The Freedom Project Middle School E-Zine

Organizations and resources
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In order to understand why there is slavery today and to effectively abolish it, we must be informed about the causes of enslavement.  Poverty, lack of access to education, governments that fail to enforce the international laws, changing economic dependencies, depletion of environmental resources, and many, many other issues combine to allow the enslavement of vulnerable people worldwide.
 
As our mission is to inform and inspire others, we encourage you to investigate the following resources and organizations.  Also, please inform us of any we have not included.

The Amazing Change  Resources, information, and events in modern abolition with emphasis on young people becoming involved in service learning projects.  This organization provides motivation and resources for creating action groups, attending events, and avenues for pursuing further involvement in ending slavery.

Casa Alianza (Espaňol) Casa Alianza es una asociación no lucrativa que trabaja en beneficio de la niñez desamparada y en riesgo social las 24 horas del día, 365 días al año.  Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua.  In English:  non profit organization that works to benefit homeless children and kids in social risk 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

Central Asia Institute Promotes and provides community-based education and literacy, especially for girls, in remote mountains of Central Asia.  Schools looking for specific activities aimed at raising awareness about their ability to take a role in global scale change should see the Pennies for Peace project.

Changemakers This website is both a resource and network for creating innovative projects that promote positive change in society.  

Child Labor Coalition  This website targets child labor as a leading violation of human rights and provides information and more networking resources for research.

Free the Children Founded by 12 year old Kielburger 10+ years ago, this organization is the largest network of children helping children around the world to end slavery and conditions that lead to slavery.  Kielburger has received three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.  Students can find a variety of resources for creating action groups, events, and various ways to contribute to abolition movements.

Free the Slaves A D.C. based organization that provides information and access to other organizations such as the ones listed here, in order to educate and motivate local and international communities to end slavery worldwide.  Includes pictures and slave stories.

Global Campaign for Education  Network of educators and non-government organizations that provides information about obstacles to education, with emphasis on the campaign to provide equal access to education for children in developing nations (especially girls and children in poverty).

Global Movement for the Child  Network of organizations and individuals that promote awareness and involvement in taking action to support child rights.  Affiliation:  World Fit for Children Campaign to empower young people around the world to influence policy makers in their governments.

Human Rights Watch

  • Access to education
  • Child slavery
  • Investigation:  why hasn’t the US ratified this, what does it take, what has occurred?

Campaign for US Ratification of The Rights of the Child 
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Hearing on U.S. Ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
 

iEARN Part of your project can be outreach to students in other countries.  Provide print outs of emails or discussions you have about this topic!  For ideas:

·         Against Scholar Failure 

·         Breaking the Silence:  The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Project

·         Child Labour Project

 

International Fair Trade Association  Look here for resources on this year’s World Fair Trade Day (May 12) theme:  Kids Need Fair Trade.  Make this part of your message!  Plan an event!

International Justice Mission (Free membership) A human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression.

 

International Labour Organization is a United Nations specialized agency which seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights.

 

Listen Up!  Want to create a video for your project?  Want others across the US to see it?  Check out Adobe Youth Voices Initiative at

Network for Peace Through Dialogue, Crossing Boundaries:  Youth in Dialogue about the Rights of the Child  This is the Youth Component of the Network ’s Communities in Dialogue Program. It links youth groups across cities, nations and continents so that they can learn ways of empowering themselves to promote the rights of children.

Protection Project  The goal of the Protection Project is to research and document the global scope of the problem of trafficking in persons and, through the dissemination of relevant and timely information, to influence policy and practice in the war against trafficking.

Responsible Shopper “Co-O p America”  “Watchdog” organization that monitors major businesses and work place conditions around the world.  This organization issues warnings about familiar brand name manufacturers that are known to purchase goods from sweatshops or other slave labor conditions (such as J. Crew).   Kids can also use “Don’t Buy It!” from PGS.org at to learn more about how media and commercials influence pop culture.  Also see Transfair USA (below) for listings of retailers certified as "fair traders."

Rugmark Foundation  Organization to end child labor in the carpet factories of South Asia.

TransfairUSA The only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the US (one of 20 International organizations).  Certifies and lists retailers that sell Fair Trade food items:  click here here a listing. 

United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Part of the United Nations, UNICEF investigates conditions in countries that violate basic rights of women and children.  This web link provides resources and facts about education issues in developing countries.

 

Please notify us of any new sites or other resources we have not included here.  Our goal is to provide a comprehensive list of informative and useful resources.

Abolition Today is based at and maintained by Glasgow Middle School, Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia.  For questions, comments or suggestions, please contact our Webmaster!