Refugees in the UK Face an Uncertain Future
In an unexpected move this week, the United Kingdom (UK) was granted permission by a High Court in London to send any asylum seekers to Rwanda. The UK government claims this new process will deter human traffickers and stop migrants from making dangerous treks to the UK. Some human rights groups believe the UK's new policy violates the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which hinges on the principle of non-refoulement. What is non-refoulement, and how is the United Nations responding to the UK's decision?
"America is a Gun"
In an emotional scene in the 2018 horror movie A Quiet Place, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski talk about how to protect their children from the monsters that have descended on their town. In a moment of exasperation, she asks him, "Who are we if we can't protect them?" U.S. politicians should be asking themselves the same question this week. On May 24, before the U.S. could recover from shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Southern California, an 18-year-old man charged into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and killed 21 people, primarily children. The surviving children's accounts have been harrowing. Countries like New Zealand and Scotland have proven that we can protect children from gun violence. So, who are we if we continue to choose not to?
Who is Buying Mobile Homes & Evicting Residents?
With help from the U.S. government, investment firms are buying mobile home parks at an alarming rate. They often raise rents on the home or increase the cost of the land on which the home is located. People who cannot afford the new fees are evicted and may not have other affordable options. Housing advocates are deeply concerned about this trend. How can we spread the word?
Remembering Rwanda
As grim footage from Bucha, Ukraine was revealed by U.S. news outlets, the world was reminded that this week was also the start of the horrific genocide in Rwanda 28 years ago. On April 7, 1994, Hutu extremists in Rwanda started a campaign of terror, killing Tutsis (an ethnic minority) and their political opponents. Tensions had been building for months, but the world largely ignored the obvious signs of impending disaster. What lessons can we apply now to prevent future atrocities?
Red Hand Day 2022
Today is the United Nations (UN) International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, which is more commonly known as Red Hand Day. If recruiting children to assist in conflicts is one of the six grave violations against children in international law, why does it continue to happen?