Responding to reports made by the Associated Press that between 9000 to 11000 civilians have been killed in the battle for Mosul, Lynn Maalouf, Head of Research for Amnesty International in the Middle East said:
“We are horrified, but not surprised, by these new figures. These numbers are directly in line with our previous findings that thousands of civilians were killed during the battle for Mosul – and that these deaths were caused not only by the so-called Islamic State group, but also by Iraqi and coalition forces. The AP’s estimate is more than ten times the figures reported by coalition forces, who have claimed responsibility for only 326 deaths.
“The failure of Iraqi and coalition forces to acknowledge and investigate civilian deaths in Mosul is a blatant abdication of responsibility. We are demanding transparency and an honest public account of the true cost to civilians from this war, as well as an immediate investigation by US-led coalition and Iraqi forces into the violations and unlawful attacks documented by Amnesty International and other independent groups during the battle for Mosul.
“Many of these newly reported deaths were as a direct result of civilians being killed or crushed under buildings damaged in attacks by the coalition and Iraqi government forces that were disproportionate or otherwise indiscriminate. The US-led coalition and Iraqi forces failed to take into account the reality on the ground. If these forces had fully complied with their obligation to take necessary precautions to minimise civilian harm, some of the extensive destruction and loss of civilian life could have been avoided.”
In the report, Amnesty International called on the US-led coalition and the Iraqi government to publicly acknowledge the scale and gravity of the loss of civilian lives during the Mosul battle, to highlight the need for reparation to victims and families of victims of violations, and to immediately cease the use of explosive weapons in densely populated civilian areas.
Change is possible, especially when people come together and take action. From writing letters of support and campaigning outside corporate headquarters, to welcoming refugees into our homes and changing laws for the better, hope overcame fear time and time again in 2017 – and it was all thanks to you.
Here are 30 incredible moments Amnesty International’s supporters made happen…
January
We campaigned for the release of prominent Gambian prisoners
Amadou Sanneh was finally freed in Gambia
Opposition party members, Amadou Sanneh, Malang Fatty and his brother Alhagie Sambou Fatty were finally freed in Gambia following more than three years of campaigning by Amnesty supporters. “Amnesty’s work has an impact on people,” Amadou Sanneh said. “Without Amnesty’s support it could have been worse… I am very grateful for that. All the people that were imprisoned we appreciate Amnesty’s work a lot.”
“Amnesty’s work has an impact on people.”
Amadou sanneh
Groundbreaking digital report exposes Syrian torture prison, Saydnaya
Based on the testimony of former detainees, Amnesty International’s interactive digital documentary about Saydnaya prison gave an unprecedented glimpse into the horror of this infamous military prison where hundreds have been taken, never to be seen again. We were determined to meticulously document the crimes that took place in the Syrian torture prison, to ensure justice is delivered. Off the back of our documentary, we were awarded the prestigious Peabody-Facebook award for excellence in digital reporting. It was also covered widely by media.
When the Kenyan government announced its intention to close Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee camp, Amnesty International supporters leapt into action, calling for Kenyan authorities to halt the dangerous forced returns of Somali refugees, and to look at alternative solutions. In February, Kenya’s High Court blocked the government’s attempt to shut the camp, following a court case brought by local NGOs and supported by Amnesty International. The judges even cited Amnesty International’s report in the ruling. Now, work continues to stop forced returns of Somali refugees and ensure Kenya and the international community find alternative solutions to accommodate them.
Longest imprisoned journalist finally freed in Uzbekistan
Muhammad Bekzhanov was freed after 17 years in prison in Uzbekistan. He was one of the longest imprisoned journalists in the world. Over 100,000 thousands of people worldwide wrote for his freedom during Amnesty’s 2015 Write for Rights campaign and beyond. Over 15,000 supporters in Canada alone signed petitions and sent letters and tweets calling for Muhammad’s freedom!
March
Argentina recognized miscarriage isn’t a crimeTwenty-seven year old Belén was sentenced to eight years in prison under draconian anti-abortion laws after she suffered a miscarriage in a public hospital in Argentina. She had already served two years in pre-trial detention. After an appeal process through the Supreme Court and intense campaigning from Amnesty International and its partners, Belén was acquitted. An important step forward for human rights in the country!
Your letters made a mark on Japanese peace activistHiroji Yamashiro, 64, was released on bail, one day after his first court hearing. Arrested last year for his role in protests against the construction of new U.S. Marine Corps facilities near Takae, Japan, Hiroji had been held in detention for five months under restrictive conditions and without access to his family. When he was released, he was able to read the 400+ letters of encouragement you sent him – so thank you!
April
Apple became the first company to publish a list of its cobalt smelters
Thanks to your letters, tweets and the public actions outside Apple stores to mark the World Day Against Child Labour last year, Apple became the first company to publish a list of all of its cobalt smelters in line with international standards on supply chain due diligence. Although there is still more to do, this was a positive first step towards tackling human rights abuses in the cobalt supply chain and making it more transparent.
Ireland moved closer to abortion reform
A committee set up to examine Ireland’s strict abortion regime voted for the constitutional rules to be changed allowing women and girls wider access to abortion. Two-thirds of the Citizen’s Assembly voted for access to abortion on request. Its recommendations will now go to Parliament. The vote echoes Amnesty Ireland’s poll, which found 80% of people in Ireland want women’s health to be at the heart of reforms to the country’s abortion laws. Amnesty International has documented the harrowing experiences endured by those seeking abortion in Ireland, and concludes that the law restricting access to abortion causes violations of their rights.
Quick supporter action saved lives in Iran and USA
At least two people’s lives were saved in Iran, thanks to thousands of people writing appeals to the Iranian authorities. In February, Hamid Ahmadi’s impending execution was called off, and in April Salar Shadizadi was also spared execution and released from prison. Both young men were sentenced to death for crimes they committed when they were just 17 and 15 years old respectively. The US authorities also succumbed to pressure from Amnesty supporters and others, and commuted the death sentence of Ukranian national Ivan Teleguz.
May
Taiwan’s highest court ruled in favour of marriage equality
Change is possible, especially when people come together and take action. From writing letters of support and campaigning outside corporate headquarters, to welcoming refugees into our homes and changing laws for the better, hope overcame fear time and time again in 2017 – and it was all thanks to you.
June
Three Chinese labour activists were released on bail!
Hua Haifeng, Li Zhao and Su Heng were released on bail after being arrested while investigating labour conditions at Huajian shoe factories. Their release is of course a great relief but, under Chinese law, defendants released on “bail” often remain under close police surveillance. Amnesty International continues to monitor the situation. Hua Haifeng expressed his heartfelt thanks to “each respected colleague at Amnesty International, for voicing support while I was detained. It was your support that allowed my family to be more determined! Thank you!”
“Thank you for voicing support while I was detained. It allowed my family to be more determined.”
Hua haifeng, chinese activist
Imprisoned activist received life-saving treatment
Syrian Kurdish opposition activist Suleiman Abdulmajid Oussouwas released from Allaya prison in Qamishli on 24 June. He was detained by the Asayish forces in May and held in poor conditions. Suleiman was suffering a critical heart condition and he was released for treatment. Thanks to your support, he received the medical care his condition required.
July
Environmental activist released from prison
Environmental activist Clovis Razafimalala is well-known for denouncing the illegal trafficking of Madagascan rosewood and other natural resources. He was arrested last September and accused of organizing and participating in a protest he did not attend. He spent the next 10 months behind bars. In July, Clovis was released from prison, and acquitted of the rebellion charge. But he was found guilty of two other charges and given a five-year suspended sentence. Amnesty believes it is a deliberate attempt to intimidate him, and send a warning to other environmental activists in Madagascar. Clovis has featured in Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign, and we will continue to call for the charges against him to be dropped. Clovis said: “Thank you to Amnesty International. I would not be out of jail without you.”
Our report forced companies to respond to palm oil abuses
Workers on Wilmar’s plantations in Indonesia reported that they have started to see improvements to the working conditions and terms of employment for some workers, following our report, The Great Palm Oil Scandal. The workers are now being paid a daily wage not linked to targets, they have had an increase in wages by around 25% and most of the women workers have been made permanent. These improvements came after a week action and campaigning targeting five of Wilmar’s palm oil buyers; Colgate-Palmolive, Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.
August
Campaigning work leads to release of number of individuals
In August, a number of individuals were released from prison after their cases were taken up by Amnesty supporters, including founder of the Sudan Social Development Organization, Dr Mudawi, former Uzbekistani government official, UN employee Erkin Musaev and Palestinian circus performer, Mohammad Abu Sakha.
Huge win for women’s rights in ChileThe decision to support the decriminalization of abortion under certain circumstances was a win for human rights – and for the protection of women and girls across Chile! The ruling confirms that Chile’s constitution provides for access to safe abortion when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk, and in cases of fatal foetal impairment. “This victory is testament to the work of millions of women across the Americas,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
DRC Government committed to eradicating child labour by 2025The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) committed to eradicating child labour by 2025 and implementing recommendations from our 2016 report This is What We Die For. The report exposed the dangerous and hazardous working conditions in the artisanal cobalt mines of southern DRC where thousands of adults and children work. This is the first time the DRC government has acknowledged the issue of child labour in artisanal mining – and it’s thanks to our campaigning and advocacy efforts.
September
Our #Giveahome campaign went global!
In response to the global refugee crisis, over 1,000 artists took part in 300+ gigs across 60 countries, sharing one powerful message: #GiveaHome. We teamed up with Sofar Sounds to bring this incredible initiative to life with the aim of uniting people in building support for the world’s refugees. Performers included established and emerging artists, such as Ed Sheeran, Gregory Porter, Hot Chip, Jessie Ware and Mashrou’ Leila!
We refused to let the abuses of Myanmar’s military go unchecked
Our investigations combining satellite imagery with testimony, photos and videos found clear evidence of a scorched earth campaign by the Myanmar military, and a litany of grave abuses including ethnic cleansing, unlawful killings and arbitrary arrests. We were the first to confirm the use of anti-personnel landmines along the border with Bangladesh. We have been tirelessly using media, campaigning and advocacy meetings to call for an end to the violence, for a comprehensive arms embargo, and access for humanitarian actors and the UN Fact-Finding Mission. With your support, we will make sure that those responsible are held to account.
October
Amnesty International’s Turkey Director was released
Idil Eser after her release.
We welcomed the release of İdil Eser, Director of Amnesty Turkey, along with nine other human rights defenders. Idil was arrested in July on ludicrous terror-related charges amid a sweeping crackdown on human rights defenders in the country. It was a long ordeal for her and (in a different way) for her colleagues at Amnesty Turkey. The strength and perseverance they showed was an inspiration. “I believe organizations such as Amnesty International are becoming more important in a world where division and xenophobia are on the rise,” wrote Idil, from prison. “I think that our cause has further strengthened the solidarity between rights organisations, and I rejoice.” Thank you to everyone across the movement whose hard work and persistence contributed to this outcome. We will continue campaigning until Taner Kılıç, Amnesty’s Turkey chair who was also arrested, is freed, along with the many others who are unjustly held in prison.
Resounding victory as Ibrahim Halawa released
The release of Irish citizen and prisoner of conscience Ibrahim Halawa was a resounding victory for those who campaigned on his behalf, bringing to an end his painful four-year ordeal behind bars in an Egyptian prison. Our analysis of the case concluded that he was arrested and arbitrarily detained just for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and assembly. Thanks to the intensive campaigning of his family and friends and Amnesty International supporters, Ibrahim has been reunited with his loved ones in Ireland. The Halawa family said: “Many amazing individuals continued to believe in Ibrahim’s innocence and campaigned on his behalf and supported the family.”
November
Norwegian teenagers stood in solidarity with Taibeh
Thousands of teenagers joined a huge torch-lit demo to stand in solidarity with 18-year-old Taibeh Abbasi, who is living in fear of being deported to a country she has never even visited – Afghanistan. Their message to the Norwegian government was clear: keep Afghan teens like Taibeh safe – don’t force them to leave once they turn 18! We asked you to sign our petition calling on the Norway to stop returning people to Afghanistan until the country is stable enough to ensure their safety and dignity and we gained over 100,000 signatures. Thank you!
Taibeh Abbasi, 18 (centre), with her friends who organised a huge demo in Norway in solidarity with the Abbasi family
Mauritanian blogger’s death sentence quashed
Blogger Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mkhaïtir has been released after the Appeal Court of Nouadhibou quashed his death sentence for writing a ‘blasphemous’ post on Facebook. The decision comes after an Amnesty International delegation, led by Secretary General Salil Shetty, went to Mauritania last year to shed light on the human rights situation in the country.
Major industry players launched investigation into child labour reports
We launched a new progress report, which was an update to last year’s report, linking several major brands to human rights abuses in artisanal cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Companies named in the report – including Huayou Cobalt from China and BMW from Germany – flew in to participate in the launch event, an important indication of their concern about how our work impacts on their brands. Off the back of the report, the London Metal Exchange, one of the organisations responsible for determining global metal prices, launched an investigation into whether cobalt mined by children is being traded in London, and has requested that members provide details of their responsible sourcing practices.
We exposed gruesome illegal torture equipment for sale in Paris
Amnesty International’s researchers discovered illegal torture equipment including spiked batons, spiked electric shock riot forks, electric shock vests and heavy leg irons for sale by Chinese companies at Milipol, a military and police trade fair taking place Paris. The import and export of torture equipment has been banned in the EU since 2006. In 2016, the EU also banned the promotion and display of this equipment at trade fairs. We reacted quickly, issuing our findings. The stall where the material was being promoted was shut down, authorities launched an investigation, and global media covered the story.
Our explosive report held Shell to account
We released a new report, A Criminal Enterprise?, exploring Shell’s role in grave human rights violations in Ogoniland, Nigeria, in the Nineties. Evidence used in the report comes from thousands of pages of internal company documents, witness depositions, Amnesty’s own archive as well as other sources. The report called for authorities in Nigeria, the UK and the Netherlands to launch investigations into whether Shell should be held criminally liable. It had immediate impact, with the public prosecutor announcing they would look into the file. Amnesty International actively supported human rights defender Esther Kiobel in her struggle to hold Shell to account. In June, Esther brought a landmark legal action against Shell in the Netherlands, accusing the company of complicity in the unlawful killing of her husband and eight other Ogoni men in Nigeria in 1995. We won’t stop until Esther gets the answers she deserves.
December
Your words changed hundreds of lives
December marks our annual Writes for Rights campaign – and every year, the support from all of you is nothing short of incredible. For example, last year, you wrote a whopping 4,660,774 letters, emails, tweets and much more. Among those messages were words of support that made all the difference to the many people whose rights we were writing for. US whistle-blower Edward Snowden, who featured in Write for Rights 2016, said: “I want to thank you, humbly and with a full heart, for your unwavering advocacy and support.” Edward alone received messages from 710,024 Amnesty supporters 110 countries!
Australia passed marriage equality law
The Australian Parliament passed into law the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017. Amnesty International Australia’s NSW LGBTQI Network Convenor Lizzi Price said: “This is a historic and long-overdue moment for Australia. This outcome is due to the hard work, determination, and courage of so many people. LGBTQI Australians, community groups, activists and allies stood up, spoke out and built an unstoppable movement for equality. For that alone, there is such a lot to celebrate here.”
[Name], thank you for being an amazing Human Rights Defender.
Change is possible when people come together to fight against injustice.
Your actions and gifts have made these incredible life-saving moments possible. Thank you!
From writing letters of support and campaigning for marriage equality to welcoming refugees and changing laws for the better, hope overcame fear in 2017 – and it was all thanks to you!
Because of you, we sent researchers to some of the world’s worst crisis zones to investigate and expose human rights abuses, and to bring those responsible to justice.
Together we will continue to make change and demand justice, freedom and dignity for people whose rights have been denied.
Your kind donations and actions save lives and create lasting change, protecting human rights in Australia and around the world.
Thank you for standing up for equality and fairness.
[Name], thank you for being an amazing Human Rights Defender.
Change is possible when people come together to fight against injustice.
Your actions and gifts have made these incredible life-saving moments possible. Thank you!
From writing letters of support and campaigning for marriage equality to welcoming refugees and changing laws for the better, hope overcame fear in 2017 – and it was all thanks to you!
Because of you, we sent researchers to some of the world’s worst crisis zones to investigate and expose human rights abuses, and to bring those responsible to justice.
Together we will continue to make change and demand justice, freedom and dignity for people whose rights have been denied.
Your kind donations and actions save lives and create lasting change, protecting human rights in Australia and around the world.
Thank you for standing up for equality and fairness.
Thank you for being an amazing supporter this year.
Change is possible when people come together to fight against injustice.
Your actions and gifts have made these incredible life-saving moments possible. Thank you!
From writing letters of support and campaigning for marriage equality to welcoming refugees and changing laws for the better, hope overcame fear in 2017 – and it was all thanks to you!
Because of you, we sent researchers to some of the world’s worst crisis zones to investigate and expose human rights abuses, and to bring those responsible to justice.
Together we will continue to make change and demand justice, freedom and dignity for people whose rights have been denied.
Your kind donations and actions save lives and create lasting change, protecting human rights in Australia and around the world.
Thank you for standing up for equality and fairness.
“In prison they would hit us often,” said Ousman, who spent five months in a Tripoli, Libya detention centre in 2016. “They killed many boys. I saw many people dying in prison, either because they fell sick or were beaten.”
Ousman is just one of hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants who have braved the journey across Africa to Libya and just one of tens of thousands who have ended up caught in a complex web of abuse and extortion.
Refugees and migrants are routinely exposed to human rights violations committed by Libyan officials and security forces, and abuses at the hands of armed groups and criminal gangs, who are often working in close co-operation and to mutual financial advantage. In a lawless country, refugees and migrants have become a resource to be exploited – a commodity around which an entire industry has grown, as the shocking footage of an apparent slave auction aired by CNN last month highlighted.
In a lawless country, refugees and migrants have become a resource to be exploited – a commodity around which an entire industry has grown
John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International
From the reaction of world leaders to that grainy footage one would be forgiven for thinking that this story is a new one and that the problem is one of Africa’s own making. But nothing could be further from the truth.
The European Union (EU), its member states – and Italy in particular – have pursued their own goal of restricting the flow of refugees and migrants across the Mediterranean, with little thought, or seeming care, for the consequences for those trapped in Libya as a result. They have entered into a string of co-operation agreements with Libyan authorities responsible for grave human rights violations, in particular the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) and the General Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM).
On the face of it, these deals drawn up to increase their capacity to tackle smugglers, carry out search and rescue operations and prevent irregular departures have been successful. The number of arrivals in Italy fell by 67% between July and November 7 2017, compared with the same period in the previous year, and deaths at sea have reduced commensurately. But EU countries should not feign shock or outrage when the human cost of these deals is laid bare.
EU and Italian officials cannot plausibly claim to be unaware of the grave violations being committed by some of the detention officials and LCG agents with whom they are so assiduously co-operating. Nor can they credibly claim to have insisted on key rights protection mechanisms and guarantees from their Libyan counterparts. They are, as a result, complicit in these abuses and in breach of their own human rights obligations.
The criminalisation of irregular entry under Libyan law, coupled with the absence of any legislation or practical infrastructure for the protection of asylum seekers and victims of trafficking, has resulted in mass, arbitrary and indefinite detention becoming the primary migration management system in the country.
Refugees and migrants intercepted by the LCG are sent to DCIM detention centres where they endure horrific treatment. Up to 20,000 people currently remain contained in these overcrowded, unsanitary detention centres. Migrants and refugees we interviewed described abuse they had been subjected to or they had witnessed, including arbitrary detention, torture, forced labour, extortion, and unlawful killings, at the hands of the authorities, traffickers, armed groups and militias alike.
Migrants and refugees are caught in a soul-destroying cycle of exploitation to which collusion between guards, smugglers and the LCG consigns them. Guards at the detention centres torture them to extort money. If they are able to pay they are released. They can also be passed onto smugglers who can secure their departure from Libya in cooperation with the Libyan Coast Guard. Agreements between the LCG and smugglers are signalled by markings on boats that allow them to pass through Libyan waters without interception, and the Coast Guard has also been known to escort boats out to international waters.
The actions of European countries are leading to increasing numbers of people being stopped or intercepted. In so doing, European governments, and Italy in particular, are breaching their own international obligations and becoming complicit in the violations committed by the Libyan authorities they are sponsoring and cooperating with.
Bakary, a Gambian man, was stopped at sea by the LCG and detained in the Zawiya detention centre, northern Libya in December 2016. “The police gave me the number of a Gambian man, said if you want to pay to leave you can call him, he will help,” he said. “In the centre they don’t give food, they beat me with a rubber hose, because they want money to release me. I still have scars”.
Ultimately the misery of refugees and migrants in Libya is a by-product of wider economic and political trends on the African continent and bigger flaws in Europe’s migration policies. In the absence of adequate safe, legal routes into Europe and, in light of the low prospect of being returned if found not to have a claim to protection, irregular journeys will continue to be seen both as the only choice and, ultimately, a rational choice by the ambitious and the persecuted.
“Ultimately the misery of refugees and migrants in Libya is a by-product of wider economic and political trends on the African continent and bigger flaws in Europe’s migration policies”
This play of forces can only be addressed by increasing the number of safe and legal avenues of entry to – and return from – European countries. It cannot sustainably and conscionably be addressed by enlisting the services of corrupt and abusive actors in transit countries to interrupt routes mid-way, without regard for how they do it, or the impact on those trapped as a result.
There are no quick fixes to this complex crisis but it is essential that the aims and nature of European cooperation with Libya is rethought, to end this unconscionable collusion in human suffering.
John Dalhuisen is the director of Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia program.
On 15 December, eight years after signing the treaty, the Government announced it had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture – agreeing to independent inspections of all places of detention in Australia. The treaty does not apply to offshore detention facilities in other countries, such as Nauru or on Manus Island.
Australia will also have to open itself up to UN inspections. Prisons, juvenile detention centres, immigration detention centres and psychiatric facilities will be subject to this scrutiny. This is excellent news for our Community is Everything and Refugee campaigns.
Back in 2010, the Government announced it had signed the Optional Protocol however this didn’t create a legal obligation on Australia. Now it has to ensure its detention facilities do not facilitate torture in any way.
How did Amnesty respond?
Amnesty activists have been campaigning for many many years to get the protocol ratified and finally all of your hard work has borne fruit! Congratulations to everyone.
What’s next?
The next steps include establishing the independent bodies, known as National Preventive Mechanisms, to monitor and report on places of detention. The Commonwealth Ombudsman has been appointed to coordinate this work.
In light of today’s Defence Estimates, Amnesty International is concerned that Defence Minister Marise Payne has not adequately explained the Royal Australian Navy’s recent training exercises with Saudi Arabia’s Navy and also what defence materiel has been sold to Saudi Arabia while it is imposing its devastating blockade on Yemen.
Amnesty International Australia’s Crisis Campaigns Coordinator Diana Sayed said today:
“It is unacceptable that the Australian government denies transparency in its defence-force relationship with Saudi Arabia while the Saudi-led coalition continues to commit horrific human rights abuses in Yemen.
“We are asking yet again: let the Australian public know, unequivocally, verifiably and without delay, that Australia is not complicit in the collective punishment of millions of Yemeni civilians.
“Defence Minister Marise Payne has still not tabled the contents of the four military exports approved to Saudi Arabia, as she has been required to by a Senate motion passed in March.
“The Australian government has argued that the detail of the exports must be kept from us because it is ‘commercial in confidence’. How can we be confident that what the Australian government has been telling us about these exports is true, when the true background to the Navy training exercise between the two countries was hidden from us?
“If indeed the details of the four military exports must be kept confidential on commercial grounds, they can be tabled in camera [in private] to a Parliamentary Committee.
“We call on Australia to suspend all arms and military support to Saudi Arabia while it commits atrocities in Yemen, and to detail the contents of this year’s military exports to the Saudis.”
Background
On 14 August, the Royal Australian Navy ran a training exercise with the Saudi Arabian Navy in the Red Sea, conducted as part of Operation Manitou, a joint force operation to maintain maritime security in the Middle East.
This year, Australia approved four defence materiel exports to Saudi Arabia and has consistently refused to detail the contents of those consignments on ‘commercial in confidence’ grounds.
The Saudi Arabia-led blockade of Yemen is causing a widely condemned humanitarian crisis.
Images and video of refugees using smartphones sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with some arguing that being able to afford a (relatively cheap) piece of technology should disqualify them from receiving help.
While anyone can point out the obvious flaw in this argument – that personal wealth or lack thereof has no impact on whether you need to flee your country – it raises a much more interesting question. When you’re seeking safety, how can your phone become a tool for security and survival?
For people like Hala Kamil, a mother of four from Aleppo, Syria, who is living in Germany, a mobile phone is the only link to her old life.
“See why this phone is so dear? It has everything. All my family, all my world is here. That’s why I’m always holding it,” Hala tells filmmaker Marcel Mettlesiefen in the Frontline documentary Children of Syria.
A tool for survival
But for other refugees a mobile isn’t only a digital repository for precious memories and a link to loved ones left behind, it’s a tool for survival.
A study last year by the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, and global professional services company Accenture found mobile phones and internet access are as critical to refugees’ safety and security as food, water and shelter.
In fact, it’s difficult to imagine a more practical possession to own when fleeing your home. Mobile phones provide vital information for people seeking safety, such as routes, the cost of transport, and whether a border is open or closed.
They also save lives: refugees use their phones to find out about weather conditions on perilous sea crossings and to contact coastguards and provide GPS locations if their boat is in distress.
This powerful, three-minute video by BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity, turns your mobile into the phone of someone trying to reach Europe.
The video is designed to be watched on a mobile phone and gives the viewer an insight into the fear and confusion people face on their journeys. It also explains why information and connectivity are so important.
People seeking safety need timely, relevant and reliable information and news, says the report’s lead author Marie Gillespie, but instead are often forced to rely on traffickers and criminal groups to help them reach their destinations.
Staying connected
With 3G, 4G and for the lucky few, superfast broadband, connectivity is part of life. But this isn’t always the case for refugees. Affordability can be a problem – some refugees can spend a third of their disposable income on staying connected.
And although most refugees living in urban areas have access to mobile networks, about a fifth of those in rural areas have no connectivity at all – significantly lower than for the population at large, according to the UNHCR and Accenture study.
People in Australia’s offshore detention facilities on Nauru and the now-closed Manus Island may be among the least connected refugees in the world.
With no mobile phones and limited internet, detainees are effectively cut off from the rest of the world. Despite this, Iranian Kurdish journalist and refugee Behrouz Boochani, has reported for years on conditions on Manus using social media and messaging, and recently won an Amnesty International Australia award for his work.
“It’s just bizarre to think people in a refugee camp on the border of the conflict zone have better mobile phone access than somebody who’s brought to a detention centre in Australia,” he said.
As well as being a potentially lifesaving piece of technology for people in transit, human rights advocates say that mobile phones are also a “lifeline” for those needing to communicate with loved ones, seek legal advice and stay in touch with the outside world.
At times the world seems so filled with devastation that it’s possible to lose faith in our own ability to make it a better place. But the reality is that we can. Change can happen.
So, if you feel a bit powerless against the enormity of the world’s problems, here are five ways you can make a difference without leaving your city.
We often underestimate the potential impact of treating strangers to random acts of kindness. The acts might be small, but they have the ability change a person’s entire world.
Spreading positivity and kindness can only encourage more positivity and kindness to be spread, right? It could even make you a happier person in return.
If you believe that kindness can change the world, check out Random Acts of Kindness and become a kindness ambassador.
Love it or hate it, social media can help raise awareness about global issues that don’t get enough coverage in mainstream media.
Whether you already have a prominent presence online or not, there are lots of ways you can make a difference to the world through social media.
Fancy yourself a wordsmith? Blogging can be an effective way to change perspectives. We’ll be running our annual blogging competition again in 2018 so watch this space for ways to get involved.
If film or music is more your thing, then YouTube is a great social media channel for uploading short films or creating original songs with messages you think people need to hear. Check out Amnesty Australia’s YouTube channel for some ideas.
3. Saving the planet: the little things add up
Have you ever been to a festival and looked at the state of the ground as everyone starts to leave? It’s often a game of spot the grass through the layers of discarded chip packets and drink cans.
When everyone else is doing it, it might seem easier to get away with throwing your Mars Bar wrapper on the ground while no one is looking. But it’s important to remember that no matter what the circumstances, there’s a reason we throw our rubbish in bins.
And that’s just the basic stuff. There are so many things you can do.
Conserving energy is a big one. So is using sustainable transport. Try to carpool or use public transport wherever you can. Walking or riding a bike also are great options – just think, you’re getting fit and saving the planet!
Beyond Blue’s “Stop. Think. Respect.” campaign brought to light the invisible discrimination still being inflicted upon Indigenous Australians by employers, shopkeepers and everyday commuters. The advertisement is confronting and a reminder that racial discrimination is still a problem within Australian society.
So what can we do to help? Well, firstly, we can do exactly what Beyond Blue – an independent, non profit organisation that works to increase awareness and understanding of anxiety and depression – asks of us.
Additionally, we can make it our mission to stand up to people if we see them treating anyone as less than equal, due to their race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.
In order to shift negative attitudes and perspectives around the globe, we need to make the start in our own cities.
Get active! If you’re unhappy with something going on in the world it’s important that you stand up and make a difference. You can help raise awareness about an issue, get your message out there and ensure that people know the real facts.
Amnesty offers lots of opportunities for you to get involved, through rallies, letter writing sessions and other similar events.
