December 2011

Necessary but Insufficient: Principal Reduction as a Response to the Housing Crisis
December 19, 2011
There is an overwhelming consensus right now that we face a severe market failure with regard to housing. One industry expert recently testified before Congress that, unless something is done about it, 8 to 10 million more homeowners will lose their homes to foreclosure(1). That is 1 in 5... Keep reading »
New Health Policy Tool for Assessing Inclusion and Human Rights
December 15, 2011
A new article in the journal Health and Human Rights (Vol 13, No 2, 2011) illustrates a framework for analysis of the inclusion of human rights and vulnerable groups in health policies. While the tool was specifically developed for assessing health policies in Africa, it offers insights that can be... Keep reading »
United Workers Drops a Flurry of Fair Development Letters
December 14, 2011
Last Saturday, a flurry of yellow letters floated down on holiday shoppers at the Gallery Mall across from Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Although General Growth Properties--the mall's owner--still fails to dialogue with United Workers about the ways that mall working conditions that fail to meet... Keep reading »
Fifth Graders Stand Up for Fair Food
December 13, 2011
Singing a fair food version of "We Will Not Be Moved," a fifth grade class took the Campaign for Fair Food to a Trader Joe's in Cambridge, MA. The kids participate in a Boston Workmen's Circle class that teaches them about the injustices their ancestors faced. Each year the class... Keep reading »
Displacing People, Denying Rights, and Destroying Dissent: Criminalization of Human Rights Defenders on the Right to Housing
December 12, 2011
The United States is infamous for its refusal to recognize most economic and social rights.  This is particularly shocking in a time of economic deprivation, massive displacement involving up to 10,000 foreclosures each and every day, and a skyrocketing homelessness population despite the... Keep reading »
Housing Movement and Occupy Join Forces to Liberate Housing
December 8, 2011
On December 6th, 2011, the Human Right to Housing Program's allies and friends teamed up with Occupy groups across the country for a highly publicized Day of Action in over 25 cities.  A total of 45 diverse events, from foreclosure auction protests to "housing liberations" (... Keep reading »
Baltimore Resolution Advances Human Rights-Based Fair Development
December 8, 2011
In its continued efforts to address the human rights abuses against workers at Baltimore's Inner Harbor, NESRI partner United Workers has recently presented a resolution to the Baltimore City Council. This resolution calls on developers... Keep reading »
Human Rights Principle of Equity Is Key to Planning Vermont’s New Health Care System
December 5, 2011
After the universal health care breakthrough in Vermont, the long process of transitioning to the new system has begun. As the governing board of the new system commenced its work, the Vermont Workers’ Center’s Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign reminded board members of their... Keep reading »