Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Organizations call on Congress to support rural small businesses
LYONS, Nebraska, April 21 [Category: Sociological] -- The Center for Rural Affairs posted the following news release:
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Organizations call on Congress to support rural small businesses
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LYONS, NEBRASKA - The Center for Rural Affairs and 22 organizations from across the country are asking Congress to support rural small businesses as lawmakers consider funding for 2027.
On Monday, the groups, representing 17 states, sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees requesting $5 million for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance
... Show Full Article
LYONS, Nebraska, April 21 [Category: Sociological] -- The Center for Rural Affairs posted the following news release:
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Organizations call on Congress to support rural small businesses
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LYONS, NEBRASKA - The Center for Rural Affairs and 22 organizations from across the country are asking Congress to support rural small businesses as lawmakers consider funding for 2027.
On Monday, the groups, representing 17 states, sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees requesting $5 million for the Rural Microentrepreneur AssistanceProgram (RMAP). This funding request comes ahead of lawmakers' efforts to pass a full budget for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) out of the subcommittee, one of the first steps in the annual appropriations process that determines funding for the federal government.
According to the letter, RMAP provides much-needed support for business owners and entrepreneurs who are rebuilding rural main streets. Through RMAP, direct loans and grants are provided to Microentrepreneur Development Organizations, such as the Center for Rural Affairs, who then provide technical assistance and microloans of $50,000 or less to business owners.
"RMAP is the only federal program that finances the capitalization of microloan revolving loan funds that exclusively serve rural areas," the letter said. "This provides support to microentrepreneurs that are unable to obtain adequate capital from commercial credit or other federal, state, or local programs at reasonable rates and terms."
Kalee Olson, senior policy manager with the Center, said that, while important, loan funds are only one piece of the puzzle.
"The value of the technical assistance that accompanies RMAP loans can not be overstated," she said. "By offering training on topics such as business planning, accounting, and marketing, intermediary lenders help ensure loan recipients are successful long after the loan has been repaid."
Since RMAP's inception in 2008, the program has been used to support rural businesses in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This widespread interest demonstrates the program's value and impact nationwide.
"RMAP comes at an extremely low cost when put in perspective of the entire USDA budget," Olson said. "But the loans and training have an outsized impact on microbusinesses and the communities they serve, bringing economic opportunity and vitality to rural areas."
Organizations signing the letter include:
Arizona
Community Investment Corporation
Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization
California
California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity
California FarmLink
Illinois
Southern Five Regional Planning District & Development Commission
Maine
Androscoggin Valley COG
Eastern Maine Development Corporation
Northern Maine Development Commission
Massachusetts
Franklin County Community Development Corporation
Michigan
Northern Great Lakes Initiatives
Montana
MoFi
Nebraska
Center for Rural Affairs
Nevada
Rural Nevada Development Corporation
New Hampshire
Coos Economic Development Corporation
New York
Adirondack Economic Development Corporation
The Enterprise Center at PathStone
North Dakota
Lake Agassiz Development Group
Pennsylvania
Forward Lawrence Chamber and Economic Alliance
South Dakota
Four Bands Community Fund
Tennessee
Three Roots Capital
Vermont
Community Capital of Vermont
Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc.
Wisconsin
CAP Services, Inc.
Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
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Original text here: https://www.cfra.org/news-release/organizations-call-congress-support-rural-small-businesses
Customs And Border Protection Launches Phase 1 of IEEPA Refund Portal
HERNDON, Virginia, April 21 [Category: Transportation] -- The RV Industry Association posted the following news:
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Customs And Border Protection Launches Phase 1 of IEEPA Refund Portal
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On April 20, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activated the first phase of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool in the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal). CAPE is designed with four integrated components: a claim portal, mass processing, review and finalization/reprocessing of entries, and refund processing.
... Show Full Article
HERNDON, Virginia, April 21 [Category: Transportation] -- The RV Industry Association posted the following news:
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Customs And Border Protection Launches Phase 1 of IEEPA Refund Portal
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On April 20, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activated the first phase of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool in the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal). CAPE is designed with four integrated components: a claim portal, mass processing, review and finalization/reprocessing of entries, and refund processing.
Phase 1 of CAPE applies only to certain entries that are still being reviewed by Customs and to some entries that were finalized within the past 80 days. The system lets importers submit a list of shipments for which they are seeking refunds. Once the claim is reviewed and approved, Customs will recalculate the amount owed without the extra International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, update the final amounts, and issue the refund. CBP continues to "evaluate functionality" for more complicated entries, including fully finalized entries and pending entries due to AD/CVD cases.
Importers and authorized customs brokers can now submit their CAPE Declarations through their ACE Portal accounts. CAPE is designed to streamline the refund of IEEPA duties, including interest, by consolidating claims rather than processing refunds on an entry-by-entry basis.
For those interested in learning more, the Trade Transformation Office (TTO) will host two informational support webinars. Registration links for these webinars are provided below:
* Registration link for webinar on April 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET: Register here.
* Registration link for webinar on April 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET: Register here.
To read the latest CBP update, click here.
Additional information on CAPE, including FAQs, is available here.
For instructions on creating an account in the ACE Portal, click here.
The RV Industry Association will continue to provide information as it becomes available. For a comprehensive overview of tariffs currently enacted, view the tariff tracker.
Please contact Samantha Rocci, Director of Federal Affairs ( srocci@riva.org ), with questions or for more information.
IEEPA
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Original text here: https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/customs-and-border-protection-launches-phase-1-ieepa-refund-portal
Advancing Our Mission Through Responsible Artificial Intelligence
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Advancing Our Mission Through Responsible Artificial Intelligence
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At Ascension, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications reflects a deep commitment to our Mission. Technology helps strengthen the connection between caregivers and patients, improve the quality and safety of care and make healthcare more personal and efficient. Each new initiative is rooted in our values and designed to support the healing work that defines who we are.
Ascension's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Advancing Our Mission Through Responsible Artificial Intelligence
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At Ascension, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications reflects a deep commitment to our Mission. Technology helps strengthen the connection between caregivers and patients, improve the quality and safety of care and make healthcare more personal and efficient. Each new initiative is rooted in our values and designed to support the healing work that defines who we are.
Ascension'sAI strategy is designed to advance four goals: expand access and continuity of care, improve clinical quality and safety, empower associates to work more effectively and increase operational efficiency while creating a more personalized consumer experience.
Given the potential advancements in AI, we have the opportunity to think about healthcare from a place of abundance rather than one historically shaped by scarcity, enabling us to offer more, especially to those who have the least.
Across Ascension, AI is beginning to improve our associate experience through workspace tools such as Gemini for Google Workspace, which organizes data, generates summaries and supports productivity so associates can focus on collaboration and service. Across operations, automation and predictive analytics help leaders make informed and timely decisions about staffing and resources. This work is reducing administrative burden, giving caregivers more time with patients and helping patients access compassionate, high-quality care with confidence.
To ease physician burden, ambient documentation tools securely capture and transcribe conversations during visits, automatically creating clinical notes that reduce hours of work to minutes. For nurses, AI-enabled flowsheets and digital handoff summaries have the potential of giving time back to patient care by simplifying documentation and improving coordination between shifts.
AI-enabled tools are being explored to assist in earlier disease detection, to identify when patients may need additional support and to inform or supplement care plans aligned with a patient's individual needs. These advancements hold promise for improving access to timely, high-quality and safe care for every patient. Early results show improved efficiency and more informed decision-making across the continuum of care, strengthening quality, precision and safety while allowing clinicians to focus on what matters most: their patients.
For consumers, AI has the potential to make healthcare easier to navigate, more personalized and more responsive over time. Its greatest impact may come from helping people find the right care more easily, receive more relevant information and support, and experience a health system that is better equipped to anticipate needs, reduce friction and strengthen engagement across the care journey.
The progress we are making is built on a strong and secure foundation grounded in people, data, process and technology. Years of deliberate investment in modern infrastructure, analytics and workforce development positioned Ascension to introduce AI with care and purpose. Our teams bring together clinicians, designers, technologists, data scientists and business leaders who collaborate to ensure solutions support safety, compassion and mission alignment.
The strength of our infrastructure lies in secure, scalable, technology-based systems and interoperable tools that allow innovation to occur responsibly and at scale. High-quality data from clinical, operational and financial sources fuels meaningful insights that improve outcomes across the ministry. Our processes emphasize collaboration, transparency and ethical governance, ensuring that AI is applied in ways that honor dignity and human connection. Together, these elements create the environment that allows innovation to flourish and strengthens our ability to deliver personalized and high-quality care.
To keep every advancement aligned with our mission and values, Ascension established a multidisciplinary AI Governance Committee composed of leaders from across the ministry. This group oversees how AI is developed and deployed, guided by principles rooted in Catholic social teaching. The governance structure emphasizes transparency, fairness, privacy and respect for the dignity of every person. New applications are carefully reviewed to confirm they are ethical, secure and consistent with our commitment to serve those most in need.
AI at Ascension is already changing how we work and how we serve, and its potential continues to grow. As we look ahead, the governance Ascension has put in place will ensure that we approach AI with humility and discipline, always guided by our values and commitment to those we serve. We will continue to strengthen our data capabilities and expand responsible innovation across the ministry. In doing so, we remain anchored in our vision to bring health, healing and hope to all.
AI is an advanced capability that strengthens how we live our mission each day by expanding the reach of our caregivers, supporting compassionate care and preparing us to serve future generations with excellence.
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Original text here: https://about.ascension.org/news/2026/04/advancing-our-mission-through-responsible-artificial-intelligence
Advancing Gender Justice in the Crimes Against Humanity Convention: A Declaration
NEW YORK, April 20 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Advancing Gender Justice in the Crimes Against Humanity Convention: A Declaration
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We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, welcome the official start of preparatory work for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention. This is a significant opportunity to ensure an inclusive instrument that addresses long-standing gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. We urge states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, April 20 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Advancing Gender Justice in the Crimes Against Humanity Convention: A Declaration
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We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, welcome the official start of preparatory work for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention. This is a significant opportunity to ensure an inclusive instrument that addresses long-standing gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. We urge states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention,which is shaped by victims' multidimensional experiences. We call on all states to take comprehensive action, including:
1. Recognize all gender-based harms that meet the crimes-against-humanity threshold, by codifying crimes such as:
Forced Marriage : as compelling a person into a conjugal union through force, threat, coercion or inability to consent, consistent with established jurisprudence.
Reproductive Violence : as intentional acts or omissions that violate a person's reproductive autonomy.
Gender Apartheid : as inhumane acts committed within and to maintain an institutionalized regime of systemic gender-based oppression and domination.
Slave Trade : as acts involved in bringing a person into, and maintaining them in, a situation of slavery, and reflecting its peremptory status.
2. Center victims and survivors in the convention:
The convention should deliver justice that people can access and trust-not a system that looks strong on paper but leaves victims behind.
Victims' perspectives, including those from marginalized groups, should shape the treaty's content, particularly with regard to prevention, accountability, and reparations.
States should conduct safe consultations with victims on the text-including the definition of victim-and provide procedural accommodations to ensure their meaningful participation throughout the negotiations, implementation and monitoring.
The text should define victims to include at least all persons who suffer harm from acts that constitute crimes against humanity in line with international standards and provide for prompt, full, and effective reparations.
3. Embed gender-competence across the convention's content and process to promote equality and prevent discrimination, such as by ensuring:
Gender-inclusive language is used throughout the text of the convention.
An approach that is grounded in intersectionality and gender inclusivity guides all sections of the convention, including provisions on definitions, procedure and enforcement.
A strong non-discrimination and substantive equality clause and strong provisions for monitoring to promote implementation, progressive interpretation, and compliance are included.
In the text, gender is understood in line with current international human rights and criminal law.
The negotiations incorporate gender expertise and robust civil society participation, intersessional meetings on gender justice, and gender parity across delegations.
Endorsed by:
Organizations
1. 6Rang (Iranian LGBT+ Network)
2. A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons
3. Action pour la Reforme de la Justice et la Promotion des Droits de l'Homme (ARJPDH)
4. ADIFEVEA World
5. Advocacy Network for Justice and Peace (ANJP)
6. Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation
7. Africa Legal Aid
8. African Platform for Human Rights and Governance (APHURG)
9. Al-Haq
10. Alianza Iniciativa de Mujeres Colombianas por la Paz-IMP
11. Alpha Support Development Programme
12. Amnesty International
13. Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace
14. APDHE
15. Article 19
16. Asia Justice Coalition
17. Asian Resource Foundation
18. Association of World Citizens
19. Avaaz
20. Awer Women Empowerment
21. Baran Tursun Foundation
22. Basel Peace Office
23. Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan
24. Center for Human Rights Advocacy
25. Center for Justice and Accountability
26. Center for Prisoners' Rights
27. Center for Reproductive Rights, Latin America and Caribbean program
28. Centro Internacional para Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIIDH)
29. Children's Legal Rights and Development Center (CLRDC)
30. Civitas Maxima
31. Clinique de Droit International Penal et humanitaire
32. Coalition for the International Criminal Court
33. Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide (CPHG)
34. Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
35. Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
36. Concern for Integrated Development
37. Congo Peace Initiative, C.P.I.
38. DIGNITY
39. Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women
40. End Gender Apartheid Campaign
41. Equality Now
42. European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
43. Farida Global Organization
44. FOCEDEP
45. Forum of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP)
46. Foundation Builders
47. Free Yezidi Foundation
48. Freedom from Torture
49. Fundacion Internacional Baltasar Garzon (FIBGAR)
50. Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)
51. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
52. Global Human Rights Group
53. Global Justice and Research Project
54. Global Justice Center
55. Global Rights Compliance
56. Global Survivors Fund
57. Good Health Community Programmes
58. Hitma for Cultural and Social Development
59. Human Rights Advocates
60. Human Rights Centre ZMINA
61. Human Rights First
62. Human Rights Watch
63. ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
64. IMPACT: Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict
65. Indigenous Peoples Network, Kenya
66. International Center for the Treatment of Violence
67. International Convocation of U*U Women
68. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
69. International Helping For The Young
70. International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative (IHLYI)
71. Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law
72. Just Access
73. Just Planet
74. Justice for Iran
75. Justicia Pro Persona, A.C.
76. Karama
77. Keen and Care Initiative
78. Kenya Human Rights Commission
79. Kurdish organizations Network coalition for the International Criminal court (KONCICC)
80. Kurdistan Center for International Law
81. Kurdistan Organizations Network to Abolish Nuclear and Mass Destruction Weapons
82. Kurdistan without Genocide
83. Lawyers for Justice in Libya
84. Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada
85. League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
86. Legal Action Worldwide
87. Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
88. Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan Network
89. Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l'Homme Iteka
90. LingvaLexa
91. Maff Network for Solidification of justice and Development of Democracy
92. Malala Fund
93. Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN)
94. Mukwege Foundation
95. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)
96. National Center for Combating Violence and Abuse Against Children
97. National Forum for Human Rights
98. Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
99. Organization of the Justice Campaign (OJC)
100. Our Culture is Giving
101. Parliamentarians for Global Action
102. Physicians for Human Rights
103. Prevention of Crimes against Humanity Project, Columbia Law School
104. Redress
105. Refugee Consortium of Kenya
106. Repro Justice Congo
107. Sociedad de Profesionales por la Dignidad y la Justicia (IUS DIGNITAS )
108. Society for The Empowerment of People (STEP)
109. Somali Human Rights Association (SOHRA)
110. Strategic Litigation Project
111. Synergy for Justice
112. Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS)
113. The Arrested Lawyers Initiative
114. The Circle
115. The European Law Students' Association (ELSA)
116. The Reckoning Project
117. The West African Transitional Justice Centre
118. TRIAL International
119. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d'Action en Developpement (UNASCAD)
120. Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association "JurFem"
121. United States International Council on Disabilities
122. Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, University of Cincinnati College of Law
123. Wayamo Foundation
124. Winam Chanua Dada CBO (CHADALA)
125. Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
126. Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice
127. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (UK)
128. Women's Peace Network
129. Working Group for ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Singapore (MARUAH)
130. World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
131. World Without Genocide
132. Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures
133. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Croatia
134. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia (YIHR Serbia)
Individuals
135. Abdul Aziz Meslat, ICC Counsel, Visiting Professor, Hugo Grotius Chair in International Law at The George Washington Institute-Bahrain
136. Abdulnabi Alekry, Advisor, Bahrain HR Society
137. Adarsh K Warman, Peace Ambassador
138. Adrienne Ringin, Author and Researcher, International Human Rights Law
139. Alessia Nicastro, PhD Candidate
140. Alexa Koenig, Co-Faculty Director of the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
141. Ali Marsh, Victim's Rights Staff Attorney
142. Alyn Ware, Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
143. Ana Yeli Perez Garrido, Human Rights Defender, Director, Justicia Pro Persona
144. Angelica Wahono, Legal and Advocacy Associate, Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice
145. Anja Mateijkiw, Professor
146. Anne-Marie Tupuola, Independent Scholar, Human Rights Advocate
147. Armen Matabishi, Managing Director, ADIFEVEA World
148. Astrid Odete Escobedo Barrondo, Attorney at Law
149. Basak Naz Simsek, Research Associate, PhD Candidate
150. Baruti Likoyi, Senior Research Fellow/Recherches et Documentation Juridiques Africaines (ASBL)
151. Bonita Meyersfeld, Professor of Law, University of Witwatersrand School of Law
152. Brett Jones, Charles E. Scheidt Human Rights Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
153. Carmen Miquel Acosta, Freelance gender & human rights advisor
154. Charles Kukulu, President, Congo Peace Initiative, CPI
155. Claudia Martin, Co-Director Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Washington College of Law, American University
156. Devyani Kacker, Consultant
157. D Karthikeyan
158. Dianne Otto, Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Law School
159. Dubravka Zarkov, Retired, Associate Professor of Gender, Violent Conflict, Development, Columbia Center for the Study of Social Difference
160. Elisabeth Wickeri, Executive Director, Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
161. Elizabeth Atieno, Survivor of CRSV and Consultant
162. Emma DiNapoli, Legal Advisor, Eyewitness to Atrocities
163. Erin Rosenberg, Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, Red Line Initiative, Mukwege Foundation
164. Estrella del Valle Calzada, Assistant Professor - Public International Law - University of Valencia
165. Fannie Lafontaine, Full Professor, Laval University School of Law
166. Fatou Bensouda, Ambassador of The Gambia to the Court of St James
167. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, Professor of Law School of Law, The Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
168. Flavia Fernandes Pinto, Crime Prevention Consultant
169. Florence Gbinigie, PhD Women's Right Activist, Social crusader
170. George Darlington Hashaka, Founder Executive Chairman
171. Grant Shubin, Senior Legal Advisor
172. Graziella Pavone, Consultant, Human Rights and Gender Equality
173. Hannah Garry, Professor, USC Gould School of Law
174. Hashim Yussif, General Secretary
175. Helena Rodriguez-Bronchu Carceller, International Consultant
176. Imane Hafidi, Employee, Coalition for the International Criminal Court
177. Indai Sajor, Founder, Women's Tribunal Feminist Collective
178. Iulia Padeanu Mellon, Associate, Foley Hoag
179. Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Professor of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
180. Jessica Peake, Director, International and Comparative Law Program, UCLA
181. Julia Basile, Lawyer
182. Julia Tetrault-Provencher, Legal Advisor
183. Justin Makangara, Multimedia Journalist and Documentary Photographer
184. Kamala Poudel, Program Officer, KOSHISH Nepal
185. Karima Bennoune, Lewis M. Simes Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, and Former UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
186. Kathleen M. Maloney, Visiting Law Professor, Lewis & Clark Law School
187. Kikelomo Oyetunde, Project Coordinator
188. Kirsten Keith, Consultant
189. Lahbib Naaimi, Legal advocate and researcher
190. Larissa Tavares de Freitas, PhD Candidate in International Law, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"
191. Leila Sadat, James Carr Prof., International Criminal Law, Washington University School of Law
192. Linda Osman, International Human Rights Lawyer and Consultant
193. Lindsay M. Harris, Professor of Law, Director, International Human Rights Clinic, University of San Francisco School of Law
194. Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, University of New South Wales, Sydney
195. Marcel Bakanga Awachango, Europe Coordinator, Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
196. Maria F. Perez Solla, Coordinator, Independent researcher and scholar
197. Marissa Kardon Weber, International Criminal and Human Rights Lawyer
198. Martin Mavenjina, Senior Program Officer, Transitional Justice
199. Melanie O'Brien, Associate Professor of International Law & Deputy Head of School (Research) at UWA Law School
200. Mohammad, Filmmaker
201. Mohamed Aboelazm
202. Monica Castillejos Aragon, Comparative Law and International Law Lecturer, UC Berkeley School of Law
203. Najet Zammouri, Feminist activist and Co-Chair of The Tunisian League for Human Rights Defence
204. Nazli Tore, Associate Professor, Turkish Council of Women
205. Nerima Were, Human Rights Activist
206. Olympia Bekou, Professor of Public International Law, University of Nottingham, UK
207. Omam Esther, Executive Director, Reach Out Cameroon
208. Parisa Zangeneh, PhD Researcher
209. Patricia Barajas, Student
210. Patsy George, Retired Social Worker
211. Rahela Kaveer, Founder, Afghanistan Women Empowering Organization
212. Rajika L. Shah, Director of the Loyola Justice for Atrocities Clinic (LJAC) at LMU Loyola Law School, Attorney
213. Ramond Helene, Lawyer at the Paris Bar
214. Rebecca A. Shoot, Co-Convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
215. Robert Hotston, Consulting Investigator
216. Rosemary Grey, Co-Director, Sydney Centre for International Law, Sydney Law School, The University of Sydney
217. Sarah Kay, Human Rights Lawyer
218. Sarah Kihika, Transitional Justice Expert
219. Sarah Naneix, Program Officer
220. Sarah Vaill, Founder and President, Viva Strategy
221. Sareta Ashraph, International Criminal Lawyer, Garden Court Chambers
222. Saugat Subedi, Attorney at Law
223. Sergiy Shtukarin, Human rights consultant
224. Shannon Raj Singh, Independent
225. Sheena Swemmer, Head of Programme, Gender Justice, Centre for Applied Legal Studies, University of the Witwatersrand School of Law
226. Shyamala Alagendra, International Criminal Lawyer, Gender and Child Rights Specialist
227. Sidonia Lucia Kula, Lecturer in Law and Gender
228. Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice (2009-2015)
229. Susana Sacouto, Director, War Crimes Research Office of the of the Washington College of Law, American University
230. Valerie Oosterveld, Professor of Law at University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law
231. Venesa Sulimani, Activist
232. Weihui Wang
233. William Pons, Former Senior Legal Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
234. Y Bhim Nie, Independent Scholar of the Dega People Genocide
235. Yousuf Syed Khan, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council (Strategic Litigation Project)
(updated January 20, 2026)
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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/04/20/advancing-gender-justice-in-the-crimes-against-humanity-convention-a-declaration
2026 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest Winners Announced!
ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 20 [Category: Environment] -- The Nature Conservancy issued the following news:
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2026 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest Winners Announced!
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Students from across Arizona impressed professional photographers in The Nature Conservancy in Arizona's 2026 "Adventures in Nature" student photo contest, in partnership with Arizona Highways magazine.
"Arizona Highways has a long tradition of sharing Arizona's landscapes and stories through photography," said Robert Stieve, the magazine's editor. "The student photo contest is an extension of that work, giving
... Show Full Article
ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 20 [Category: Environment] -- The Nature Conservancy issued the following news:
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2026 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest Winners Announced!
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Students from across Arizona impressed professional photographers in The Nature Conservancy in Arizona's 2026 "Adventures in Nature" student photo contest, in partnership with Arizona Highways magazine.
"Arizona Highways has a long tradition of sharing Arizona's landscapes and stories through photography," said Robert Stieve, the magazine's editor. "The student photo contest is an extension of that work, givingyoung photographers a platform to showcase their creativity and vision."
The photo contest started in Tucson in 2013 but has since expanded across the state. This year, more than 309 talented Arizonans, ages 13-18, entered nearly 451 photos taken right here in Arizona.
"Students are the next stewards of Arizona's landscapes and helping them build a personal connection to the outdoors is critical," said The Nature Conservancy in Arizona's State Director Daniel Stellar. "This contest helps inspire these students through encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a deeper sense of responsibility for Arizona's landscapes."
The top ten winners split a cash prize of over $10,000. First place receives $5,000, second place receives $2,500, and third place receives $1,000. Seven additional Honorable Mentions receive $250 each.
"We're consistently impressed by the level of quality in the photos students submit each year," said Jeff Kida, photo editor of Arizona Highways and one of the judges of the contest. "Judging this contest is always a joy. We're drawn to images that show creativity, evoke emotion, capture a moment of patience or timing, or reflect a unique artistic eye. This year's winners each demonstrated some of those qualities in powerful ways."
The winners and explanations of their photos, in their own words, are below.
1 st place : "Warmth" by Nathan Hoffman of Tucson, AZ
"The warm sky reflected through the glass of a depleted bird feeder. Birds gather around to both indulge and relax after a flight of unknown distance. The sound of fluttering wings slows down a bird's descent, and the sun slowly falls, marking the end of a beautiful day. If you think deeply enough, you realize this is but a serendipitous encounter, for the birds, captured in time. This is a picture of Nature," wrote Nathan Hoffman.
2 nd place : "Autumn Halo" by Ian Polec of Tucson, AZ
"The vivid contrast and upward perspective evoke a quiet sense of wonder. It feels as if you're standing beneath a hidden tree top, letting everything beyond this point disappear," wrote Ian Polec.
3 rd place : "Rocky reflection" by Garrett Fry of Tucson, AZ
"A temporary rain puddle reflects the saguaros and canyon wall of Agua Caliente Canyon. This image was taken a couple of days after a fall rainstorm, when evening light was illuminating the canyon walls. The light brought out the colors of the rock, and created a beautiful scene," wrote Garrett Fry.
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Original text here: https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/2026-arizona-student-photography-contest/
"The Call To Love Thy Neighbor Persists Across Our Differences": HRC President Kelley Robinson Joins Unprecedented "All Are Neighbors" Event at Baylor to Spotlight LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Faith
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Political] -- The Human Rights Campaign posted the following news release:
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"The Call To Love Thy Neighbor Persists Across Our Differences": HRC President Kelley Robinson Joins Unprecedented "All Are Neighbors" Event at Baylor to Spotlight LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Faith
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Human Rights Campaign and Interfaith Alliance leaders to offer message of faith, dignity, and belonging to counter TPUSA tour stop
WACO, TX - Student leaders at Baylor will host a historic event on campus on Wednesday, April 22nd, as prominent Christian advocates for LGBTQ+ rights address
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Political] -- The Human Rights Campaign posted the following news release:
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"The Call To Love Thy Neighbor Persists Across Our Differences": HRC President Kelley Robinson Joins Unprecedented "All Are Neighbors" Event at Baylor to Spotlight LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Faith
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Human Rights Campaign and Interfaith Alliance leaders to offer message of faith, dignity, and belonging to counter TPUSA tour stop
WACO, TX - Student leaders at Baylor will host a historic event on campus on Wednesday, April 22nd, as prominent Christian advocates for LGBTQ+ rights addressthe "All Are Neighbors" gathering - offering a powerful, values-driven alternative to Turning Point USA's "This Is the Turning Point" tour stop happening the same day.
Baylor's College Democrats, NAACP Baylor, Students Demand Action at Baylor, Hearts for the Homeless and Texas Rising asked for and received university approval to host the event, marking the first time that students at Baylor have been permitted to host leading gay advocates on campus. The event will provide a critical counterweight to TPUSA.
The event will take place at 5 pm CT on Wednesday, April 22, on the fifth floor of Cashion Academic Center. Speakers will include Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson, who is Catholic, and Interfaith Alliance president and Baptist minister Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush.
"This event is something we're doing to make everyone feel welcomed, safe and comfortable here and to let the population know that we are all neighbors of one another and we should care for each other as such," said event organizer Joseph Naylor, a Baylor senior.
"We're going to provide a space for all students, including those who would not feel welcomed or supported at the TPUSA event, " said Baylor senior and event organizer Hanna Al-Hayek. "These speakers will emphasize the moral imperative to advocate for our fellow citizens and uphold freedom and dignity for all."
"What's happening at Baylor is historic-let it be a catalyst, not an exception. LGBTQ+ people are everywhere-in every zip code, every campus, and every faith tradition. The call to love thy neighbor persists across our differences. As a queer Black Catholic woman, I carry the truth that the same God who made one of us made all of us-and that truth demands we build a future where everyone can live freely, openly, and equally," said Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
" With this gathering at the largest Baptist university in the world, we're going to make clear that faith can and should be a force of love, tolerance, moral courage, and solidarity against discrimination and fear," said Interfaith Alliance president and CEO Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. "Virtually every faith tradition calls on its adherents to love their neighbors, and that message is resonating powerfully with young people at Baylor and beyond."
Additional speakers for the event continue to be named, including Minneapolis minister and activist Rev. Susie Heyward who was a central faith organizer in the successful effort to push back against ICE's Operation Metro Surge.
WHAT: "All Are Neighbors" event at Baylor
WHO: Kelley Robinson (HRC), Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushbush (Interfaith Alliance), Rev. Susie Hayward, and more
WHEN: Wednesday, April 22, 5 pm Central Time
WHERE: Baylor University's Cashion Academic Center, 5th Floor
Contact: Ben DePasquale, bdepasquale@westendstrategy.com, 717-779-4660 or press@hrc.org
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Original text here: https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/the-call-to-love-thy-neighbor-persists-across-our-differences-hrc-president-kelley-robinson-joins-unprecedented-all-are-neighbors-event-at-baylor-to-spotlight-lgbtq-inclusion-in-faith
"The Arena" Episode Three: Saving America with Senator Mike Lee
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release:
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"The Arena" Episode Three: Saving America with Senator Mike Lee
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On this week's episode of "The Arena," Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) joins AFL President Gene Hamilton, AFL General Counsel Julie Strauss, and AFL Senior Counsel Ian Prior to discuss his time in Congress. Before the interview, the panel breaks down indoctrination in schools, the decline of the U.S. education system, and how parents can stand up for their children.
In this episode, Sen. Mike Lee
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 20 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release:
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"The Arena" Episode Three: Saving America with Senator Mike Lee
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On this week's episode of "The Arena," Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) joins AFL President Gene Hamilton, AFL General Counsel Julie Strauss, and AFL Senior Counsel Ian Prior to discuss his time in Congress. Before the interview, the panel breaks down indoctrination in schools, the decline of the U.S. education system, and how parents can stand up for their children.
In this episode, Sen. Mike Leediscusses:
* Birthright citizenship.
* The SAVE Act.
* Opposition in Congress.
* The "zombie" filibuster.
Lee also shares his favorite movies, go-to coffee order, and more.
Watch Episode Three of "The Arena" here.
Follow "The Arena" on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Follow "The Arena" on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Truth Social.
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Original text here: https://aflegal.org/press-release/the-arena-episode-three-saving-america-with-senator-mike-lee/
Amazon Watch and Allied Organizations Release Landmark Report on Amazon Crime
OAKLAND, California, April 20 [Category: Environment] -- Amazon Watch, an organization that says it protects the rainforest and advances the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin, issued the following news release:
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Amazon Watch and Allied Organizations Release Landmark Report on Amazon Crime
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New York, NY - In the context of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Amazon Watch, together with allied organizations, presents the first report to analyze how illicit economies and repressive government responses threaten the rights, territories, and physical and
... Show Full Article
OAKLAND, California, April 20 [Category: Environment] -- Amazon Watch, an organization that says it protects the rainforest and advances the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin, issued the following news release:
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Amazon Watch and Allied Organizations Release Landmark Report on Amazon Crime
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New York, NY - In the context of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Amazon Watch, together with allied organizations, presents the first report to analyze how illicit economies and repressive government responses threaten the rights, territories, and physical andcultural survival of Indigenous peoples. From illegal gold mining to drug trafficking, these activities operate as interconnected and highly adaptive systems across the Amazon, integrate into global markets, and reshape power, control, and security dynamics in the region.
"The expansion of illicit economies in the Amazon cannot be understood solely as a problem of criminality or public security, but as an existential threat to Indigenous peoples," said Sofia Jarrin, Advocacy Advisor at Amazon Watch.
The analysis, which compares Indigenous territories across Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, shows how these dynamics create forms of criminal governance that replace or weaken both state and community governance systems and impose mechanisms of social and economic control over local populations.
"Criminal networks restrict access to natural resources, pressure or co-opt leadership, sabotage land titling processes, and force communities to reorganize daily life under regimes of fear, surveillance, and dependency," the report states.
Criminal governance not only drives public security risks, it also alters the material, cultural, and spiritual conditions necessary to sustain life systems in the Amazon, with direct implications for global climate stability.
The report draws on testimonies that Indigenous leaders shared during the International Gathering of Defenders held in Pucallpa, Peru, earlier this year, where more than 60 leaders from the western Amazon denounced how illicit economies and organized crime violate their rights to a healthy environment, health, self-determination, autonomy, and full exercise of self-governance.
The report recognizes the need for state intervention but concludes that governments continue to prioritize reactive strategies centered on militarization and securitization of territories, in line with a global trend that favors repression over rights-based approaches. This approach remains limited because it exacerbates existing risks and fails to address the structural causes driving the expansion of illicit economies in the Amazon.
"It is urgent to incorporate intercultural approaches into security policies and to control the supply chains that connect these illicit economies to global markets. Without recognizing, financing, and strengthening Indigenous authorities, any strategy will fail," said Raphael Hoetmer, Western Amazon Program Director at Amazon Watch.
In the face of state absence, limitations, and, in some cases, permissiveness, Indigenous peoples have strengthened their own systems of territorial control and surveillance, including community guards and environmental monitoring networks. The Wampis Nation's Charip Guard provides a clear example, documenting and reporting the impacts of oil and mining contamination on rivers and forests to the Peruvian state.
"States hold specific responsibilities toward communities that face structural vulnerability due to colonization, exploitation, discrimination, and dispossession. These responsibilities include preventing harm, protecting affected communities, repairing damage, and investigating and sanctioning those most responsible," Jarrin emphasized.
International Call to Action
Amazon Watch and Indigenous organizations call on the international community, particularly the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and States Parties to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, to recognize the threat that criminal economies pose to Indigenous territories and rights, as well as the vital role Indigenous peoples play in protecting nature and social peace. This recognition must translate into stronger political and financial support and binding participation mechanisms.
They also call for the development of an international protocol on environmental crimes that recognizes their transnational nature, strengthens cooperation, and addresses their links to global supply chains, while guaranteeing the full and effective participation of Indigenous peoples.
Key Data
* Armed groups recruit children, traffic women and girls, perpetrate sexual violence, and drive conditions that erode cultural continuity and intergenerational knowledge transmission.
* The Amazon basin covers approximately 7.8 million square kilometers and Indigenous peoples manage much of this territory, representing more than 2.2 million people across 511 peoples, including at least 66 in voluntary isolation or initial contact.
* In Amazonian countries, criminal networks or armed groups operate in at least 67% of municipalities, and more than one criminal organization contests control in 32% of these territories.
* Amazon regions report homicide rates higher than national averages, in some cases comparable to conflict zones. Colombia ranks as the most dangerous country in the world for environmental defenders.
* Between 1985 and 2023, actors destroyed more than 88 million hectares of Amazon forest, including over 2 million hectares linked to illegal mining.
* All cases analyzed report health impacts, including mercury contamination above World Health Organization standards, affecting water, fish, and Indigenous communities.
Amazon Crime Brazil Ecuador Indigenous Rights Land Rights Mining Out of the Amazon Peru
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Original text here: https://amazonwatch.org/news/2026/0420-amazon-watch-and-allied-organizations
