Iran. It is a tale of a girl dreaming to become an astronomer in a place where gender roles make it almost impossible for a woman to achieve her ambitions.

The Wanted 18 (2014)
ows that produce dairy for a collective formed by Palestinians. The dairy farm cooperative was part of the Palestinian boycott of Israeli goods in the 1980s. The movie follows the success of the success of the “Intifada milk” produced by the 18 dairy cows as well as the efforts to protect them when the cooperative dairy farm was considered as a national security threat to Israel.

What Tomorrow Brings (2015)

Set in a small village in Afghanistan, the film is a story that takes a look into the challenges and the struggles two teachers and three students. The teachers and students are part of the Zabuli School which is the first all-girls educational facility in the village.

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Human Rights Abuses that are Still Happening around the world

April 23, 2017

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Human rights abuses are among the global issues that do not get much media attention. But just because you do not hear about them on the news does not mean they are not happening even now. From rape to extrajudicial killings and other disturbing violations, here are some of the grave abuses on human rights that still exist around the world.

  1. Rape is prevalent in countries like India where a woman becomes a victim at least every hour. There have been many harrowing tales of rape and may yet still left unreported across the globe.
  2. Female genital mutilation is a tradition that still persists in some places despite the global campaign to put an end to it
  3. Arbitrary arrests, detentions, and torture of political activists often on false charges
  4. Summary executions or extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals and even political or human rights activists
  5. Silencing critics by any means deemed necessary
  6. Police brutality that result to grave physical injuries and sometimes death of protesters and even ordinary citizens
  7. Inhumane conditions in prison camps in countries like North Korea
  8. Racism and the many abuses associated with it
  9. Gender inequality that result to issues that result to lack of access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities among others for women and the LGBT community
  10. Killings of human rights defenders and individuals who investigate and expose grave abuses and violations
  11. Repression and restriction of freedom of expression
  12. Destruction of homes of illegal settlers
  13. Arrests and beatings of street vendors and illegal settlers
  14. Attacks on civilians caught between warring groups including war-crimes that lead to more deaths of civilians
  15. Human trafficking and kidnapping of children who are sold into sexual slavery
  16. Degrading punishment and torture of detainees
  17. Persecutions based on religious beliefs
  18. Arrests, detention, and punishments of people who participate in peaceful pro-democracy gatherings

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