Life continues as usual for the 38,000 immigrants who are detained in the US, including approximately 7,000 children. It’s important to remember — these individuals are not serving time for a crime. Instead, they are waiting for a hearing to determine whether they can legally remain in the country under civil proceedings.
Red Hand Day, also known as International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, is held annually on February 12th to draw attention to the issue and encourage the end of the use of children for military purposes. The campaign creates a call to action for world leaders and countries requesting the prohibition of the […]
When Congress and the President failed to fund the government, leading to a partial shutdown beginning December 22, 2018, they also neglected to sign a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), resulting in its expiration. The law that expired included grant programs such as the Consolidated Youth Program (CYP), which provided advocacy, […]
May 13th marked the two-year anniversary of the “Dear Colleague Letter on Transgender Students” (2016) sent by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to schools across the United States. The letter summarized the protections Title IX offers to transgender students by prohibiting discrimination based on a student’s gender identity […]
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAPM)–a month in which we raise awareness around maltreatment of one of our most vulnerable populations, children. Maltreatment defines almost all forms of violence against children, including exploitation, physical and mental violence, abuse and neglect. CAPM was first recognized in a 2016 proclamation by President Obama. President Obama’s […]
January is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a month that we not only raise awareness, but also stand in support of those victims and survivors of these crimes. There has been great progress since 2000 when both the United Nations and U.S. Congress passed laws addressing the trafficking and exploitation of people. The […]
Happy Universal Children’s Day!!! Yes, that’s right, November 20th is Universal Children’s Day; a day the UN General Assembly declared in 1954 as a day to “promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving child welfare.” November 20 also has added meaning because on this date the UN adopted two critical documents that promote […]
While the Convention on the Rights of the Child addresses the rights of all children regardless of their gender identity, gender inequality often leaves girls particularly vulnerable to human rights violations. Such violations include but are not limited to childhood marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking, and sexual and/or gender-based violence. Additionally, millions of girls across […]
Over my past year as a CHRC Graduate Scholar, I have been exposed to the shocking reality that modern day forms child slavery and trafficking not only persist, but are also deeply entrenched in certain cultural practices around the world. As part of my own research on the topic, I came across an ABC report […]
Earlier this month, I participated in the Pre-session on the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography – a forum to listen and respond to the Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding the US’s performance in its treaty obligations. It was humbling to be permitted to speak on […]