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66-518: The Carter Center's goal is to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering , including helping improve the quality of life for people in more than 80 countries. The center has many projects including election monitoring , supporting locally led state-building and democratic institution-building in various countries, mediating conflicts between warring states, and intervening with heads of states on behalf of victims of human rights abuses. It also leads disease eradication efforts, spearheading

132-418: A sex workers' rights collective, or a man fighting for sexual and reproductive rights . Like other human rights defenders , women human rights defenders can be the target of attacks as they demand the realization of human rights. They face attacks such as discrimination, assault, threats, and violence within their communities. Women human rights defenders face additional obstacles based on who they are and

198-671: A bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1966 and a law degree from Yale Law School in 1969, where he was an editor of the Yale Law Journal . After law school he clerked for Judge Wade H. McCree of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit . Although he has been conservative as an adult, in the 1960s he worked as an intern for Jerome Cavanagh , the Democratic mayor of Detroit. He

264-598: A breeding ground for the disease-carrying flies, thereby reducing one way the disease is spread. Lymphatic filariasis and malaria are mosquito-borne diseases also targeted by The Carter Center. The center has distributed four million long-lasting insecticidal bed nets . It has also established drug distribution systems in Nigeria to treat and stem the spread of lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis . The Carter Center believes in building networks of village-based health care workers to treat people for various diseases at

330-554: A broad range of other terms instead of human rights defenders, even when their activity falls clearly within the scope outlined by the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Use of the HRD identity could benefit human rights activists by legitimising their work and facilitating access to protective measures. Use of the HRD identity can also be counterproductive by directing attention to particular individuals rather than focusing on

396-401: A clean and healthy environment , when the exercise of those rights is being threatened whether or not they self-identify as human rights defenders. Many environmental defenders engage in their activities through sheer necessity." The use of the term Environmental defender (or Environmental human rights defender) by human rights organizations, the media, and academia is recent and associated with

462-592: A trusted broker for peace, serving as a channel for dialogue and negotiation. Recent examples include: Since 1988, the Chinese government has authorized direct village elections to help maintain social and political order in the context of rapid economic reforms. At the invitation of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Carter Center initiated a joint project in 1998 to standardize Chinese village election procedures and assist in training of election officials and elected National People’s Congress deputies. In 2011,

528-458: A very broad definition of human rights defenders to include anyone who promotes or defends human rights. This broad definition presents both challenges and benefits to stakeholders and donors seeking to support HRD protection programs, as more precise definitions exclude some categories of HRDs, but such broad definition also leaves much room for interpretation and can make it difficult to establish HRD status for some at-risk individuals. In 2004,

594-486: A way that makes it easier to apply them to human rights defenders. The rights protected under the Declaration include, among others, the right to develop and discuss new human rights ideas and to advocate their acceptance; the right to criticise government bodies and agencies and to make proposals to improve their functioning; the right to provide legal assistance or other advice and assistance in defence of human rights;

660-474: Is a necessary and potentially rewarding burden that we should all be willing to assume." The Carter Center began spearheading the campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease worldwide in 1986. At the time, there were about 3.5 million annual cases of the disease in 20 countries in Africa and Asia . In 2016, there were 25 reported cases in three countries: South Sudan , Chad , and Ethiopia . Guinea worm disease

726-544: Is a newly developed tool using electronic networks and satellite imagery and tracking. Examples include tactical mapping, crisis mapping and geo-mapping. Tactical mapping has been primarily used in tracking human rights abuses by providing visualization of the tracking and implementation monitoring. In 2017, Human rights lawyer Emil Kurbedinov, a Crimean Tatar, won the 2017 Award for Frontline Human Rights Defenders at Risk. Kurbedinov has been an avid defender of civil society militants, mistreated Crimean Tatars, and members of

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792-543: Is a person who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights . They can be journalists, environmentalists , whistleblowers , trade unionists , lawyers, teachers, housing campaigners, participants in direct action , or just individuals acting alone. They can defend rights as part of their jobs or in a voluntary capacity. As a result of their activities, human rights defenders (HRDs) are often subjected to reprisals including smears, surveillance, harassment, false charges, arbitrary detention, restrictions on

858-419: Is not religious , although he is sympathetic to and respectful of social conservatives . His commentary has largely focused on the topic of immigration . In November 2008, Barone said journalists criticized Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin because "she did not abort her Down syndrome baby." Barone later said he was "attempting to be humorous and ... went over the line." Barone covered

924-443: Is not legally binding, but it articulates rights established by existing human rights treaties and applies them to human rights defenders in order to legitimise their work and extend protection of HRDs. Under the Declaration, a human rights defender is anyone who works to promote or protect human rights: whether professionally or non-professionally; alone or as part of group or institution. The Declaration articulates existing rights in

990-469: Is placed on building partnerships for change among international agencies, governments , nongovernmental organizations , and corporations and on working with ministries of health to strengthen or establish permanent health care delivery systems in the poorest nations. During his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter commented on what he felt is the greatest challenge

1056-720: Is poised to be the first parasitic disease to be eradicated and the only disease to be eradicated without the use of vaccines or drugs. Within affected countries, the center reinforces existing disease eradication programs by providing technical and financial assistance, as well as logistics and tools, such as donated filter cloth material, larvicide , and medical kits. The International Task Force for Disease Eradication has been based at The Carter Center since its formation in 1988. The group has reviewed more than 100 infectious diseases and identified six as potentially eradicable – dracunculiasis , poliomyelitis , mumps , rubella , lymphatic filariasis , and cysticercosis . Since 1996,

1122-739: The Washington Examiner , leaving his position of 18 years at U.S. News & World Report . He is based at the American Enterprise Institute as a resident fellow. He has written several books on American political and demographic history . Barone was born in Highland Park, Michigan , the son of Alice Katherine (née Darcy) and Charles Gerald "Jerry" Barone, a surgeon. His father was of Italian descent, and his mother of Irish descent. Barone graduated from Cranbrook School in 1962. He received

1188-579: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued Fact Sheet 29 to further define and support human rights defenders. This document states that, "no 'qualification' is required to be a human rights defender," but that the minimum standards for HRDs are acceptance of the universality of human rights and non-violent action. Some researchers have attempted to demarcate categories of human rights defenders for

1254-548: The U.N. Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court . Both oppose the death penalty and urge its abolition in the U.S. Recalling President Carter’s success in the White House negotiating the long-lasting peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, groups in conflict turn to The Carter Center to help them prevent and resolve conflict. Lacking any official authority, the center has become

1320-654: The UN General Assembly issued the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (A/RES/53/144, 1998), commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders . Prior to this Declaration, activist , worker , or monitor were more common terms for people working to defend human rights. The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders created

1386-407: The 1998 UN Declaration, the term environmental defenders is increasingly used by global organizations and media to refer to this convergence of goals and analysis. Following the adoption of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in 1998, a number of initiatives were taken, both at the international and regional level, to increase the protection of defenders and contribute to the implementation of

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1452-597: The Americas plays an important role in accomplishing these objectives. The Carter Center also promotes the dissemination to emerging democracies and regional organizations of models, lessons, and best practices for democratic governance. The goal is to empower those in transitioning countries who are trying to build stronger democratic institutions and practices. The Carter Center believes all people are entitled to basic human rights . These rights include political rights, such as peace, freedom, and self-governance, as well as

1518-572: The Carter Center decided to focus on advancing the US- China relationship, and since 2015 has been promoting greater Africa-U.S.-China cooperation. The center has prevented the suffering of millions of people around the world from illnesses often ignored by others. Health programs seek to provide people with the information and access to services they need to treat their illnesses and take steps to prevent future spread of disease . An emphasis

1584-578: The Carter Center. In 2007, he wrote an autobiography entitled Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope , which chronicles the first 25 years of The Carter Center. The center was founded in 1982 and dedicated in 1986 with William Foege as its executive director. In 1993, John Hardman was appointed executive director, and during the 1990s the center received several multimillion-dollar donations to fight Guinea worm disease and to prevent blindness. In 1994,

1650-686: The Declaration. In this context, the following mechanisms and guidelines were established: In 2008, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), took the initiative to gather all the human rights defenders' institutional mandate-holders (created within

1716-942: The EHRDs reported killed between 2015 and 2019 were indigenous. Documentation of this violence is incomplete, and for every death there may be as many as a hundred cases of severe repression such as detainment, eviction, defamation, etc. Research conducted by the Business and Human Rights Resource Center documented a 34 percent increase worldwide in attacks against human rights activists in 2017. The figures included 120 suspected murders and hundreds of incidents that involved assault, bullying, and threats. There were 388 attacks in 2017 compared to only 290 in 2016. The same study identified human rights defenders connected to agribusiness , mining, and renewable energy sectors (EHRDs) as those in greatest danger. Lawyers and members of environmental groups were also at risk. The United Nations Declaration on

1782-637: The HRDs killed globally were working on these issues. A report published by Front Line Defenders in 2020 found that at least 331 HRDs were murdered that year in 25 countries. Although indigenous people only account for about 6% of the global population, approximately 1/3 of these murdered HRDs were indigenous. In 2019, 304 HRDs were murdered in 31 countries. Global Witness reported that 1,922 EHRDs were killed in 52 countries between 2002 and 2019. 80% of these deaths were in Latin America. Approximately 1/3 of

1848-429: The Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (A/RES/53/144) on December 9, 1998, commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, is the first UN instrument to legitimise and define human rights defenders, as well as the right and responsibility for everyone to protect human rights. The Declaration

1914-655: The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, which enable journalists to explore mental health issues. To date, more than 100 journalists have participated in the program. Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work through the Carter Center. The Carter Center received the inaugural Delta Prize for Global Understanding in 1999—an award administered by the University of Georgia . Human rights defenders A human rights defender or human rights activist

1980-412: The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders at the national level. It was developed in collaboration with hundreds of defenders and endorsed by leading human rights experts and jurists. Several countries have introduced national legislation or policies to protect human rights defenders including Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, and Guatemala; however, key challenges in implementation remain. Electronic mapping

2046-548: The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. However, the approach and role of environmental defenders is closely related to earlier concepts developed as early as the 1980s such as environmental justice and environmentalism of the poor . Although these different terms have different origins, they converge around the re-establishment of land-based cultures, re-making of place for marginalized people, and protection of land and livelihood from activities such as resource extraction, dumping of toxic waste, and land appropriation. Since

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2112-498: The United Nations issued their Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to legitimise the work of human rights defenders and extend protection for human rights activity. Following this Declaration, increasing numbers of activists have adopted the HRD label; this is especially true for professional human rights workers. The term human rights defender (HRD) became commonly used within the international human rights community after

2178-734: The United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union) to find ways to enhance coordination and complementarities among themselves and with NGOs. In 2010, a single inter-mechanisms website was created, gathering all relevant public information on

2244-664: The activities of the different human rights defenders' protection mandate-holders. It aims to increase the visibility of the documentation produced by the mechanisms (press releases, studies, reports, statements), as well as of their actions (country visits, institutional events, trials observed). In 2016, the International Service for Human Rights published the 'Model National Law on the Recognition and Protection of Human Rights Defenders'. [2] This document provides authoritative guidance to states on how to implement

2310-473: The board of trustees. A community advisory group – the Board of Councilors – includes public and private-sector leaders who support The Carter Center and its activities in their communities and organizations. Members attend quarterly presentations on the center’s work. The CEO of The Carter Center is Paige Alexander, appointed on June 16, 2020. Her predecessor was (Ret.) Ambassador Mary Ann Peters who served in

2376-402: The campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease , as well as controlling and treating onchocerciasis , trachoma , lymphatic filariasis , and malaria through awareness campaigns. In 2002, Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work "to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development" through

2442-480: The center announced that it would monitor the hand recount in Georgia to "help bolster transparency and confidence in election results. The Carter Center supports the growth of democratic institutions to ensure that there is a respect for rule of law and human rights , that government decisions are open and transparent, and that everyone can have adequate resources to compete fairly for public office. For example,

2508-517: The center has been a leader in the fight against onchocerciasis , commonly known as river blindness – a parasitic disease transmitted by the bites of black flies. The center has worked to stop the spread of the disease in 11 countries across Africa and the Americas by helping residents and local health workers institute and sustain drug treatment programs and health education activities. The international river blindness campaign seeks to eliminate

2574-858: The center is supporting the efforts of civic leaders in Ethiopia to convene discussions about the most pressing and contentious political and social issues facing the country, and in the Palestinian Territories , it maintains a small presence in Ramallah focused on the ongoing monitoring and analysis of critical issues of democratic development. Democratic initiatives in Latin America include support for regional access-to-information programs, creation of an inter-American support network, and reform of political campaign financing. The center-based Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of

2640-511: The center launched an initiative called "Not Even One" to fight child death by firearm. They decided to expand the program on March 25, 1997, effective April 1 of the same year. On October 2, 1995, The Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum was held at The Carter Center. The center is governed by a board of trustees, which oversees the organization’s assets and property and promotes its objectives and goals. In November 2015, Jason Carter , grandson of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, became Chair of

2706-833: The collective nature of their work, which may also have the effect of further endangering these individuals. Human rights defenders (HRDs) face severe repression and retaliation from government and private actors including the police, military, local elites, private security forces, right-wing groups, and multi-national corporations. Abuses include threats, arbitrary arrest and detainment, harassment, defamation, dismissal from jobs, eviction, disappearance, and murder. HRDs who work on women's rights ( WHRDs ) or who challenge cultural gender norms run increased risks compared to other HRDs, as do less prominent workers in remote areas. Environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) who work on environmental rights, land rights, and indigenous rights issues also face greater threats than other HRDs; in 2020 69% of

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2772-587: The community, and sexist, misogynistic, homophobic , trans-phobic threats, smears and stigmatization, as well as exclusion from resources and power. In 2017, female activists who were killed because of their advocacies and activities in defending human rights were honored during the International Women Human Rights Defenders' Day. Those murdered criticized corruption and other forms of injustice, protect their lands from governments and multinational corporations, and upheld

2838-573: The country. In partnership with the Sasakawa Africa Association, the center has worked since 1986 in 15 sub-Saharan African countries to teach 8-10 million small-scale farmers improved techniques that double or triple their crop yields. The program promotes use of fertilizers and crop protection chemicals, soil fertility , and environmentally friendly agronomic methods of crop production. It also supports efforts to construct quality grain storage to sustain market prices for

2904-478: The disease from the Western Hemisphere by 2015. The center has distributed more than 125 million doses of Mectizan (ivermectin) – a drug donated by Merck & Co., Inc., that treats and prevents river blindness. Center health workers also prevent transmission of trachoma – a bacterial infection that is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Trachoma is prevalent in places that lack

2970-462: The effort to develop effective methodologies for observing elections that employ new electronic voting technologies. In the 2020 US election, the Carter Center observed parts of the process at home for the first time in the history of the United States. In this context, the center conducted information campaigns in advance to strengthen confidence in the election process. On November 13, 2020,

3036-542: The farmer and ensure greater food security , establish farmers' associations, and use quality food crops such as high-protein maize . Rosalynn Carter led the center’s efforts to fight stigma associated with mental illness . The center works to improve U.S. public policies that can help prevent mental illnesses and increase equity in mental health care , holding an annual symposium with national leaders in mental health and other fields. The center also seeks to raise public awareness of mental health issues globally through

3102-550: The legitimacy of 115 elections in 40 countries since 1989. Scholars of election monitoring consider the Carter Center to be a "high-quality" election monitor. The Carter Center played an important role in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observers , which codifies rules of best practices for election monitors. Carter Center observers analyze election laws, assess voter education and registration processes, and evaluate fairness in campaigns. The presence of impartial election observers deters interference or fraud in

3168-452: The major political parties. Observers do not interfere in the electoral process and do not represent the U.S. government . The center’s endorsement of the electoral process in the 2004 Venezuelan recall referendum has been disputed by the Center for Security Policy . Fox News' Doug Schoen told Michael Barone of U.S. News & World Report , "Our internal sourcing tells us that there

3234-587: The media. He documents violations of human rights during searches of activists' residences as well as emergency responses. In January 2017, the Crimean Center for Counteracting Extremism arrested and detained the lawyer. He was taken to a local facility of the Russian Federal Security Service for questioning. A district tribunal ruled that Kurbedinov was guilty of doing propaganda work for terrorist groups and organizations. He

3300-667: The position since 2014. Center-based councils of eminent persons who offer guidance to or participate in center activities include: the Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas, the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, and the Mental Health Task Force. The Carter Center also collaborates with other public and private organizations. The Carter Center performs election monitoring , sending teams of observers to determine

3366-499: The provisions of the Declaration and emphasises the duty of the state to protect HRDs from violence, retaliation and intimidation as a consequence of their human rights work. The Declaration also places responsibility to protect human rights at the individual level and especially upon individuals in professions that may affect human rights such as law enforcement, judges, etc. Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) are women who defend human rights , and defenders of all genders who defend

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3432-535: The purpose of better understanding patterns of HRD risks. Such categorisation may discern professional vs. non-professional activity, or differentiate based on the specific rights that are being defended such as the rights of women, or indigenous land rights. Self-identification as a human rights defender is more common among professional human rights advocates who work within established institutions, governments, or NGOs. Individuals who work outside of these systems commonly self-identify as 'activists', 'leaders', or by

3498-504: The right to freedom of association, physical attack, and even murder. In 2020, at least 331 HRDs were murdered in 25 countries. The international community and some national governments have attempted to respond to this violence through various protections, but violence against HRDs continues to rise. Women human rights defenders and environmental human rights defenders (who are very often indigenous) face greater repression and risks than human rights defenders working on other issues. In 1998,

3564-418: The right to observe fair trials ; the right to unhindered access to and communication with non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations ; the right to access resources for the purpose of protecting human rights, including the receipt of funds from abroad; and the rights of free expression , association and assembly. The Declaration indicates that states have a responsibility to implement and respect

3630-593: The rights of lesbians, gays and transgender individuals. Environmental human rights defenders or simply environmental defenders , have been defined by the UN Environment Programme as, "defenders carrying out a vast range of activities related to land and environmental rights, including those working on issues related to extractive industries, and construction and development projects." They also state that environmental defenders are, "defending environmental rights, including constitutional rights to

3696-415: The rights of women and rights related to gender and sexuality. Their work and the challenges they face have been recognized by a United Nations (UN) resolution in 2013, which calls for specific protection for women human rights defenders. A woman human rights defender can be an Indigenous woman fighting for the rights of her community, a woman advocating against torture, an LGBTQI rights campaigner,

3762-561: The same time. Emphasis is on helping national and local governments establish programs that they can sustain into the future. Since 1997, the center established with the Ethiopian ministries of health and education the Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative to improve academic training for health care personnel in Ethiopia and increase access to health care in rural communities throughout

3828-756: The social rights of health care, food, shelter, and economic opportunity. The center actively supports human rights defenders around the world. In partnership with Human Rights First and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights , the Center holds an annual human rights defenders policy forum hosted by President Carter in Atlanta . President and Mrs. Carter have intervened with heads of state on behalf of human rights defenders and victims for more than 20 years. They often take their human rights concerns to heads of state in personal meetings and through letters. The center and President Carter are strong supporters of

3894-406: The specific rights they defend. This means they are targeted just because they are women, LGBTI people or for identifying with their struggles. They also face additional obstacles connected with Institutional discrimination and inequality and because they challenge, or are seen to be challenging, patriarchal power and social norms . They are more at risk of facing gender based violence in the home and

3960-742: The tools for basic hygiene, clean water, and adequate sanitation. The Center follows the World Health Organization ’s four-pronged approach – called the SAFE strategy – to fight trachoma in six African countries. The Trachoma Control Program is working to improve sanitation in those communities by building latrines , providing corrective surgery, distributing antibiotics , and educating communities on basic hygiene. As of March 2010, The Carter Center has helped to build more than one million latrines in its effort to fight trachoma. The latrines contain human waste, preventing it from serving as

4026-436: The voting process, and reassures voters that they can safely and secretly cast their ballots and that vote tabulation will be conducted without tampering. Teams typically include 30-100 highly qualified impartial observers – regional leaders, political scientists, regional specialists, and election observation professionals. The Carter Center sends observers only when invited by a country’s electoral authorities and welcomed by

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4092-434: The world faces: “Among all the possible choices, I decided that the most serious and universal problem is the growing chasm between the richest and poorest people on earth. Citizens of the ten wealthiest countries are now 75 times richer than those who live in the ten poorest ones, and the separation is increasing every year, not only between nations but also within them. The results of this disparity are root causes of most of

4158-444: The world’s unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy, environmental degradation, violent conflict and unnecessary illnesses that range from Guinea worm to HIV/AIDS. Tragically, in the industrialized world there is a terrible absence of understanding or concern about those who are enduring lives of despair and hopelessness. We have not yet made the commitment to share with others an appreciable part of our excessive wealth. This

4224-521: Was also a supporter of George McGovern in 1972 . In 1975, Barone married Joan Shorenstein . She died at age 38 in 1985 after a 10-year battle with cancer. Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner , where he writes a twice weekly column and contributes to the newspaper's blog. His column is syndicated by Creators Syndicate . He is also a frequent contributor during Fox News Channel 's election coverage. His political views are predominantly conservative . Barone has said he

4290-553: Was fraud in the Venezuelan central commission. The Carter Center looked into the allegations and released a paper and statistical analysis reaffirming their original conclusions. The center played a key role – with the U.N. Electoral Assistance Division and the National Democratic Institute – in building consensus on a common set of international principles for election observation. It is also leading

4356-500: Was sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment. Michael Barone (pundit) Michael D. Barone (born September 19, 1944) is an American conservative political analyst , historian, pundit and journalist. He is best known as the principal author of The Almanac of American Politics . Barone is also a regular commentator on United States elections and political trends for the Fox News Channel . In April 2009, Barone joined

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