Archive for category: Human Rights

Information and stories about human rights.

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Nine Facts About Human Rights in Jordan

Human Rights in Jordan
Jordan may be experiencing a new era of political change. The nation is one where freedoms are very limited. However, the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has opened pathways to human rights reform in Jordan. Below are nine facts about human rights in Jordan.

 

Facts about Human Rights in Jordan

 

  1. Freedom of speech is limited in Jordan, especially when it comes to criticism of authority. Journalists, academics and artists can be imprisoned for “defamation” of the king, the government, Islam and foreign nations. A proposed reform issued to the Jordanian Parliament in 2015 would offer alternative punishments, such as community service if implemented.
  2. Jordan recently loosened restrictions on public assembly through the 2011 Public Gatherings Law. This law allows for public demonstrations to be held without prior approval from the government.
  3. Women possess an equal right to participate in government, and 20 of Jordan’s 130 government representatives are women. Despite this, women in Jordan lack many of the civil liberties available to men. Marriages between Muslim women and non-Muslim men are unrecognized by Jordan’s government. Jordan’s nationality laws restrict women from passing their nationality down to their children and non-Jordanian spouses.
  4. Additionally, Jordan has one of the largest gender gaps in the world, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). Jordan ranks at 134 of the 144 countries studied by the WEF. Though both men and women are comparatively well-educated in the region, women face several economic barriers that men do not. Women are given paid maternity leave and child care when entering the workforce but lack anti-discrimination protections, which encourages private businesses to hire men instead of women to avoid the cost. Many women also lack the right to inherit the wealth of their parents.
  5. Jordan also has a poor record of crimes against women. The law allows for perpetrators of “honor crimes” to be given reduced sentences. There are also penal code loopholes that allow rapists to escape prosecution if they have been married to their victim for three years. Recently, King Abdullah II endorsed a motion that would abolish these loopholes and it is expected to be ratified by Parliament.
  6. Jordan has been a leader in the Middle East for implementing regulations that protect migrant workers from forced labor and human trafficking. However, Jordanian law is set up in a way that still allows these abuses to happen. Migrant workers have limited freedom of movement and must get permission from an employer before leaving their houses; 50,000 migrant workers in Jordan are confined to their houses day and night. Employers are rarely prosecuted for violating migrant labor laws and Jordan lacks shelters for workers escaping abuse.
  7. According to the Human Rights Watch, local governors detained over 19,000 people without trial in 2015. Many of these people were imprisoned for a year or longer.
  8. Jordan has taken in over 650,000 Syrian refugees. Approximately 20 percent of them are living in refugee camps. The refugee crisis has put significant strain on Jordan’s public infrastructure. By November of 2016, Jordan received just 57% of the funding the country required from the international community to cope with the influx of refugees.
  9. In March 2016, King Abdullah II released a 10-year plan to improve human rights in Jordan. The plan was developed with input from NGOs and aims to allow suspects a right to a lawyer, restrict the scope of the death penalty, hold public trials to keep police accountable for brutality and torture, strengthen freedoms of speech and assembly, pursue equal rights among workers, provide legal protections for the disabled and provide equal rights and opportunities for women. We have yet to see if the Jordanian government will fully commit to these reforms.

Though human rights in Jordan may appear to be improving, there is still a long way to go. Continued support of NGOs is essential to continue the development of human rights in Jordan.

– Carson Hughes

Photo: Flickr

The Current Issue of Human Rights in Vietnam

Human Rights in Vietnam
Lack of human rights in Vietnam remains a major issue. Citizens proceed to fight for their oppressed freedoms of speech and assembly, while harsh police brutality and imprisonment for activists and bloggers continues.

Authorities within The Communist Party of Vietnam continue to restrict basic rights, as bloggers and activists face frequent physical assaults and trial charges. According to the Human Rights Watch, during 2016, at least 34 people reported that unknown assailants beat them. Nguyen Chi Tuyen, a 43-year-old dissident blogger from Hanoi, wasn’t able to identify his attackers. However, he stated with complete certainty, “We know they were organized by the [country’s] security forces.”

The number of bloggers and activists convicted and sentenced to prison has risen from 7 to at least 19 within the past year. Consequently, it is clear that many human rights in Vietnam, such as freedom of speech and assembly, have been seized by the government.

Many of the bloggers on trial were accused of “abusing rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.” The judge who ordered their conviction also stated that their articles “present a one-sided and pessimistic view, causing anxiety and worry, and affecting people’s confidence [in the Communist Party].”

Despite the government’s accusations during these trials, many citizens argue that they have a hidden agenda working to withhold human rights in Vietnam. Governmental restrictions on freedom of movement are often used to keep bloggers and activists from attending public events, such as protests or human rights discussions.

Prominent rights campaigner Nguyen Quang A and blogger Pham Doan Trang were strategically detained by the government to prevent them from attending a private meeting with President Barack Obama during his visit to Vietnam. In reference to Nguyen Quang A, the Human Rights Watch reports that “between late March and early August 2016, police detained him six times to prevent him from meeting with foreign diplomats and delegations including Germany, the United States, the European Union and Australia.”

Commenting on the lack of U.N. assistance, Nguyen Anh Tuan, a 27-year-old Hanoi activist, stated, “I would say that the U.N. in Vietnam is very active when it comes to the less sensitive issues, for example, HIV prevention, but when it comes to political rights, for example, freedom of expressions, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, they are less active.”

As forceful government intervention continues to keep citizens from their basic human rights in Vietnam, it is important that their struggle for justice does not go unnoticed and more drastic interference is taken on the part of the United Nations.

– Kendra Richardson

Photo: Flickr

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Human Rights in Somalia: A Fight for Rebirth

Since being thrown into anarchy following the coup against President Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia’s political terrain has seen slow and stagnated progress. Dubbed the Horn of Africa, Somalia has been attempting to rebuild itself after more than two decades of political instability and violent infighting. Human rights in Somalia are in need of vast improvements.

The country’s efforts have been widely disrupted by insurgent uprisings and terrorist groups, which have flourished in an environment of reduced economic security and weak state control. Egregious violations of human rights in Somalia have occurred from the violent uprisings as well as the inability to access adequate food, water and shelter.

In March 2017, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo declared Somalia’s drought a national disaster. With an estimated 43% of Somalians living below the poverty line, the dire situation has only been exacerbated by poor climate conditions. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) predicted that the drought had put further strain on the 6.5 million Somalis who already face resource insecurity due to years of violent conflict.

In the dry and sparse terrain of the most rural parts of Somalia, many young girls and women alike have been targets of gender-based violence as they are forced to venture further out in search of sources of food and water. UNICEF officials fear that the scope of the issue is even larger than is known, as not all cases have been reported. With gender and human rights in Somalia at continued risk, there have been fervent calls for further international engagement with the issue.

The U.S. has been quick to respond to the emergence of insurgent groups and al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. Experts have called for a multifaceted approach towards eradicating poverty and improving the record of human rights in Somalia. The Human Rights Watch amongst others has articulated that military intervention in the form of drone strikes can only be a part of a much more robust strategy, especially one that does not put innocent civilians at such high risk.

On an international level, 2017 saw the U.N. Migration Agency launch a project, assisted by one million dollars in donations by China, to have emergency relief resources reach Somalia’s most vulnerable. On a domestic level, the 9th Parliament served its full-term after two decades, with the election in 2016 resulting in 17% youth and 26% women MPs, which marked a significant step forward for Somalia.

Although there is much left to be done, with an internationally sponsored government intact and multi-faceted relief projects on their way, there appears to be more hope for stability than there has been in decades for human rights in Somalia.

– Sydney Nam

Photo: Flickr

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Factors Contributing to Morocco’s Poor Human Rights Record

Morocco's Poor Human Rights Record
Morocco is a north African country situated on the Atlantic coastline of the African continent. The country is governed by a constitutional monarchy headed by King Mohammed VI. Although the government features an elected legislature and other democratic institutions, Morocco’s poor human rights record indicates that the country is still far from egalitarian.

Morocco’s government possesses many authoritarian aspects that favor the monarch, often at the expense of the population. According to the Moroccan constitution, the King can dissolve parliament, dismiss government officials, demand elections and unilaterally create laws at his whim.

Even though the King’s broad executive power gets shared with the prime minister, the King has the authority to choose the prime minister in the first place. Unsurprisingly, the King’s executive dominance and de facto legislative ability leave civil rights and civil liberties in Morocco vulnerable at all times.

Not only is the Moroccan government structurally ill-equipped to defend human rights, but the government also suffers from procedural failure.

The right to due process gets often violated in Morocco, with numerous reports of mistreatment, failure to abide by the rule of law, and even torture on the part of Moroccan authorities. Prisoners and people in pretrial detention are subject to abuse and inhumane conditions. Also, the Moroccan judiciary often denies the accused of their right to a fair trial.

Aside from Morocco’s inhumane justice system, the people of Morocco face oppressive legislation and blatantly authoritarian policies. The rights to free speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press are strictly limited in Morocco. Under Moroccan law, the people are forbidden from criticizing or demonstrating against the monarchy, Islam, the state’s official religion, all due to fear of imprisonment.

Additionally, women in Morocco do not possess equal rights. According to the 2004 Family Code, women do possess neither the same rights of family inheritance nor divorce as men. Although the legal age of marriage has been raised to 18, Moroccan authorities continue to permit marriage to underage girls.

Morocco’s government also victimizes the LGBT community. In Morocco, same-sex intimate relations are considered illegal, and many queer couples face jail time as a result.

Despite Morocco’s poor human rights record under King Mohammed VI’s government, the state of human rights in the country is better than in previous reigns. During the infamous “Years of Lead” period in the late 20th century, politically motivated killings and unaccounted disappearances were rampant.

There were no documented instances of such violence in 2016, according to the State Department’s annual report. Also, the government has ended the practice of trying civilians in military courts. Similarly progressive, Morocco has become more accepting of refugees and migrants and plans on revamping their current asylum policy.

Overall, Morocco’s poor human rights record harms the legitimacy of Morocco’s government and the quality of life of its people. On a more positive note, the country is slowly making progress in correcting these shortcomings and transforming Morocco into a more just and free nation.

– Isidro Rafael Santa Maria

Photo: Pixabay

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On Human Rights in Myanmar

Human Rights in Myanmar
Following recent elections, human rights abuses in Myanmar continue. The new government, which took power in March 2016, has not limited military authority. The 2008 constitution gives the military extensive power within the government with no civilian oversight. This means that human rights in Myanmar are abused for political prisoners and ethnic minorities.

The military government suppressed opposing views and placed thousands of people in jail. People who have dissenting views are harassed, arrested without cause, tortured, imprisoned and sometimes executed. The current number of political prisoners is unknown because there is no clear method to account for them. Political prisoners face inhumane conditions, often without sufficient food or basic sanitation. Prisoners do not receive medical treatment, so many have lasting injuries from initial acts of violence in the prison.

People who speak out about human rights violations are often arrested and detained. This makes it very difficult for people to monitor and document the abuses in the country.

Ethnic minorities face the most significant threats to their human rights in Myanmar. Areas of the country with large populations of ethnic minorities lack educational, health and social services. The military has killed, tortured and sexually assaulted ethnic minorities. The areas where ethnic minorities live have been shelled and vandalized.

Soldiers rape ethnic women regularly as part of a military strategy. They do not face any prosecution for these widespread crimes. The government denies these reports and soldiers are not prosecuted for these crimes. There is no system for women to report sexual assault in the country. Displaced women are most vulnerable to assault and abductions.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, are currently facing human rights abuses. There are around 1.2 million ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. After outbreaks of violence, media and humanitarian aid groups were not allowed to enter the northern Rakhine State. There have been reports of murder, torture, sexual violence and arrests. Satellite imagery showed 430 buildings destroyed by fire. It is believed that 30,000 Muslims are displaced from their villages. The government did not investigate these offenses and did not seek U.N. assistance.

The Rohingya do not have citizenship in Myanmar. This fact limits both their access to healthcare and education and their movements in the country.

In March 2017, the U.N. agreed to investigate human rights in Myanmar and the attacks against the Rohingya. Hopefully, this probe will bring attention to the abuses, justice for the victims and accountability to the government and military.

– Sarah Denning

Photo: Flickr

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Human Rights in Australia

Human Rights in Australia
The story of human rights in Australia belongs, in part, to the English convicts sent there as punishment mostly for petty thievery. However, a larger part of the tale belongs to the country’s indigenous people.

After American independence, the British needed a new place to ship criminals. England chose Australia, and between 1788 and 1868, they sent 165,000 predominantly male convicted thieves to the “land down under.” Those sent during the first 20 years were chained beneath the decks of the ships transporting them for their entire eight-month journey. Of all those sent, one-third died during the voyage. Of those who survived their sentences, very few ever returned to England.

Instead, they settled the land, starting farms and businesses that employed later convicts. But they were not the first of the continent’s inhabitants. The Aboriginal Australians, as the British called them, lived in Australia for 60,000 years before British annexation. The British did not accept any prior claims to the land.

Here is an abbreviated timeline of human rights in Australia as they impact indigenous people:

  • 1804: Tasmanian settlers were authorized to shoot indigenous Australians.
  • 1816: The governor of New South Wales extended “white law” to certain indigenous Australians while declaring Martial Law against others.
  • 1838: The government enacted Prohibition laws against indigenous people. They weren’t overturned until 1963.
  • 1843: The governor of New South Wales’ proposal that courts allow indigenous Australians’ evidence fails. The first use of such evidence did not occur until 1876.
  • 1869: The governor was allowed to order the removal of indigenous children to reform or industrial schools and to apprentice them at age 13.
  • 1886: The Half-Caste Act passed, extending many of the laws impacting indigenous children to mixed-race children.
  • 1901: The Commonwealth of Australia formed. The Constitution excludes indigenous people from the right to vote or be counted in the census. It was not until 1962 that indigenous Australians were enfranchised. Counting them in the census did not occur until 1967.
  • 1901: The White Australia Policy, a series of laws that prevented non-white immigration, remained in effect until 1972.
  • 1943: The government offered Exemption Certificates to indigenous Australians, colloquially called “dog tags,” which conferred limited citizenship rights to those willing to relinquish personal and cultural history. As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports: “It was a license to live in a white man’s world … But holding a Certificate of Exemption meant effectively renouncing your culture and heritage.”
  • 1910-1907: The government enacted an assimilation policy, which for many “half-castes” included adoption into white families. Generations of indigenous and “half-caste” children were removed from their families and placed under the guardianship of the state.  These children came to be known as “The Stolen Generations.”

A 1967 referendum in which 90% of Australians voted to remove discriminatory clauses in their Constitution was the first step in the reconciliation movement meant to restore human rights in Australia. For the first time, indigenous Australians were counted in the census and given citizenship. Much more needs to be done about high rates of homelessness, incarceration and unemployment among Australia’s indigenous people. However, the government and the population are committed to change.

The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet links to 168 projects and programs related to the culture of indigenous people. Additionally, Caritas Australia works to support self-determination among them. Meanwhile, indigenous-led tourism is being used to promote reconciliation. “For 250 years they’ve been told their culture is worthless,” says John Morse, formerly a manager with Tourism Australia, the government’s tourism division. “All of a sudden people are traveling to see it, and truly understanding it is extraordinarily rich and fascinating.

– Laurie Gold

Photo: Flickr

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Great Stride for Human Rights in Rwanda


Despite the difficulties of the past, including the tragedy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, human rights in Rwanda have gained major positive momentum, with improvements in education, public health, and the economy.

Regarded as the “ultimate turnaround” country by corporate consultants and authors of “Rwanda Inc”, Andrea Redmond and Patricia Crisafulli, the recent successes of the nation have also been praised by Bill Clinton and the World Bank.

Former president of the World Bank Robert Zoellick deemed Rwanda one of the most promising countries in Africa, The World Bank website states, “Rwanda has achieved impressive development progress since the 1994 genocide and civil war. It is now consolidating gains in social development and accelerating growth while ensuring that they are broadly shared to mitigate risks to eroding the country’s hard-won political and social stability.”

Rwanda’s progress serves as an example of the benefits of investing in foreign aid, as the major improvements within the country have been made possible through aid which accounted for 20% of the country’s gross national income in 2011.

In terms of human rights in Rwanda, poverty rates within the country have dropped from 56.7% in 2005 to 39% in 2014. There has also been a significant increase in public health, as infant mortality has plummeted from 120 deaths per 1,000 live births to fewer than 40 currently. In 2012, deaths of under-fives had also fallen to 55 from the 230 per 1,000 live births in 1998.

The major successes in public health are due to the fact that, according to the World Bank, Rwanda has spent 24% of total government expenditure on health and, starting this year, 22% on education.

With a larger percentage of the total national budget focusing on increasing human rights in Rwanda through education, the country now holds the highest elementary school rate within Africa. The female enrollment rate stands at an empowering 98%, with their male counterparts standing close behind at 95%.

Human rights in Rwanda have also continued to develop for the women of the country. Post-genocide, the Rwandan government has placed a focus on prohibiting discrimination of any kind, banning ethnically-based political parties and prioritizing gender equality. While only 22% of parliamentarians worldwide are women, an astonishing 64% in Rwanda are parliamentarians. Women also make up more than 50% of the primary school teachers within the country.

Although Rwanda has seen major loss and civil unrest in the past, the country is moving forward in a dedication towards improving human rights, and, so far, has made tremendous strides.

– Kendra Richardson

Photo: Flickr

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On the Abysmal Violations of Human Rights in Iraq

Human Rights in Iraq
The issue of human rights in Iraq is a continuing problem that needs to be addressed due to the conflict between the people, government and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). While the name ISIS frequents news sources in the United States, particularly in stories of the abuse of civil rights, the Iraqi central government also contributes to the systematic abuse of Iraq’s citizens.

ISIS uses citizens of Iraq as human shields, hurts them with random attacks using weapons, car bombs and suicide attackers, and blows up citizen areas with landmines. The government, which includes departments like Popular Mobilization Forces, loots and destroys homes, and tortures, executes and “disappears” its citizens. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) also implements the use of child soldiers.

Thousands of civilians are in prison without charge and denied legal counsel and access to their families. They are treated poorly at best and subjected to torture at worst. After extremely unfair trials, many receive lengthy prison sentences or death sentences. Most “confessions” are obtained while the civilian is being tortured.

While most violence and terrorism in Iraq is indiscriminate, women and girls have more restricted civil rights than men. They live in constant danger of sexual assault and domestic violence with little to no repercussions for the perpetrators of such acts. Gay men face acts of targeted violence due to sexual orientation as well.

In 2017 so far, no month counted less than 317 deaths (April) or 300 injured (June) in acts of violence and in violation of human rights in Iraq. In June alone, there were 415 killed due to violence, terrorism and armed conflict.

The protection of the innocent civilians and their human rights in Iraq is of the utmost importance, and so is the protection of the International Affairs Budget with regard to United States foreign policy. Iraq is now known as the deadliest country in the world for journalists and one of the deadliest for children. In a country that is labeled the third most prolific executioner, advocation for human rights is sorely needed.

– Ellie Ray

Photo: Flickr

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Recent and Ongoing Violations of Human Rights in Romania


Human rights in Romania made headlines last January after Romanians took to the streets in the largest protests since the 1989 revolution. The peaceful demonstrations began in response to a government attempt to eliminate protections against corruption. The protesters were ultimately successful in halting the legislation, a signal to many that democracy is alive and well in the eastern European country.

This notion was reinforced by the June 13 announcement that Romania’s former president Ion Iliescu will go to court to face charges of crimes against humanity. The charges have been brought against him in connection with a violent crackdown on peaceful protests in Bucharest in 1990, just months after the uprisings that ousted dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The charges allege that Iliescu, who ordered tens of thousands of security officers to stifle the peaceful protests, is responsible for four deaths, 1,380 injuries and 1,250 arrests.

The contrast between the response to the freedom of expression in these two instances, separated by less than 30 years, demonstrates profound growth in human rights in Romania. Though the success of the demonstrations in early 2017 has been praised worldwide, there are still significant human rights abuses occurring daily.

Systemic Roma Discrimination

Perhaps the most pervasive of these abuses is the systemic discrimination faced by Roma in all facets of life. According to the U.S. State Department, there are between 1.8 million and 2.5 million Roma in the country, accounting for approximately 10% of the population. Romania’s most recent official census, conducted in 2011, counted 621,573 Roma, though this number is severely skewed by widespread issues with identification documents.

NGOs and the media report that societal discrimination against Roma has persisted and that Roma are routinely denied public services. Given this discrimination, many Roma are fearful of registering for identity documents as they would be required to declare their ethnicity. However, without these documents, they are unable to participate in elections, receive social benefits or fully participate in the labor market.

The United Nations and the European Union have urged Romania to implement the Roma Inclusion Strategy, which pushes states to uphold their commitments to European human rights laws and integrate Roma into society.

Prison and Law Enforcement Failures

In 2016, the Romani Center for Social Intervention and Studies reported 43 cases of police brutality against Romas. Racism was not investigated as a motive in any of these instances.

While this is yet another example of Roma discrimination, it is also a symptom of the larger dysfunction of the Romanian justice system. Constitutional protections for human rights in Romania prohibit torture, unlawful detention and violence against prisoners and detainees, yet NGOs and media still report that security forces routinely disregard these laws.

This problem is exacerbated by the prison system’s overcrowding problem. As of July 2016, Romania’s prisons held 28,278 persons. Based on the space limits imposed by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Romania’s prison system only has the capacity to hold 18,826.

Few immediate measures are being taken to resolve this issue, but the government introduced a plan in April 2016 to improve prison conditions by 2023 after the EHRC ruling in Rezmiveș and Others v. Romania, which highlighted a “structural deficiency” in Romanian prisons.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence has become a dominant topic in the discussion of human rights in Romania, as the international community continues to push for Romania to uphold the necessary protections for its citizens. Advocates are working to introduce new legislation and to urge the government to abide by the laws and agreements already in place, including the Istanbul Convention, which entered into force in September 2016. Data supplied by the General Police Inspectorate counted nearly 9,000 cases of domestic violence in just the first six months of 2016. National NGOs reported that the actual number was much higher, and the European Court of Human Rights reports that more than half of Romanians believe that domestic violence is justified.

Existing laws provide few protections for survivors of domestic abuse. Many of those afforded are only temporary. Restraining orders may be issued for a maximum of six months. Even more concerning is the lack of protection for survivors who were in relationships but did not cohabit with their alleged abuser. Victims in this category cannot obtain a restraining order, stay in shelters or utilize the other state services. There has been little high-level coordination to reform these provisions.

Despite shortcomings in these areas, it is clear that human rights in Romania are progressing. Discrimination against Roma continues to be an egregious disregard for human rights and a senseless “waste of human capital and loss of productivity,” impeding Romania’s growth as a society. Romania has an obligation to implement the Roma Integration Strategy, which has set inclusion targets for 2020.

Similarly, a justice system that allows for the overcrowding of prisons and abuse by security officers to continue is not just, nor is it aligned with EU standards. Should the state refuse to reform these aspects of its justice system, it will face punishment in the form of restrictions on its EU membership.

Romania will face similar penalties if it does not bring its domestic violence laws in line with international norms. While there is not yet a concrete plan for the future of domestic violence protections, there is a plan in place to remedy Romania’s prison conditions by 2030. This plan, Romania’s EU membership and recent protests all point to continued progress for human rights in Romania.

– Alena Zafonte

Photo: Flickr

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Debt Crisis Affects Human Rights in Puerto Rico

Human Rights in Puerto Rico

The human rights of Puerto Ricans have been radically affected as the U.S. government works with Commonwealth officials to manage and reduce the debt crisis in Puerto Rico. Essential public services including healthcare, education, social security and basic necessities of food and housing have been undermined as further spending cuts were made in an attempt to recover the economy.

After being in an economic recession for nearly a decade, Puerto Rico relinquished control of its finances after filing for bankruptcy in May 2017. The lack of protection under Chapter Nine bankruptcy leaves the government in Puerto Rico with fewer means to restructure debt. With their inalienable right to self-determination in jeopardy, citizens of Puerto Rico faced the opportunity to claim equal rights as U.S. citizens by voting for statehood, according to Governor Ricardo Rosselló. With only 23 percent of eligible voters casting ballots on June 11, the quest for financial relief and development remains in the hands of the U.S. Congress.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with its own constitution and government. Island residents elect a governor and members to the island’s legislature, but they may not vote in the U.S. general election for president and they do not have a voting member of Congress. Becoming the fifty-first state would allow the island access to bankruptcy protection, although many still oppose statehood.

The financial crisis is also deteriorating human rights in Puerto Rico in terms of health care. Low-income citizens are currently only able to access healthcare through Affordable Care Act funds, which are nearly exhausted. With these funds running out, Puerto Rico could use all of its Medicaid funding, plunging the island into a health crisis, and putting healthcare for the poor and elderly in danger.

Among the 400,000 people who have left for the mainland since 2004 are doctors and physicians, primarily for economic opportunities. Puerto Rican residents have lower household incomes and higher child poverty rates than those living in the U.S. With an increasing number of hospital closures, Puerto Ricans are at risk of losing access to healthcare services.

The debt crisis has also shed light on discriminatory policies affecting human rights in Puerto Rico for people with disabilities. Puerto Ricans with disabilities are excluded from the federal Supplemental Security Income program (SSI), leaving them to rely on limited support. SSI provides American citizens with disabilities residing in the U.S. with $540 per month, while the federal Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Program can only provide Puerto Ricans with disabilities $74 per month.

Basic necessities such as the right to adequate food and housing are slipping out of financial reach in Puerto Rico. The cost of living on the island is high, with grocery products 21 percent higher than the U.S. average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Puerto Rico is 11 percent, and with 45 percent of residents below the line of poverty, adequate housing has become increasingly difficult to pay for.

Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, an independent expert on the effects of foreign debt on human rights, said, “Schools are paying a significant amount of their funds to provide school children at least with one decent meal.” The right to education has been steadily declining in Puerto Rico, with 150 schools being closed and an anticipated 600 due to close within the next five years.

Whether the island becomes a state or a nation, one thing is clear: financial reform measures must ensure that human rights in Puerto Rico are protected.

– Jennifer Mcallister

Photo: Google