Published Blogs

The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar's Rakhine State. Despite centuries of presence in the region, Myanmar's government has long denied them citizenship, rendering them stateless under the country's 1982 Citizenship Law, which excludes them from the list of recognized ethnic groups...Read More

Women are not accidental victims in mass atrocity crimes. They are deliberately targeted through strategic and systematic violence. Gendered harm is a consistent component of conflict. It is often overlooked but is key to understanding power, justice, and long-term trauma... Read More 

In a wide-ranging speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September, President Trump touched on many of his frequently referenced concerns; domestic political rivals, border crossing numbers, the Nobel Peace Prize, the Israel-Gaza war, and the ever-present proclamation of the “American Golden Age” all made an appearance in the nearly hour-long speech...Read More

This week, the Human Rights Program (HRP) is hosting a free banned book give away event in honor of Banned Books Week. Stop by 232 Social Sciences to pick up a free banned or challenged book. But, why is it important for programs like the HRP to host events where students can get easy access to some books banned all over the nation? I’ll tell you why: censorship kills free speech...Read More 

What happens when a country built on the promise of freedom for all decides whose freedom really counts? In a world where bodily autonomy should be a basic human right, we currently live in a country that says otherwise... Read More

France is known for its values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. These ideas are written into its constitution and repeated worldwide as a model for democracy. But when it comes to Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab, these promises are not being kept... Read More

It was a crisp March evening. My best friend and I were enjoying gelato on a corner of San Francisco’s Little Italy when a kind stranger joined us. We traded life stories and music, when suddenly his tone shifted. His expression mirrored that of someone who was grieving. I suppose, in a way, he was... Read More 

Throughout history, starvation has been deliberately used as a weapon of war. From the Siege of Carthage during the Punic Wars to the German Siege of Leningrad, nations and their leaders have routinely exploited food as a tool to impose their will. The story is no different today as we witness Israel's continued blockade and starvation of the Gaza population... Read More

Many people may disagree, but I want to believe that beauty can come from tragedy. Rather, I have to believe that beauty can come from tragedy. For the only reason I was born is the same reason why over 100,000 people died in Iraq—Saddam Hussein being in power... Read More

Over a million Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China have lived under inhumane conditions, with credible evidence of genocide. In 2018, Human Rights Watch published a report documenting mass human rights violations against the Uyghurs, including religious restrictions on Islam, mass surveillance, and restrictions on personal freedom... Read More