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In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 states that everyone has the right to obtain adequate food, water, sanitation, clothing, housing, and medical care, as well as social protection beyond one's control. This article depicts the right of standard human propriety.

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In the novel, Night, there were many human rights violated towards the Jews. One example of Article 25 being violated was when Eliezer said, "They didn’t give us anything…they said that if we were ill we should die soon anyway and it would be a pity to waste the food. I can’t go on any more…’ I gave him what was left of my soup.” (Wiesel, 78 Chapter 5). This shows how the Jews were denied food from the Nazi's which is a human right being violated.

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Human rights being violated is not just something from back then. Even today people from different parts of the world still  deal with violated human rights. The Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018 illustrates the need to provide additional training for Foreign Service Officers assigned to a country experiencing or at risk of mass atrocities, such as genocide or war crimes. This bill was directed to the Department of State.

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Announcement

Co-Hosted by the Senate Human Rights Caucus

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the Senate Human Rights Caucus for an online briefing on the U.S. government atrocity prevention framework and Côte d'Ivoire.

In August 2020, the State Department released the second report on the U.S. government's atrocity prevention efforts as required by Section 5 of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act ( P.L. 115-441). This briefing will provide an overview of the atrocity prevention and early warning framework utilized by the U.S. government and will discuss the August report in detail.

The event will also examine developments in a critical early-warning country, Côte d'Ivoire, which has a history of election-related violence and is preparing to hold a presidential election on October 31.

This briefing will be open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the interested public and the media. To attend, please register here. For questions, please contact Kimberly Stanton (for TLHRC Co-Chair McGovern), Piero Tozzi (for TLHRC Co-Chair Smith), Emma Borden (for SHRC Co-Chair Coons) or Michael Buttner (for SHRC Co-Chair Tillis). For help with registration or technical support, please contact Matt McLaughlin of the TLHRC staff.

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Atrocity Prevention and Early Warning: The U.S. Government Framework and Côte d'Ivoire

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Announcement Co-Hosted by the Senate Human Rights Caucus Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the Senate Human Rights Caucus for an online briefing on the U.S. government atrocity prevention framework and Côte d'Ivoire. In August 2020, the State Department released the second report on the U.S.

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While reading the Report to Congress Pursuant to Section 5 of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018 I found the Burkina Faso situation. Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in West Africa. In the context of armed conflict, armed groups killed and abducted residents and committed human rights abuse. Security forces also perpetrated extrajudicial executions and torture while the right to education was hindered. USAID programs in Burkina Faso built government capacity to prevent and prosecute human rights violations. They also increased access to justice, and reduce the appeal of violent extremism.

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The attack in Burkina Faso last month that killed 160 civilians was in retaliation for activity by pro-government civilian militias in the area, according to Human Rights Watch.

In the daytime, Daouda Diallo is a scientist. By night, he is one of Burkina Faso's most prominent human rights campaigners.

He runs the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities, a campaigning group set up in the wake of the Yirgou massacre, an attack that saw around 200 people killed, mostly from the Fulani ethnic group, in early 2019.

In Burkina Faso's conflict with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, the number of civilians killed by security forces has often come close to the numbers killed by the terror groups.

Diallo has been deeply affected by this.

"I'm a very sensitive person - I like to help the widow and the orphan, the vulnerable. ... I've devoted my time to this, but it's not an easy job, and I go unpaid. I do it for humanitarian reasons," Diallo told VOA.

Diallo also points out that one of the government's most controversial policies is a law that allows preexisting civilian militias, known as koglweogos, to be armed and trained by the government.

The new force is called the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, or VDPs.

When the law was created in 2020, Human Rights Watch said arming poorly trained civilians could lead to abuses.

So far, at least 95 people have been killed in 38 incidents of violence against civilians by VDPs, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

A man, whose full name has been withheld to protect his safety, says he watched as VDPs killed two of his neighbors after accusing them of being terrorists.

"...Issa was sick and decided to go to the market. The VDPs shot at him there. Issa ran to his house, where they killed him. Bad things happen. That's why I had to run away. The militias are chasing you; the terrorists are chasing you."

Burkina Faso's Ministry of Defense did not respond to VOA's interview request about the incident.

One VDP leader, who asked to not be named, said most VDPs simply want to defend their homeland, many having had terrifying encounters with terrorists themselves.

"The terrorists came and burned my house. They were looking for me, but fortunately I was not around. They also killed some of my neighbors and burned their houses as well. It's because of that I really felt I had to join the VDPs," he said.

A leader of the ruling MPP party admits it's possible VDPs commit abuses - but says they are necessary.

"Within the framework of the fight against terrorism, we are obliged to face the fact that the VDPs make a very big contribution," said Lassane Sawadogo, MPP Party Executive Secretary.

As widespread protests against insecurity in Burkina Faso have swept the country in recent weeks, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said he will reform the VDPs as one way of improving security.

Diallo says the government should take corrective action quickly. However, the government has yet to say what its actions will be.

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Government-backed Militias in Burkina Faso Accused of Abuses

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The attack in Burkina Faso last month that killed 160 civilians was in retaliation for activity by pro-government civilian militias in the area, according to Human Rights Watch. In the daytime, Daouda Diallo is a scientist. By night, he is one of Burkina Faso's most prominent human rights campaigners.

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Overall, this padlet really helped me bring my thoughts and explain my ideas on the matter. I found the Burkina Faso situation in West Africa very inspirational and it really made me grasp the importance of human rights. The torture the residents have to deal with is inexplicable and I am glad the USAID decided to intervene, as well as other parts of the world. Human rights and the ability to practice them is crucial to living a adequate lifestyle. Thank you.