PBenenson BioSketch

PBenenson graduated with a BA in Social Justice & Human Rights in 1993. During his undergraduate studies, PBenenson volunteered for several leading human rights organizations and interned with an international leader in social justice. Upon graduation PBenenson joined the Peace Corps, working in Peru and Argentina for 27 months. 

Completing his Peace Corps service in 1995, he moved to France to continue his education with a LLM in International Human Rights Law. From 1995 to 2002, PBenenson worked for a major international human rights organization. Here he conducted development and program missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Congo, with particular emphasis on refugees and women’s rights. PBenenson returned to the United States in 2003 to launch his own human rights organization. 

PBenenson’s organization advocates for democracy and human rights around the world. He supports nonviolent civic initiatives in societies where freedom is denied or under threat. He works directly with democracy and human rights advocates in their own countries and regions. These activists include human rights protectors, civil society leaders and members of the media. 

PBenenson’s nonprofit advocacy group is dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. He stands with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. PBenenson's vision is a world where all local governments and citizens successfully encourage and defend the human rights of all and where everyone defending human rights enjoys protection of their rights.

As of 2008, his organization has offices located in the USA, France, England, Thailand and Lebanon.

Current campaigns for PBenenson’s organization include eradicating gender-based violence, strengthening support for the ‘Arab Spring’ and international human rights for gay and lesbians. 

PBenenson has written extensively on a variety of human rights abuses, dedicating special attention to matters of international justice, counterterrorism, and the work of the United Nations. He has documented human rights and laws-of-war violations in places such as Cambodia, Bosnia, Iraq, Kosovo, Bhutan, Liberia, Sudan, and most recently Egypt, Syria and Burma.

Growing Human Rights Issues In Iraq

It is safe to assume that most of us are aware of the human rights violations occurring in Iraq; from the repressive regime of Saddam Hussein to the aftermath of the war, Iraq has produced quite a large sum of refugees and people forced to flee their homes (The International Rescue Committee estimates a staggering 4.7 million people have left their homes since the 2003 invasion). Most of these individuals are residing in bordering countries in the region such as Jordon.

Human rights violations have been increasing, from persecution of religious minorities, to continual disappearances and illegal detentions. Although most, if not all, Iraqis are at risk, the minority groups are increasingly vulnerable to violent attacks and maltreatment. Amnesty International estimates there are as many as 30,000 Iraqis being held in prison without a charge or a trial. Many are tortured, denied access to doctors or help in unsanitary conditions. Even human rights workers and journalists have been victims of harassment, imprisonment or killed.
To learn more about the human rights violations going on in Iraq, check out these articles:

• Iraq: Widening Crackdown on Protests
• Iraq: Security Forces Raid Press Freedom Group
• Human rights in Iraq remain fragile amid armed violence, torture and impunity

Myanmar Dog & Pony Show

There has been plenty of news lately about Myanmar (or Burma) is showing signs of reform and change with regards to their record on human rights violations and civil conflicts. While this might be the show being put on for international media, the country has still not stopped its nonstop abuses relating to long-running civil conflicts in ethnic areas, as well as a military of torture, rape and forced labor(check out this article for more information).

Working closely with a few Burmese refugees, they have shared their disbelief and distrust of the government and their message of change. It’s basically a pay no attention to the man behind the curtain situation. We want to believe that the Myanmar government wants to change their ways, and not pay attention to the atrocities that are still occurring. For more information, head over to the Human Rights Watch page on Burma.

First Post!

This blog is an effort to shed some light on global human rights issues. It’s a topic I am passionate about, and want everyone else that reads this blog to start feeling the same way.

Since I am currently doing work with refugees, I thought I would make my first post about who exactly a ‘refugee’ is and the process that goes into determining this and their journey to our country.

A refugee is a person that is outside of his/her own country and is either unable or unwilling to return due to persecution or a fear of being persecuted.

There are currently 5 types of persecution that the U.S. recognizes when determining refugee eligibility:
1.     Race
2.     Religion
3.     Nationality
4.     Social Group
5.     Political Opinion

The U.S. will decide who to allow into the country through a priority system and allocation. The U.S. has divided the world into 5 regions on how many refugees may be accepted per year (based on 2010):

• Europe & Central Asia = 2,000 (former Soviet Union)
• Latin America & Caribbean = 5,500 (Cuba)
• East Asia = 19,000 (Burma – Chin, Koren, Karenni)
• Africa = 15,000 (Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan)
• Near East & South Asia = 35,000 (Bhutan, Iraq, Iran)

So how does the government decide who gets priority? They currently use a 3 tier priority system:

• Individual Referrals
• Compelling issues/need to require a 3rd country resettlement
• Referral from UNHCR, US Embassy or NGO working overseas

• Group Referrals
• Groups of special interest to the United States
• Jewish minorities from former Soviet Union, Lost Boys of Sudan and the Somali Bantu are examples

• Family Reunification
• Parents, spouses and unmarried children under 21
• It is important to note this has currently been suspended since 2008 but will be re-instituted.

According to UNHCR’s annual “Global Trends” report, the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide has reached 43.7 million people, the highest number in 15 years.
The UNHCR says that “by the end of 2010, three quarters of the world’s refugees were residing in a country neighboring their own”.

Currently only 1% of refugees world-wide are granted resettlement; the U.S. welcomes more than 50% of those resettled.