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Note: For news and alerts from the AAAS Human
Rights Action Network, visit the AAASHRAN home page.
Human Rights Day Event December 6, 2006:
Satellite Imagery for Conflict Prevention and Human Rights
Every year, the Science and Human Rights Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science hosts an event in honor of Human Rights Day. This year, we are joined by the Crisis Prevention and Response Unit of Amnesty International USA in sponsoring a seminar that explores the impact of Geospatial Technologies on the prevention of human rights abuses. Our panel will discuss how satellite imagery and related technologies are providing evidence of human rights abuses across the world, from Darfur to Zimbabwe, and ways in which satellite imagery could be used to promote and defend human rights in the future. An interactive demonstration of the technology and a photo exhibit will be available during a reception after the panel discussion.
November 2006
Summer 2006 Report on Science and Human Rights now
available!
The latest edition of the Report on Science and Human Rights is now available
on the Report website.
August 2006
New Issue Brief on the Killing and Kidnapping
of Iraqi Academics and Scientists
Scientists, medical professionals, and other academics in Iraq are being killed
and kidnapped specifically due to their status or position as scientists, for
intimidation and assassination. It is estimated that over 250 academics have
been killed to date. Read the Issue Brief,
and take action!
Fall/Winter 2005 Report on Science and Human Rights now
available!
The latest edition of the Report on Science and Human Rights is now available
on the Report website. Articles cover topics such as
the hardships faced by scientists in Iraq, using geospatial technologies for
human rights and more!
February 2006
Annual Meeting Reception: Honoring
Dr. Igor Sutyagin
Each year the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program hosts a reception at the
AAAS Annual Meeting to honor one or more scientists who, through action and
example, have promoted human rights, usually at great personal risk. In 2006,
the Program honors physicist and historian, Dr. Igor Sutyagin. A video station
will be avaiable at the reception where meeting participants can record messages
to send Igor and his family in Russia as a show of solidarity.
January 2006
New Project: Geospatial Technologies
for Human Rights
With funding from the MacArthur Foundation, AAAS is undertaking an advanced
feasibility study on applications of high-resolution satellite imagery and related
geospatial technologies to human rights issues. Initial goals for this effort
are production of information resources on such applications for the human rights
community, evaluation of direct applications during times of crisis, and development
of a professional network operating at the nexus of the issues. For a full description,
see the project website.
December 2005
Human Rights Day Event December 2, 2005:
Honoring Dr. Zafra M. Lerman
Each year around Human Rights Day, the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program
sponsors a topical lecture and reception to honor a US-based scientist who has
made significant contributions to advancing human rights within the scientific
community. This year, Science and Human Rights is honoring Dr. Zafra M. Lerman,
Distinguished Professor of Science and Public Policy and Head of the Institute
for Science Education and Science Communication at Columbia College, Chicago.
Zafra is the chair of the American Chemical Society's (ACS) Subcommittee on
Scientific Freedom and Human Rights, a position she has held since the committee
was formed in 1987. She has also organized two major conferences in Malta that
draw research chemists from the region to discuss some of the key issues facing
the Middle East-the environment, health, education and economic development-and
the role that chemists can play in addressing these challenges.
December 2005
Science and Human Rights Coalition site
A report from the recent Science
and Human Rights Workshop can now be found online at the newly redesigned website
for the Science and Human Rights Coalition. Additional resources, such as a
directory of scientific societies' human rights committees and signup and archives
of the Science and Human Rights listserv, are currently available there and
in coming months more information will be added. For more, see the Coalition
homepage.
October 2005
Science and Human Rights Workshop to
be held July 25 -26
On 25-26 July 2005, the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program is organizing
a two-day meeting at its Washington, DC headquarters for members of the scientific
community, human rights organizations and policymakers to discuss ways in which
the scientific community can be pro-actively engaged in promoting human rights
with a special focus on domestic human rights issues. The meeting will provide
an opportunity for members of the scientific community to learn about models
of applying science and scientific methodologies to the field of human rights
and provide an opportunity for a community of interested scientists and scientific
society representatives to better coordinate their activities and resources
to combat injustice and intolerance. For more information, go to the workshop
homepage.
July 2005
New Manual Available: Monitoring
Environmental Indicators and Benchmarks
Environmental Health Indicators and Benchmarks: Human Rights Perspectives,
by Karim Ahmed, Anya Ferring, and Lina Ibarra Ruiz is now available online,
and is coming soon to print. Go to the manuals
webiste for more details.
July 2005
AAAS
calls for "immediate repeal" of British boycott targeting Israeli
universities
AAAS, the world's largest general science society, today urged an "immediate
repeal" of a British Association of University Teachers' resolution, which
calls on its members to "refrain from participation in any form of academic
and cultural cooperation, or joint projects," with two universities in
Israel. "Multi-national research collaboration should never be compromised
to advance a political agenda," said Alan I. Leshner, chief executive officer
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and executive
publisher of the journal Science. "We join others, both inside and outside
the United Kingdom, in condemning this boycott, which is counter to the positive
role of free scientific inquiry." Leshner's comments were supported by
a statement from the AAAS Board of Directors declaring opposition to the boycott.
The statement notes, in part, that AAAS, established in 1848, has repeatedly
"stressed the importance of safeguarding free and open communication among
scientists." Moreover, the statement concludes that "in the context
of the highly charged atmosphere of the Middle East, it is crucial to keep the
channels of communication open in order to foster a dialogue that is inclusive
of all affected people."
May 2005
Chixoy Dam Final
Report
This five-volume study, completed in March 2005, represents an independent,
transparent, peer-reviewed assessment of Chixoy Dam development history, consequential
damages, and community needs, and it includes findings, recommendations, and
a plan for reparation. A description
of the study, a summary of the study
recommendations and the text
of the study (in English and Spanish) are now online.
May 2005
Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers,
and Health Professionals
The Directory of of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers, and Health Professionals
is a listing of the cases taken up by the AAAS Human Rights Action Network during
2003 and 2004. The 2005 edition of the Directory is now available online.
April 2005
Report on Science and Human Rights
The latest edition of the Report on Science and Human Rights is now available
on the Report website. Articles include
updates on the Chixoy Dam, understanding and eliminating torture, a profile
of the American Chemical Society's Subcommittee on scientific freedom and human
rights, and more!
March 2005
Committee
on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Statement on E-Voting
The Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility is a standing committee
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) that advises
the Association on, among other matters, the roles and responsibilities of scientists
and engineers in the conduct and application of research. The Committee believes
that science can contribute to our understanding of how the voting system, especially
as it becomes increasingly connected to technology, affects and is affected
by individual voters. The CSFR statement on e-voting is now available online
in PDF
form.
February 2005
Resource Manual Website
All the currently available Resource Manuals on ESC Rights can be found in
PDF form on a single website. As
new manuals are published, they will be added to this website, as well as be
advertised on the main Science and Human Rights
page.
February 2005
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