Various Announcements

• The New School for Social Research in NY will hold a conference called “Human Rights and the Global Economy”, at The New School, 66 West 12th Street, on November 9 and 10, 2011. Topics include social justice, the global economy, the recession and poverty. The list of speakers is impressive. If you’re in the neighborhood, make sure to attend. More here.
• This year’s One Young World summit will be held on September 1st in Zurich. Apparently, a 22-year-old “South African Obama” will be speaking. Sounds interesting. More here.
• The Center for Reproductive Rights tells me about a decision from the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Eight years ago, the Center filed a case on behalf of Alyne da Silva Pimentel. She was a 28-year-old Afro-Brazilian woman who died in 2002 after being denied basic medical care to address complications in her pregnancy. She was only 28 years old, and her death was completely preventable. The case is the first maternal death case to be decided by an international human rights body, and the import of this decision is tremendous—establishing that governments have a human rights obligation to guarantee that all women in their countries—regardless of income or racial background—have access to timely, non-discriminatory, and appropriate maternal health services. More here.
• There’s an exciting new data source on US development aid here (at least I think it’s new).
• The Amnesty International iphone app the “icandle” allows people to access breaking news on human rights and to support Amnesty International’s latest campaigns. The app is free and available for download here.
• HBO has a new documentary called Precious Life, from Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar. Set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the film is a powerful appeal for peace, exploring the challenges and prejudices that must be overcome when officials from conflicting nations attempt to work together for a noble cause. Born without an immune system, four-month-old Palestinian boy Mohammad Abu Mustaffa will die without a bone marrow transplant – a procedure that can only be done in an Israeli hospital. Israelis and Palestinians have to put aside their differences to protect the child, but the realities of life in Gaza may keep him from receiving the help he needs in time. More here.