How Gitanjali Rao connects science with human rights
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TIME Magazine's first ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao, uses technology to create social change— from detecting lead in water to diagnosing opioid addiction and cyberbullying.
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Forensic Science: Uncovering Truths in Human Rights Investigations
Forensic science has become an invaluable tool in the pursuit of justice, particularly in the context of human rights violations. One significant application is in the investigation of mass graves, where forensic experts can identify victims and gather evidence of crimes against humanity. For instance, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) has been instrumental in uncovering the truth about individuals who disappeared during the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983). By meticulously exhuming mass graves and analyzing the remains, they have helped identify victims, providing closure to families and evidence for legal proceedings. This approach has been replicated in other countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, where forensic science played a crucial role in the aftermath of the genocide.
Environmental Science: Tracking and Preventing Human Rights Abuses
Environmental science plays a significant role in detecting and preventing human rights abuses linked to environmental degradation and climate change. By monitoring environmental changes, scientists can identify communities at risk and the potential human rights implications. A notable example is the work of scientists in monitoring the effects of toxic waste dumping in developing countries. In Ivory Coast, for example, environmental scientists could trace and document the adverse health effects caused by a multinational corporation's illegal dumping of toxic waste. This evidence supported legal actions and policy changes to protect local communities' rights to a safe and healthy environment. Similarly, climate scientists are increasingly highlighting the human rights implications of climate change, advocating for policies protecting vulnerable populations from extreme weather, food scarcity, and forced migration.
Digital Technology: Enhancing Surveillance for Human Rights Protection
The advent of digital technology, especially in surveillance and data analysis, has opened new frontiers in human rights protection. Digital tools are increasingly used to monitor human rights abuses in real time and gather data that can be used for advocacy and legal action. An example of this is the use of satellite imagery and remote sensing to document war crimes and environmental destruction in conflict zones. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have utilized satellite images to provide evidence of atrocities in Syria and Myanmar, among others. Additionally, AI and machine learning are being harnessed to analyze large datasets for patterns of human rights abuses. By leveraging digital technology, human rights organizations can efficiently monitor and respond to violations on a global scale, making it a critical tool in the fight for human rights.
Forensic science has become an invaluable tool in the pursuit of justice, particularly in the context of human rights violations. One significant application is in the investigation of mass graves, where forensic experts can identify victims and gather evidence of crimes against humanity. For instance, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) has been instrumental in uncovering the truth about individuals who disappeared during the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983). By meticulously exhuming mass graves and analyzing the remains, they have helped identify victims, providing closure to families and evidence for legal proceedings. This approach has been replicated in other countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, where forensic science played a crucial role in the aftermath of the genocide.
Environmental Science: Tracking and Preventing Human Rights Abuses
Environmental science plays a significant role in detecting and preventing human rights abuses linked to environmental degradation and climate change. By monitoring environmental changes, scientists can identify communities at risk and the potential human rights implications. A notable example is the work of scientists in monitoring the effects of toxic waste dumping in developing countries. In Ivory Coast, for example, environmental scientists could trace and document the adverse health effects caused by a multinational corporation's illegal dumping of toxic waste. This evidence supported legal actions and policy changes to protect local communities' rights to a safe and healthy environment. Similarly, climate scientists are increasingly highlighting the human rights implications of climate change, advocating for policies protecting vulnerable populations from extreme weather, food scarcity, and forced migration.
Digital Technology: Enhancing Surveillance for Human Rights Protection
The advent of digital technology, especially in surveillance and data analysis, has opened new frontiers in human rights protection. Digital tools are increasingly used to monitor human rights abuses in real time and gather data that can be used for advocacy and legal action. An example of this is the use of satellite imagery and remote sensing to document war crimes and environmental destruction in conflict zones. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have utilized satellite images to provide evidence of atrocities in Syria and Myanmar, among others. Additionally, AI and machine learning are being harnessed to analyze large datasets for patterns of human rights abuses. By leveraging digital technology, human rights organizations can efficiently monitor and respond to violations on a global scale, making it a critical tool in the fight for human rights.
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About Universal Human Rights
In 1948 the United Nations issued a Universal Declaration of Human Rights that laid out a common standard of fundamental rights to be universally protected. But how much do you know about the rights and freedoms everyone, everywhere - including you - is entitled to? Explore this page to learn more about the history, philosophy and practice of ensuring universal human rights, brought to you in partnership with the Open Society Foundations.
Meet The Creators
- Video created by UN Human Rights
- Lesson Plan created by Cheney Munson
