AYF-WUS Issues Call for Research Papers, Revitalizes UHRC

 

GLENDALE, Calif.—The United Human Rights Council (UHRC) of the Armenian Youth Federation–Western United States (AYF-WUS) has issued a call for papers to all students, researchers, and academic professionals for publishing research related to human rights, genocide, and other crimes against humanity.

The UHRC, which focuses on exposing and correcting human rights violations around the world, is looking for a wide variety of research papers to be published on the UHRC website, www.unitedhumanrights.org. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, human rights violations, human rights champions, current political developments in the Caucasus and Middle East, international policies, and genocides throughout history.

Once approved by the UHRC, submitted papers will be posted on its official website. The site boasts more than 500,000 page views annually and serves as a resource for anyone looking to learn more about topics related to human rights and genocide issues worldwide.

“The scope of human rights has been broadened enormously over the last half century, and the UHRC is using a participatory approach to include research topics submitted by members of the community to tackle new themes and issues, reconceptualize existing norms and concepts, and increase collaboration across disciplines, organizations, and issues,” explained Verginie Touloumian, co-chair of the UHRC.

This call for papers is part of a larger initiative by the AYF to revitalize and rebrand the UHRC and its website. Through community events, multimedia resources, and multi-faceted campaigns, the UHRC is actively shedding light on human rights issues faced by various communities, and tying them in with the Armenian Cause. Soliciting papers from the public further encourages exploration and academic dialogue, and allows for the showcasing of a wider variety of topics on the UHRC website.

“This year, the AYF-WUS has revitalized UHRC, the organization’s intersectional human rights arm,” said Mikael Matossian, co-chair of the UHRC. “With so many human rights issues and crimes that both directly and indirectly affect Armenian Americans currently present, we set out at the beginning of the year to make a conscious effort to engage in coalition-building and show that the AYF-WUS stands with all oppressed peoples.”

“The re-branded, streamlined website and its call for papers is one tactic to accomplish this goal. The new website will include a broader variety of human rights educational material through the call for papers, as well as more infographics and other multimedia,” added Matossian. “We will also be developing a human rights ‘resource toolbox’ for activists to easily access information on how to initiate campaigns and become human rights advocates themselves.”

Papers, along with their citations, should be e-mailed to info@unitedhumanrights.org. Current students must seek permission from their professors before sending in any classwork to the UHRC, but research from alumni is also welcomed. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis.

In recent months, the revitalized AYF UHRC has organized “Haytoug Talks,” featuring speakers such as Armenian-Turkish activist Sayat Tekir; a joint protest with a Kurdish rights organization at the Turkish Consulate for slain Kurdish lawyer Tahir Elçi and Armenian journalist Hrant Dink; and a film screening about the life of Armenian lawyer Charles Garry, who represented revolutionary groups such as the Black Panthers. The committee is in the process of developing multifaceted campaigns to creative positive change around issues facing both Armenian and non-Armenian communities relating to gender, sexuality, race, and other aspects of identity.

The United Human Rights Council is a committee of the Armenian Youth Federation. By means of action on a grassroots level, the UHRC works toward exposing and correcting human rights violations of governments worldwide, and aims to foster dialogue and collaboration between peoples who share this common vision.

Source: Armenian Weekly Mid-West