Difference between revisions of "Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance"

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=Ways to Get Involved=  
 
=Ways to Get Involved=  
 
<big>'''Subscribe'''</big><br>
 
<big>'''Subscribe'''</big><br>
 +
:'''[https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/pghrights Subscribe to our newsletter]'''for updates on events & action opportunities!
 +
:'''[[University Human Rights Working Group]]''': Faculty members, staff and graduate students can [https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/pghrights_university '''subscribe here'''].
 +
:Follow us on [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pghrights '''Facebook'''] and [https://www.instagram.com/pghrights/ '''Instagram''']
  
*'''[https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/pghrights Subscribe to our newsletter]''' to receive email updates on events & action opportunities!  
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<big>'''Join a Working Group'''</big><br>--Working groups meet regularly to develop projects on specific issues. Everyone is welcome to attend & learn about local human rights issues and find ways to get involved! Current working groups include: <br>
*We also have a [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Pitt_Human_Rights_Initiative '''Pittsburgh Area University Human Rights Working Group''']. Faculty members, staff and graduate students can [https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/pghrights_university '''subscribe here'''] to join our (low-volume) email list.
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::*[[Housing Rights]]
*Follow us on [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pghrights '''Facebook'''] and [https://www.instagram.com/pghrights/ '''Instagram''']
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::*[[Community Safety & Policing]]
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::*[[Communications, Education and Outreach]]
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::*[[Policy, Legislation, & Governance (PLuG)]]
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:'''For more information, meeting times and links,''' please contact Maddy McGrady at madeline@theglobalswitchboard.org
  
<big>'''Join a Working Group'''</big><br>
+
=Calendar=
 +
<big>'''Housing & Human Rights: A Community Forum'''</big><br>
 +
:'''Saturday, November 9th, 10:30am-12:30pm,''' East Liberty Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (130 S Whitfield St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)
 +
:The human right to housing is well established in international law, yet many residents in our region suffer from housing insecurity, poor quality housing, and homelessness. How can we work together to promote and protect housing as a human right? How can international human rights law be a resource to advance work for housing rights in our city? This community forum will shape our local advocacy and inform a report for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights in the United States. Come learn about current housing rights issues in our region and how we can build local solutions and use international law to strengthen our efforts. This meeting is part of a series of community forums on human rights to help build awareness and strengthen our collective work to bring human rights home.
  
We currently steward four working groups that convene on a regular basis. Additional working groups may be formed as our work evolves and to support campaigns or special projects as needed.  To learn more about each one, click on the links below. All are welcome to get involved! '''For more information and meeting links, please contact Maddy McGrady at madeline@theglobalswitchboard.org''' <br>
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<big>'''Student Housing & Tenant Rights Workshop'''</big><br>
 +
:'''Thursday, November 14th, 4:30-6:30pm,''' Carnegie Mellon University, Hamburg Hall, Room 2008 (4800 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)
 +
:Students are facing a housing crisis that is affecting them financially, physically, emotionally, and academically. Join Carnegie Mellon Health Promotion and the Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance as we team up to discuss student housing justice, tenant rights, organizing efforts in the broader community, and more. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/HousingRightsCMU
  
'''[[Housing Rights]]'''
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=Current Work=
 +
The Human Rights City Alliance helps build alliances among individuals and groups in our area supporting human rights for all. We support local engagement in national and international human rights advocacy, and participate in UN human rights reviews of U.S. policies.
  
This working group seeks to expand public awareness that housing is a human right and to advance policy changes to expand access to safe, stable, adequate, and affordable housing in our region.
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We are currently involved in the '''[https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home United Nations Universal Periodic Review of the U.S. government]''' and will be hosting a series of related community forums. See our [[Reports to UN Human Rights Bodies]], submitted as part of the global work to improve compliance with international human rights law.
*Next meeting '''Tuesday, October 1, 6PM-7PM (Online)'''
 
*Have you seen our [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/8/87/Bill_of_Rights_Trifold-Final.pdf Tenant Bill of Rights]?
 
  
'''[[Community Safety & Policing]]'''
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'''Working Groups'''
 
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Our current working groups focus on the following issue areas, and they are shaped by efforts of volunteers like you!
This working group works to promote a human rights-based approach to law enforcement, drawing from global laws and standards that prohibit racial discrimination and promote community-centered alternatives to police.
 
*Next meeting '''Tuesday, October 8, 2-3 pm (Online).'''
 
 
 
'''[[Communications, Education and Outreach]]'''
 
 
 
This working group helps to shape and support our overall communication strategy. Volunteers can support in a variety of ways such as assisting with our newsletter, creating promotional materials, and reviewing and editing content, among other key tasks. This group is growing and we welcome folks with a variety of interests and skills to help us grow our capacity and get the word out about human rights.
 
 
 
*Next meeting '''Tuesday, October 15, 6-7pm (Online).'''
 
 
 
'''[[Policy, Legislation, & Governance (PLuG)]]'''
 
 
 
This working group is designing a Human Rights Blueprint & Scorecard to help advance and monitor local policies through a human rights lens.
 
*Next meeting '''Thursday, October 3, 5:30-6:30 pm (Online).'''
 
 
 
<big>'''Calendar'''</big><br>
 
 
 
'''PUSH Documentary Screening''' - '''Monday, September 30th, 6-8pm, Barco Law Building''' (3900 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15260)<br>
 
 
 
:PUSH tells the story of how global banks and investment firms are turning our communities into sources of private profit, taking control of residential housing around the world, and pushing out low-income residents. The film tells another story too: residents and city officials are coming together to demand that housing be protected as a human right.<br>
 
 
 
:[https://forms.gle/7LuMZmiK3igPDGH86 RSVP here] (encouraged, not required). ''Food will be provided''
 
 
 
<big>'''Contact Us'''<big><br>
 
<small>All are welcome to join our work to make Pittsburgh a Human Rights City! For more information or to get involved, please contact us at hrca@theglobalswitchboard.org.</small>
 
 
 
=Current Areas of Focus=
 
 
 
HRCA's work continues to evolve. Our current work focuses on the following issue areas, which were identified by community members and organizers as key regional priorities. Our working groups correspond with these areas of focus.
 
  
 
<big>'''Housing Rights & Justice'''</big><br>
 
<big>'''Housing Rights & Justice'''</big><br>
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*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/universal-declaration-of-human-rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights]
 
*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/universal-declaration-of-human-rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights]
 
*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/what-are-human-rights/international-bill-human-rights International Bill of Human Rights]
 
*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/what-are-human-rights/international-bill-human-rights International Bill of Human Rights]
 
=Bringing Human Rights Home=
 
 
==Universal Periodic Review (UPR)==
 
</big>*'''[[UPR Pittsburgh]] Bringing Global Human Rights Home: Pittsburgh's Human Rights Assessment & the United Nations'''</big>
 
Together with human rights defenders around the country, Pittsburgh residents are working to bring the stories and accounts of human rights conditions in our region to the United Nations through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Over 2019-2020, the United States human rights record will be reviewed by international representatives and human rights experts, and the UN will issue a formal report with recommendations to the US government for improving respect for the country's international human rights obligations. A key to the UPR's effectiveness is engagement from civil society, and we're working to provide opportunities for residents to learn about human rights and the UPR process as we generate ideas for how we can make Pittsburgh and Southwest PA places where human rights thrive.
 
*For more details see [http://wiki.humanrightscities.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=UPR_Cities_Project UPR Cities Project]
 
 
'''[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/8/8d/Zero_Evictions_Proclamation_Final_October_2019.pdf Pittsburgh City Council Passes Zero Evictions Proclamation in Solidarity with Global Movement for Housing Justice]
 
 
==Housing Justice==
 
*'''[http://wiki.humanrightscities.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Housing_is_a_Human_Right! Housing is a Human Right-Letter to Officials]''' The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, Leilani Farha, recently directed letters to governments and corporate leaders around the world, pointing out how prevailing policies violate international human rights obligations. This page has details and a template for contacting your local leaders to remind them of their international legal obligations.
 
*'''[[Housing Justice Pittsburgh]]''' Building community power to fight displacement and promote our "Right to the City."
 
*[http://housingsummitpgh.org/ Housing Summit 2018]
 
*[[:file:Housing_as_a_Human_Right.pdf|Housing is a Human Right: Slideshow]]''' on international treaties and opportunities to promote the [[:file:Housing_as_a_Human_Right.pdf|human right to housing]]<br /> <span style="display: block; text-align: center"><br /> </span>
 
 
*[[Forums on Amazon HQ2 and the Right to the City|Forged for All? the Amazon HQ2 Debate & the Future of Pittsburgh]]
 
Learn more about how Amazon's bid to move to Pittsburgh would affect human rights here. Resources, data, and recordings of community forums.
 
*View '''community forums''' on the question of how an Amazon HQ2 would impact us:
 
**'''"[https://www.facebook.com/publicsource/videos/1888885241131365/ Pittsburgh's Economic Revitalization: Technology, Corporate Power, and Democratic Accountability" ]
 
**''''''[https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fplugins%2Fvideo.php%3Fhref%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252Fpublicsource%252Fvideos%252F1832226540130569%252F%26show_text%3D1%26width%3D560&data=01%7C01%7Cjgsmith%40pitt.edu%7C285d692e67d74ca6d38808d570e484ff%7C32794bf9854a4224a8c3408a105aeea1%7C1&sdata=K3KoWuvRO13YbyHrmYJ7bCXvakY2hWVRmgHffx%2BbrPI%3D&reserved=0 Human Rights, the Right to the City, and Amazon HQ2: Forged for all?]'''
 
 
 
===[http://wiki.humanrightscities.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=International_Human_Rights_Monitoring International Human Rights Monitoring]===
 
This page links to work by national and international human rights organizers to use international treaties and United Nations human rights review processes to hold local and national officials in the United States accountable to our international human rights obligations.
 
 
 
===News & Updates===
 
*'''UN Official Confronts Governments and Corporations on Housing Rights''': Recently, the [https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Housing/Pages/HousingIndex.aspx UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing], Leilani Farha held a press conference in Copenhagen to speak about letters released (see links below) to governments and corporations around the world including the United States and the Blackstone Group L.P. Ms. Farha spoke out directly against policies and laws which support housing as a commodity. In the letters to various governments, Ms. Farha stated that these policies and laws contradict governments’ international human rights obligations. Letters: [[:File:March_2019_Housing_UN_Rapp_USLetter_Financialization.pdf|UN Special Rapporteur Letter to US Government On Housing Policies as Human Rights Violations]], [https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Housing/Financialization/OL_OTH_17_2019.pdf Letter to Blackstone Investment Corporation], [https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Housing/Financialization/Reply_OL_OTH_17_2019.pdf Blackstone's response]. '''Campaign links''' [http://www.unhousingrapp.org/the-shift #MaketheShift] '''#HousingisaHumanRight'''!
 
**'''We're working to get this message to Mayor Peduto and other public officials''': If your organization wants to sign this [[:file:Cover_Letter_PGH_Special_Rap_Letter_on_Housing_and_Human_Rigths_March_2019.pdf|*letter to public officials*]] please contact us at pghrights[at]riseup[dot]net or via Facebook PGHrights.  For more details see '''[http://wiki.humanrightscities.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Housing_is_a_Human_Right! Housing is a Human Right!]'''
 
 
*'''Pittsburgh’s [http://pittsburghunited.org/ourwater/ Our Water Campaign] goes Global:''' The current issue of the Open Access [http://jwsr.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/jwsr ''Journal of World-Systems Research''] features a symposium on the problem of corporate power and its implications for local democracy. This project was inspired by the recent inter-city competition to host the Amazon 2nd headquarters. See: [http://jwsr.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/jwsr/article/view/899 "Water is a Human Right! Grassroots Resistance to Corporate Power!"] (by local water activist Caitlin Schroering).
 
 
*[http://pgh4cedaw.org/the-ngo-committee-on-the-status-of-women-new-york-is-proud-to-announce-mayor-william-peduto-2019-recipient-cities-for-cedaw-global-leadership-award/ '''Pittsburgh for CEDAW Coalition helps bring Pittsburgh Human Rights Recognition'''] In March 2019, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/New York awarded Mayor Peduto the '''Cities for CEDAW Global Leadership Award''' for his work to implement sustaining policies which eliminate all forms of discrimination against women at the local level. This award would not have been possible without all the hard work of [http://pgh4cedaw.org/ PGH for CEDAW Coalition] members to push for the CEDAW ordinance and to design policy recommendations that would ensure its effective implementation.
 
*[[:file:Housing_Justice_Meeting_Summary_March_2019.pdf|Summary of lessons from Housing Justice Movement-Building work 2016-2019]] This document provides a synthesis of ideas from conversations about how to advance the human right to housing and challenge market-oriented policies that continue to displace residents. ‎
 
*''Print'' [[:file:Media_Print_coverage_of_Racial_Justice_Summit_2019.pdf|Media coverage of Racial Justice Summit]]- This report highlights our breakout session at the 2019 Summit, "Building an Intersectional Movement for Housing Justice"
 
*Pittsburgh City Council and Mayor Peduto [[:File:Human_Rights_Day_2018_Proclamation_for_Human_Rights_Final_Edit.pdf|re-affirm their commitment to human rights]] at the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ([[:file:Human_Rights_Day_2018_Press_Release_Final.pdf|See Press Release December 10]])
 
* '''[[National Human Rights Cities Alliance Workshop 2018, Washington DC]]'''
 
<br />
 
 
'''[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Human_Rights_Budgeting_Resource_Page Human Rights Budgeting-Ideas and Resources for transforming how our city plans]''': This page shares links and background resources about how activists around the world are working to change the scripts of local politics to prioritize human rights over economic measures of progress. We believe that urban planning and development should be explicit in its attention to human rights and equity. More democratic budgeting processes are key to making this happen, and that means we all need to learn more about how city budgeting works and how it could be re-organized to engage more of the people who live in our region.
 
  
 
=Resources=
 
=Resources=
 
[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Resources '''Link to more resources'''--toolkits, reports, and organizations supporting local human rights work]
 
[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Resources '''Link to more resources'''--toolkits, reports, and organizations supporting local human rights work]
 
=Past Actions & Events=
 
 
'''Actions HRCA Has Supported'''
 
 
* (2018) [[Communication Justice Initiative]]
 
* (2018) HRCA stood with the [https://www.facebook.com/communitypowermovement/https://www.facebook.com/communitypowermovement/ Community Power Movement] and other advocates in calling for greater transparency and a [https://www.publicsource.org/this-pittsburgh-group-wants-all-developers-getting-public-subsidies-to-agree-to-community-benefits-including-you-amazon/ commitment to community benefits from developers receiving public subsidies], including Amazon.
 
* (2017)[https://www.facebook.com/events/1498208200258725/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22ref_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%22361%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D Campaign to Stop Plan to Increase Policing on Public Transit]-- This campaign led by the Alliance for Police Accountability, Casa San Jose, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, and the Thomas Merton Center warns that the Port Authority's planned fare enforcement policy would unfairly impact communities of color, increase the problematic trend of criminalizing young people, and threaten immigrant residents. The campaign called for civilian fare enforcers rather than armed Port Authority Police and a citation process rather than a criminal process to deal with fare evasion ([[:file:Policing_on_the_T_QA.pdf|See FAQs for more information]]).
 
* (2017) '''[https://apnews.com/general-news-69a9e1819ab749d8b56b5397b62f54e5 Pittsburgh Public Schools Passes Sanctuary Resolution]'''
 
* (2016) '''[http://www.pgh4cedaw.org Pittsburgh becomes 6th US City for CEDAW ]'''A broad coalition of human rights advocates helped advance a new ordinance enacting the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in our City, December 6, 2016.
 
<br /> '''University-Based Projects'''<br />
 
 
* '''''Pittsburgh area university'' faculty, staff, and graduate students''' are invited to join the [[University Human Rights Network|University Human Rights Network. ]]We invite volunteers from different campuses to help support work on your campus and coordinate with other campuses.
 
* [[Pitt Human Rights Initiative|Pitt Human Rights Initiative]]
 
* '''Campus worker organizing:''' Pitt faculty, graduate student workers, and other workers are organizing for their rights and to support and protect the right to education. Keep informed about the campaign on their [http://www.pittfaculty.org/ website] and [https://www.facebook.com/PittFaculty/ Facebook page]
 
<br />
 
 
'''Past Events'''
 
*(2024) 10th Annual Human Rights Cookout and Potluck - Sunday, August 25th, 2024. Around 60 human rights supporters and advocates came together to enjoy food, music and updates about human rights work happening in Pittsburgh.
 
*(February 2021) '''Advancing the Human Right to Housing in our Cities''' Multi-city dialogue with organizers from Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and New York- [https://pitt.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10457780-58e5-4feb-85ba-acc3001a5588 '''View recording here''']
 
:Co-Sponsors: ''Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance, Atlanta Housing Justice League, Organization for Human Rights & Democracy, University of Pittsburgh Global Studies Center & Urban Studies Program, Student Human Rights Task Force- Pitt & The New School (NYC) Collaboration.'' 
 
:Further background and recordings at:[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/index.php?title=Zero_Evictions_Days_2020 Zero Evictions Days Resource page and webinar recordings] Featuring dialogues with Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Adequate Housing.)
 
* (2020) International Human Rights Day Public/Media Statement:[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/7/71/Human_Rights_Day_2020_Public_Media_Advisory_Final.pdf '''''Pittsburgh Joins Global Efforts to Target Systemic Racism, Bring Human Rights Home '''''] [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/e/eb/Human_Rights_Day_2021_General_Layout.pdf]
 
* See the[[:file:Conference_summary_-General_Version_3_2.pdf| summary of our Human Rights Cities Conference,]] hosted at the University of Pittsburgh
 
* [[Housing Summit | Housing Summit 2016 & 2018]]
 
* (2017): [[Teach-In|Uniting Against Hate: Immigrant Rights, Racial Justice and the U.S. Prison System]]
 
* (2017) [[:file:Human_Rights_Day_2017_Press_Release_Final.pdf| International Human Rights Day 2017 Press Conference]] at the City County Building
 
* (2016) International Workers Day March for Immigrant Rights '''2016''' '''[[:file:May_Day_March_HRCA_Statement.pdf|Statement of Unity and Solidarity ]]'''
 
* (2015)'''World Food Day''' [https://pitt.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=b28fcce4-a5a0-4796-9f2c-cc68316692fc Watch video recording of October 2015 panel on the Right to Food]
 
*[[OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute-Human Rights in Pittsburgh and Beyond, Resource Page]]
 
*[[Teach-In|Teach-In: Uniting Against Hate]]: How the prison industrial complex impacts our communities & what we can do to change it.
 
  
 
=Annual Reports=
 
=Annual Reports=
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* [[:file:Annual_Report_2016.pdf|2016 Annual Report]]: See what we've done in the past year as we look forward to strengthening Pittsburgh activism for human rights in the year ahead!
 
* [[:file:Annual_Report_2016.pdf|2016 Annual Report]]: See what we've done in the past year as we look forward to strengthening Pittsburgh activism for human rights in the year ahead!
 
* [[:file:Annual_Report_2015.pdf|2015 Annual Report]]
 
* [[:file:Annual_Report_2015.pdf|2015 Annual Report]]
 +
 +
*Official [[Reports to UN Human Rights Bodies]] (multiple years)
  
 
=Archive=
 
=Archive=
 
*[[Archive]]
 
*[[Archive]]
*(December 2023) '''[https://campaign4reparationsandselfdetermination.wordpress.com/ Peoples Campaign for Reparations and Black Self-Determination]'''- held a community forum on this theme to help organize and build a Reparations Commission for Black Residents of Pittsburgh.
 
 
<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="display: block; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; text-align: center">''<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 18.6667px">Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.</span>'' <span style="display: block">--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="display: block; text-align: center">'''<u><span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Website: pghrights.org</span></u>''' <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">pghrights</span></span><br />
 
  
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<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="display: block; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; text-align: center">''<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 18.6667px">Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.</span>'' <span style="display: block">--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.</span>
<br /> <span style="display: block; text-align: center">https://www.facebook.com/groups/pghrights/<br /> </span><span style="display: block; font-size: 130%; text-align: center">#pghrights</span><br /> <span style="color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; text-align: center"><span style="color: #0b0b24; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px">e-mail: pghrights [at] riseup.net</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 140%">[[:file:UDHR_PGHedition_FOR_RELEASE.pdf|Universal Declaration of Human Rights booklet with Pittsburgh's Human Rights City Proclamation]]</span><br />
 
  
 
=All Pages=
 
=All Pages=

Latest revision as of 14:44, 5 November 2024

Human Rights City Alliance Logo -w TEXT- copy 4.png

Pittsburgh Human Rights City AllianceDignity & Justice for All of Us"Human rights don't trickle down...they RISE UP!"

About Us

Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance works to bring together diverse groups and individuals to encourage the realization of our City Council's 2011 Proclamation declaring Pittsburgh a "human rights city". We strive to foster a human rights culture that maximizes human rights and dignity for all people who live in our region (See Human Rights Cities Principles). We help network leading community organizations and concerned residents to advance people-centered human rights in Pittsburgh. We cannot wait for leaders in Washington to protect our basic rights! It takes engaged and creative efforts of community residents to "bring human rights home"!

Ways to Get Involved

Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletterfor updates on events & action opportunities!
University Human Rights Working Group: Faculty members, staff and graduate students can subscribe here.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

Join a Working Group
--Working groups meet regularly to develop projects on specific issues. Everyone is welcome to attend & learn about local human rights issues and find ways to get involved! Current working groups include:

For more information, meeting times and links, please contact Maddy McGrady at madeline@theglobalswitchboard.org

Calendar

Housing & Human Rights: A Community Forum

Saturday, November 9th, 10:30am-12:30pm, East Liberty Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (130 S Whitfield St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)
The human right to housing is well established in international law, yet many residents in our region suffer from housing insecurity, poor quality housing, and homelessness. How can we work together to promote and protect housing as a human right? How can international human rights law be a resource to advance work for housing rights in our city? This community forum will shape our local advocacy and inform a report for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights in the United States. Come learn about current housing rights issues in our region and how we can build local solutions and use international law to strengthen our efforts. This meeting is part of a series of community forums on human rights to help build awareness and strengthen our collective work to bring human rights home.

Student Housing & Tenant Rights Workshop

Thursday, November 14th, 4:30-6:30pm, Carnegie Mellon University, Hamburg Hall, Room 2008 (4800 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)
Students are facing a housing crisis that is affecting them financially, physically, emotionally, and academically. Join Carnegie Mellon Health Promotion and the Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance as we team up to discuss student housing justice, tenant rights, organizing efforts in the broader community, and more. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/HousingRightsCMU

Current Work

The Human Rights City Alliance helps build alliances among individuals and groups in our area supporting human rights for all. We support local engagement in national and international human rights advocacy, and participate in UN human rights reviews of U.S. policies.

We are currently involved in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of the U.S. government and will be hosting a series of related community forums. See our Reports to UN Human Rights Bodies, submitted as part of the global work to improve compliance with international human rights law.

Working Groups Our current working groups focus on the following issue areas, and they are shaped by efforts of volunteers like you!

Housing Rights & Justice

HRCA is an active member of the Pittsburgh Housing Justice Table, a coalition of allied local organizations and independent advocates who believe that housing is a human right and that everyone should have access to the housing they need. Our Housing Rights Working Group supports the work of the Housing Justice Table through related events, education and advocacy efforts.

Through community engagement and conversations with Housing Justice Table coalition partners, HRCA developed A Human Rights-based Housing Strategy and Action Plan for Pittsburgh, PA which serves as a guiding document for our housing advocacy. We want our goals and strategy to reflect the needs and perspectives of our community, which is why we invite residents to review the document and share input with us so that we can strengthen it. Send your comments to hrca@theglobalswitchboard.org or join us for our next working group meeting!

You can learn more about the history behind our research and strategy conversations by reviewing our resource page, Building Pittsburgh's Human Rights Housing Strategy

Relevant Events & Actions

Racial Equity & Justice

HRCA is active as part of a broad coalition of community members and organizations committed to ending and redressing long-standing racial inequalities, inequities, and discrimination in the Pittsburgh region and beyond, recognizing that Freedom from Racial Discrimination is a Right, Not a Privilege.

This work includes raising awareness of the U.S. government's legal obligation to address racial discrimination under international law. For example, the U.S. ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in 1994 and has thus legally agreed to comply with and implement its requirements.

Recent events & actions:

Creating a Human Rights City

In 2011, the City of Pittsburgh issued a Proclamation declaring Pittsburgh the 5th Human Rights City in the U.S.. While this represents a step in the right direction, much work remains to strengthen and actually realize the City's commitment and to create a City in which everyone can thrive. We’re drawing from examples in other cities such as Atlanta to bring stronger human rights commitments along with processes for monitoring and setting targets for advancing equity and protecting the rights of all residents.

Relevant Documents

Human Rights Education & Outreach

A key focus of HRCA is raising awareness among civil society and elected officials of the international human rights framework, and how we can (and should) use this framework to advocate for, monitor, and uphold "people-centered human rights" at home. This work includes building a movement of human rights enforcers and educating elected and government officials about their obligations under international human rights laws.

Relevant Documents

Resources

Link to more resources--toolkits, reports, and organizations supporting local human rights work

Annual Reports

Archive




Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. --Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

All Pages