In March 2010, Women's Program Director Cheryl Thomas will travel to Errechidia, Morocco at the invitation of the Washington D.C.-based group Global Rights.

UNIFEM has launched a Global Virtual Knowledge Centre to End Violence against Women and Girls. The site brings together lessons learned and recommended practices gleaned from initiatives on ending violence against women and girls around the world. The Advocates developed the site's module on legislation to end violence against women and girls.

The Advocates is a member of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, which brings together all those committed to the universal abolition of capital punishment. On February 24-26, abolitionist actors gathered in Geneva for the 4th World Congress Against the Death Penalty. The Advocates was represented by Sandra Babcock at the meeting. After three days of working sessions, the participants called on abolitionist states and international institutions to support their efforts.

The Advocates for Human Rights announces the launch of a campaign to end the expansion of immigrant detention in the United States. The campaign, “Dignity, Not Detention: Preserving Human Rights and Restoring Justice,” is a national effort led by The Advocates’ coalition partner, Detention Watch Network.

A new resource for teachers and trainers, "Human Rights Education in the School Systems of Europe, Central Asia and North America: A Compendium of Good Practice" is now available online. The Advocates' curriculum, "Energy of a Nation: Immigrants in America – Resources for Learning about Immigration" is included in the compendium. 

A recent press release issued by Congressman Keith Ellison's office outlines recent action by Congressman Ellison and Senator Amy Klobuchar in support of extending Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians in the U.S.

The Advocates' Human Rights Education Program seeks an individual with at least an undergraduate degree to aid in development of a training manual and program entitled, A Rights-Based Approach to Social Justice Work. The program will help civil society organizations in the United States to incorporate international human rights standards into their internal organizational processes and external advocacy. Deadline for applying is Wednesday, March 3, 2010.
 

On February 17, The Advocates for Human Rights, together with a broad coalition of leaders from Minnesota’s legal, faith, labor, and business communities, met with Senator Al Franken (D-MN) to ask for his leadership on immigration reform this session.

The Advocates for Human Rights and Dorsey & Whitney, LLP announce the release of a report highlighting the reasons the United States government should extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians, which is set to expire on March 31, 2010.

On Saturday, February 27th from 1-4PM, Ten Thousand Villages in St. Paul, MN will donate 20% of all purchases to the Women's Human Rights Program at The Advocates. The Women’s Program applies international human rights standards to advocate for human rights in the US and around the world in areas such as domestic violence, rape, employment discrimination, sexual harassment in the workplace, and trafficking in women and girls.

The Advocates and other NGOs from around the U.S. recently sent a letter to President Obama urging him to extent Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians to 18 months. To read the letter click here.

A recent ruling by the African Commission on Human and People's Rights is a major victory for indigenous rights throughout Africa. The Advocates' partner organization CEMIRIDE, along with Minority Rights Group International, represented the indigenous Endorois, who had been evicted from their land for tourism development.