The Rights Track

In Episode 4 of Series 3 we talk about why the voices of modern slaves are key to finding the solutions that will help end slavery. Our guests are Andrea Nicholson and Minh Dang who are researching survivor narratives as part of the Rights Lab project at the University of Nottingham.  0.00 - 03.50 What does it mean to be a survivor of slavery? Andrea explains the world is only just beginning to accept that slavery still exists, and, although it has many similarities with 19th century chattel slavery, it does not look the same Todd describes a survivor as someone who was formerly a slave who has since been liberated - Andrea points out that even when liberated survivors are still attached to the experience of slavery and experience difficulty in "divorcing" from enslavement and the fear of re-enslavement Andrea makes a distinction between victims (a limiting term) and survivors (an empowering term) – in this context she sees victims as a ‘legal term’, someone seeking redress for offences committed against th

In Episode 3 of Series 3 of The Rights Track we talk to Dr Alexander Trautrims  from the University of Nottingham who leads the Rights Lab’s programme of research helping businesses to develop and implement measures to ensure their supply chains are slavery free.  0.00-8.00 Explanation of what  supply chains are and how they work - why and how certain supply chains are more complex than others and how they can differ across and  between countries. What drives why and how supply chains are established: e.g. availability, cost, expertise, specialist resources. Why and how labour and the cost of labour are key to supply chains and winning business. Discussion around the existing obligations and protections (laws/human rights) that exist to protect workers. Alex explains that different countries operate within different legislative contexts. He cites Brazil as an example of advanced labour law and the UK as being the opposite with an increasing trend towards outsourcing low-skilled labour where the only way they

In Episode 2 of Series 3 of The Rights Track we talk to Dr Alison Gardner, from the University of Nottingham who leads the Rights Lab’s ‘Slavery-Free Communities’ initiative. Through work with statutory, business and voluntary-sector partners, Alison’s research is developing policy and community-centred responses to modern slavery.  The research aims to make the city of Nottingham a slavery free city by 2030. 0.00-3.21 Alison explains how she and the Rights Lab team are working to define and explain what a slavery free community looks like Much attention on the national picture, but to date very little has been done to understand what slavery looks like at a local level - this is a gap in policy because most work to prevent it takes place locally Slavery free communities project is all about responding to the problem at a local level using available resources and better serving people to respond to and then prevent modern slavery 3.21-10.18 Discussion on how people may be ‘rescued’ from slavery but then go

In Episode 1 of Series 3 of The Rights Track we talk to Professor Zoe Trodd, Director of the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham, which, through its programme of trans disciplinary research is seeking to help end slavery by 2030. 0.00-6.20 Discussion around the recent renewed interest in modern slavery including a mention of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Anti Slavery Day which was created by the Act.  Zoe mentions the recent announcement that the agreed estimate of the number of slaves in the world now stands at 40.3 million according to the United Nations, the ILO (International Labour Organisation) the Walk Free Foundation and the IOM (International Organisation for Migration). Target 8.7 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to eradicate slavery by 2030 Bellagio Harvard Guidelines are used by The Rights Lab team to define modern slavery which comes from the Slavery Convention of 1926. Zoe explains what that means in practice. Zoe stresses the importance of being clear on what slavery is

In Episode 12 of Series 2 of The Rights Track we talk radical right groups in the United States with Heidi Beirich, Intelligence Project Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. 0.00-12.55 Heidi starts by explaining the work of the SPLC since its formation in the 1970s when it tried to make the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act “a reality” She mentions a civil suit the SPLC brought against the United Klans of America in the 80s which made the organisation realise the lack of information that existed about hate groups and how and where they operated.  Heidi describes the sorts of groups that are listed including Neo-Nazis, Klansmen, anti-semitic and other racist/hate group. She provides a definition of a “hate group” and gives examples of the sorts of groups on SPLC’s hate group list The SPLC publishes 2 lists - Active Hate Groups and Anti Government Groups Todd asks specifically about the Christian Identity movement and Heidi explains their ideology Some people in the US argue (especially o

In Episode 11 of Series 2 of The Rights Track Todd talks to the internationally acclaimed environmentalist photographer Garth Lenz about the idea of crimes against the environment and how his photography helps to make a case for environmental rights. 0.00-5.26 Garth talks about the power of photography in helping to change the way people think e.g. about injustice or war and how it can motivate people to demand change He talks about why Canada where he is based is such a powerful example of “industrial sacrifice” because the sites are so vast and why photography is such a good medium for communicating that to a broad audience Todd asks Garth about how he conveys the idea of vastness such as in his photos of industrialised landscape such as that at the Tar Sands Development  Garth talks about finding a point of reference such as equating the size of a single truck being used with the size of a family home and how doing this helps link what’s happening with the environment and human rights 5.26-12.55 Todd

In Episode 10 of Series 2 of The Rights Track Todd talks to Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR’s Representative to the UK about refugees. We get some hard facts and statistics on numbers of refugees and where they’re from, discuss the role of the 1951 Refugee Convention, ask whether Angela Merkel’s open invitation to refugees was moral or misguided and whether the UK is playing its part in protecting those fleeing war, famine and persecution. 0.00- 5.30 Gonzalo provides some startling statistics on numbers of refugees (In 2016 65.6 million forcibly uprooted - more than 20 millions seeking safety across a border, 40 million uprooted but who stay within their country - 20 people displaced every minute of every day) Majority of refugees 55% come today from just 3 countries: Syria, Afghanistan and South Sudan - Syria alone more than 5 million, South Sudan at highest rate Focus in the media has been on the arrival of refugees in Europe, but important to remember that 85% are in developing countries like Turkey, Pakistan

In Episode 9 of Series 2 of The Rights Track, Evelyn Astor, Policy Officer at the International Trade Union Confederation in Brussels, talks about upholding the rights of workers around the world. 0.00-6.50 Evelyn starts by explaining what worker’s rights are. She mentions those rights laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and in International Labour Organisation conventions and recommendations and she goes on to outline examples. How can these rights be measured in practice as well as in principle? The ITUC has developed a Global Rights Index to measure the degree to which worker rights are being respected. Evelyn talks about some of the work she’s been doing in South Asia around minimum wages Discussion around Global Rights Index, and what a basic minimum wage or a living wage looks like in practice and what the ITUC thinks the approach should be and how they campaign for change and raise internationa

In Episode 8 of Series 2 of The Rights Track, Claire Thomas, Deputy Director of Minority Rights Group, talks about upholding the rights of minority ethnic, linguistic and religious communities around the world. 0.00-6.07 Claire explains that MRG works with communities or groups rather than individuals who may be different because of the language they speak, their religion or their ethnicity. Further explanation of the areas of the world in which MRG works. Todd asks Claire what she makes of recent indications from the US and the UK that there might be some sort of a “roll back” in their commitment to international human rights. Claire outlines her concerns about what she sees as a ‘dramatic rise’ in anti migrant, anti refugee attitudes and associated hate crime over the last year in a number of countries, all of which goes against what MRG stands for. Brief discussion of recent political events in The Netherlands and France, which saw a rise in support for the far right ahead of recent elections. 6.07-09.08 T

In Episode 7 of Series 2, Todd talks to Iain Levine, Programme Director of Human Rights Watch about how the NGO collects and uses evidence to bring about change. 0.00-08.00 Iain explains what HRW does, where it works and which human rights issues it gets involved in including women’s rights, children’s rights and the rights of the disabled How HRW approaches its work by investigating and exposing human rights violations to bring about change including raising awareness among policy makers and journalists and making recommendations about what needs to be done to end violations, bring perpetrators to justice and to ensure people are better protected going forward What investigation involves: witness statements and interviews, photography, satellite imagery, statistics, records etc. to build a full picture At what point in an investigation HRW judges it has enough info to move to start exposing violations - being sure of the rigour and credibility of the findings including an internal review process and timing

In Episode 6 of Series 2 of The Rights Track, Todd talks to Meghna Abraham, Head of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Team at Amnesty International about how the organisation’s work helps to uphold and advance human rights around the world. They also discuss, The Great Palm Oil Scandal, a report by Amnesty taking some of the world’s most popular food and household companies to task over labour abuses in Indonesia. 0.00-7.50 mins How and when Amnesty came to start working on economic and social rights, having been known initially for its work in the area of civil and political rights Explanation of how Amnesty conceives economic and social rights compared with civil and political rights. Meghna cites example of ‘forced evictions’ Meghna explains where the approach to economic and social rights differs from other human rights. Todd asks Meghna about the challenges around comparing the economic and social rights of different countries Meghna points out how useful the guidance provided by the United Natio

In Episode 5 of Series 2 Todd talks to Islamic expert and former Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Professor Akbar Ahmed from the American University in Washington DC. They discuss the post 9/11 myths that have built up around Islam, the growing tide of anti-Muslim rhetoric in politics and society and the implications for people’s religious freedoms and human rights. 0.00-8.20 Myth-busting - Todd asks Akbar about the myth that has grown post 9/11 that Islam as a faith is somehow more inherently violent than other religions Akbar says he understands where the idea has come from but how, as a Muslim, he is baffled by it because the themes of mercy and compassion are so central to Islam. He mentions the term Ilm, a key Islamic term that denotes the inclusiveness of the religion Akbar goes on to talk more about Ilm - explaining that it is the place where Islam interacts with other religions. He reflects on his studies as a young man of poets such as Tennyson and quotes lines from Ulysses and the shared ques

In Episode 4 of Series 2, Dixon Osburn from the Center for Justice and Accountability in San Fancisco talks about how human rights organisations pursue justice, and the sort of academic evidence used in efforts to prosecute the perpetrators of human rights abuses and crimes. 0.00-7.10 Explanation of the center’s mission and how the rule of law can be brought to bear in and on behalf of countries least able to hold perpetrators of the worst human rights abuses and crimes to account Dixon gives an example of a successful civil action brought in the US against former Pinochet officer, Pedro Pablo Barrientos who was accused of the torture and murder of a famous folk singer and had been living for 30 years in Florida Dixon explains how the legalities of the case worked and its wider significance and a discussion follows about the sort of justice and accountability the centre is trying to achieve on behalf of the victim’s family and the knock on impacts of the successful civil action in respect of a possible extra

In this special 3rd episode of our second series of The Rights Track, sociologist and feminist, Monica Casper from the University of Arizona talks to Todd Landman about the implications for women’s rights of a Trump presidency and what that might that mean for human rights more broadly. 0.00-6.00 Todd outlines plans for women’s marches across America to protest against the inauguration of President Trump and invites Monica to reflect on the main issues of concern to women under a Trump presidency Monica says there are national and local issues including in her own state of Arizona HB2120, legislation which she says would prohibit the teaching of social justice. She goes on to explain why she thinks the repealing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be bad for women and children and her concern about the lack of any proposed replacement or discussion around it 6.00-12.00 The discussion moves onto the implications for women in the economy and at work and her fears that women of colour and single mothers mi

In Episode 2 of Series 2, Todd talks to Elisabeth Witchell, Impunity Campaign Consultant with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) about the human rights issues associated with being a journalist and the work of the Committee in defending those rights. The discussion focuses on the Committee’s use of the Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are murdered and their killers go free and which is used as evidence to lobby for justice and change. Apologies for the occasional poor quality of the audio in this episode. 00.00-5.05 Todd asks Elisabeth just how dangerous it is in certain parts of the world to be a journalist - Elisabeth says a ‘startlingly high’ number of journalists are not just killed but targeted, harrassed and murdered whilst doing their job. Elisabeth explains that in countries like Mexico, many journalists will not cover certain stories or topics because they are too afraid to do so. Elisabeth explains the CPJ’s Global Impunity Index 2016 which has identified

In Episode 1 of Series 2 of The Rights Track, we talk gay rights with Richard Beaven, successful businessman and Trustee of the LGBT campaign group Stonewall. Todd asks to what extent the struggle for gay rights has also advanced the human rights of the LGBT community and invites Richard to reflect on his personal and professional efforts to be its champion. 00.00-5.00 Todd asks Richard for this thoughts on the successes and set backs faced by those fighting for equal rights for the LGBT community Richard says he feels positive about the legislative changes that have taken place in recent years especially the sorts of things Stonewall has campaigned for. He refers to increased diversity and inclusivity marked by major events such as the well known Pride marches which take place across the UK and in other countries. Richard says he believes that many homophobic and racist sentiments have been buried however and that events such as Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in the United States have seen them ris

In Episode 12 of The Rights Track, Todd talks to Dr Karen Salt and Dr Christopher Phelps from the University of Nottingham about human rights in America through the lens of race. He asks his guests whether a Truth Commission might play a positive role in giving Americans the opportunity to pause for thought about some of the underlying problems facing American Society today. 0.00-09.32 Todd introduces this special final episode of Series 1 of The Rights Track by introducing his two guests and by explaining a little about why he wanted to take some time to discuss recent events in US in respect of violence against African Americans. He references two articles he has written - one on the statistical evidence surrounding the disproportionate levels of violence towards Black Americans and the second on his belief that America ought to consider setting up a Truth Commission to examine some of the underlying problems facing American society. He goes on to explain what a Truth Commission might look like. Todd ref

In Episode 11 of The Rights Track, Todd talks to Professor William Paul Simmons from the University of Arizona about marginalised groups and his latest research on the joyfulness of human rights. 0.00-7.20 mins Explanation and discussion of the term ‘marginalised others’ and how these groups are “branded” How this relates to the current migrant crisis in Europe, the UK and US and how it plays out in practice/politics/media around the world 7.20-13.30 mins Bill’s theoretical research tries to cut through discourse around marginalised groups including among human rights groups The importance of listening to and presenting voices that are not normally heard Todd asks Bill for his view on the Black Lives Matter lobby and the way it has been presented/misrepresented by some Bill mentions the French philosopher, Jacques Rancière and standing up for one’s rights Bill suggests the challenging discussions around Black Lives Matter may be a reason to be optimistic about the possibility of change although admits it m

In Episode 10 of The Rights Track, Todd talks to Professor Shareen Hertel from the University of Connecticut about the world of business and human rights. They discuss how the rights of poorer people can best be protected at work and how social and labour movements come together to prevent abuse and to lobby for change. 0.00-4.37 Shareen talks about spending time in the field as a human rights researcher and advocate trying to help poorer people get work and to protect them from human rights abuses in the workplace *How Shareen’s academic work has fed into debates around human rights more widely, what they are, how they work, people’s attitudes towards them and how the local level work feeds into our understanding Discussion around how rights can emerge or be created as a result of social movements 4.37-10.20 How Shareen conducts human rights research in a business context including surveys and participant observations, interviews etc./ corroborating evidence external sources, coding articles/archive infor

In Episode 9 of The Rights Track, Todd talks to professional lawyer and human rights researcher Professor Meg Satterthwaite from New York University about human rights advocacy. They discuss what it’s like working across academia and practice, the challenges around evidencing impact and the role of data visualisation in communicating findings effectively. 0.00-04.10 mins Meg’s dual role as lawyer and researcher - what it means to have a foot in both camps The sort of research Meg is looking at - which methods are most likely to create change - why there is a gap in knowledge and understanding around the outcomes and impact of human rights advocacy work. The increasing pressure from funders of NGOs etc to evaluate and show impact. The importance of quantitative research in the context of achieving and demonstrating impact. 04.10-08.15 Meg discusses work she is involved with on the right to water in gold mining areas in Haiti. She explains how local people get involved and ‘own’ the research, and the impor