News

2022 Human Rights Awards Coverage

By Kaiila McEntee, Program Assistant

On the evening of December 9th, UNA-NCA held our annual Human Rights Awards Ceremony. We were incredibly proud to honor four inspiring individuals, all committed to advancing and fighting for Human Rights.

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Title: Advocacy & Digital Outreach Coordinator

Department: Advocacy

Part time position: 20-25 hours per week

Position Overview:
The Advocacy & Digital Outreach (ADO) Coordinator leads the development, execution, and evaluation of UNA-NCA’s advocacy work, and partners closely with member agencies and in numerous strategic collaborations to influence legislative and budget outcomes that strengthen the US relationship with the United Nations. This position serves as a liaison and overseer of the work of partners, including UNA-USA and the Better World Campaign of the UN Foundation, among others to ensure that priority positions and targeted local, state, and national advocacy outcomes are effectively achieved. The ADO Coordinator collaborates and coordinates across UNA-NCA departments to ensure advocacy priorities align with UNA-NCA’s strategic vision and the needs of its membership.

The role works closely with the UNA-NCA President, the Vice Chair of Advocacy, the Advocacy Committee Co-Chairs, and the communications team to ensure the strategic focus of UNA-NCA continues to address the needs and priorities of the National Capital Area.

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UNA-NCA to Grant  F. Allen “Tex” Harris Human Rights Diplomacy Award to Counselor for Economic Affairs,  Embassy of the United States of America, 
Rome, Italy

 By A. Edward Elmendorf, Past President, UNA-NCA

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By Jason Mack, Counselor for Economic Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America, Rome, Italy

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UNA-NCA to Grant Perdita Huston Human Rights Award to Human Rights Activist and Founder of Kakenya's Dream

By Catey Vera, UNA-NCA Human Rights Committee Chair

I had the honor of sitting down last month to speak to human rights champion Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya, founder and president of “Kakenya’s Dream,” a non-profit dedicated to educating girls in Kenya and ending harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation. We discussed her incredible story, her journey to human rights advocacy, and her hopes for the future.

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UNA-NCA to Grant Emerging Human Rights Leader Award to Zimbabwean Scholar and Human Rights Activist

By A. Edward Elmendorf, Past President, UNA-NCA

At its annual celebration of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 9, UNA-NCA will honor Dr. Kelebogile Zvobgo as an Emerging Human Rights Leader. Her distinguished record of scholarship, media appearances, and advocacy make clear that Dr. Zvobgo is more than an emerging human rights leader: She is one already! Her name tells us a lot in the languages of Southern Africa: Kelebogile means “I am grateful'' in the Setswana language, and Zvobgo means “That which has always been” in the Shona language.

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Louis B. Sohn Human Rights Award Honoree

By Catey Vera, UNA-NCA Human Rights Committee Co-Chair

I had the honor of sitting down last month with Yale Law’s Sterling Professor of International Law, Professor Harold Hongju Koh, to discuss his family, his journey to human rights advocacy, and his advice for the next generation of activists.

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By Olivia Hille, UNA-NCA Graduate Fellows Program Assistant

On Wednesday, October 26th, Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, hosted UNA-NCA and Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, to discuss global solutions, global goals of peace, and Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SGD #16).

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By Ian Sloan, UNA-NCA Human Rights Committee Member

On October 20th, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., UNA-NCA’s Human Rights Committee hosted a celebration of Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s 138th birthday. This year’s celebration included a warm welcome from UNA-NCA’s Board Chair Jill Christianson, heartwarming speeches from Eleanor through uncovered footage and a recorded speech by Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, and breakout room interactions throughout the night. In the third consecutive year of the celebration being virtual, the Human Rights Committee highlighted the Former First Lady’s impact on human rights protection and advocacy efforts.

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By Abby Garmon, UNA-NCA Program Assistant

On Tuesday, October 11th, UNA-NCA welcomed panelists Oksana Horbunova and Gayatri Patel to discuss the humanitarian impacts of the War in Ukraine, specifically the impact on refugees and migrants. Paula Boland, President of UNA-NCA, began the discussion with a brief welcome to the panelists and audience members. She then introduced the event’s moderator, human rights attorney, Amanda Molina. In Ms. Molina’s brief description of the two panelists, she highlighted the achievements and contributions each has made to the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. In the discussion that followed, Oksana Horbunova, a Ukrainian anti-trafficking activist, and Gayatri Patel, Vice President of Advocacy and External Relations at the Women’s Refugee Commission and Vice Chair of Advocacy at UNA-NCA, each provided important insight into the Ukrainian War, discussing themes of international cooperation, gender, and economics.

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