“Human Rights are for Southern Rural Black women as well as women in Africa and China”
- Member Human Rights Commissions on Women

Access to Power and Decision Making - SRBWI chose Human Rights as a frame for our work because we recognize that civil, cultural, economic and social rights are universal, interdependent and interrelated, regardless of status, identity or country and it provides a value based operations system. Using this framework SRBWI has established Human Rights Commissions in nine small cities and towns located in targeted counties in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Goal of Commissions is to end governmental discrimination against women by creating opportunities for understanding of and involvement in policy decisions at the local, county and state level.

Strategic Objectives are to:

• Ensure access to and full participation in power structures and decision making

• Increase women’s capacity to participate in policy-making and leadership

Existing Commissions

ALABAMA

• Hayneville
  
• Wilcox County
  

GEORGIA

• Douglas, Coffee County
  
• Rochelle, Wilcox County

MISSISSIPPI

• Anguilla
  
• Leland
  
• Metcalfe
  
• Mound Bayou
  
• Shelby

In 2007 SRBWI, published “The Rain Don’t Fall to the Ground Down Here: The Status of Human Rights for Southern Rural Black Women” and released it at the US Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia.  The survey work for the report was done by the Human Rights Commissions and contained a Call to Action that urged political leaders, policy makers and communities to ensure basic human rights for women and children in these isolated, economically depressed rural areas. 

SRBWI Technical Assistance and Training
Each Mayor’s Commission receives training and technical assistance to further their human rights agenda.

Initial Training for Commission Members includes:

• An introduction to Human Rights

• Duties of Human Rights Leaders and Commissioners

• How to develop an Action Agenda

• Techniques in surveying the status of women in their community

• Development of work plans for the Commission

On going Technical Assistance
Technical assistance is provided through the support of a Human Rights Commission Consultant

• Issues identified by commissioners

• Public policy training and engagement on issues that impact women and young girls

• Assistance with identification of other possible sources of funding

Training Manual
Contents of the Human Rights Commissions on Women Training Manual

• SRBWI Introduction to Human Rights

• Using Human Rights as an Agenda for Social Change

• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

• Expectations of Commissions

• Memorandums of Understanding between SRBWI and Commissions

• Statistical data on the Status of Women in their state, county and town

• A community survey on the Status of Women

• Self-sufficiency Standard for Women

• Information on Children and Families

Goals of Commissions in 2010
Human Rights Commissions have Education and Health Care as policy advocacy priorities for 2010. They have developed strategies to build local community capacity and to identify and mobilize a broad cross section of their communities and are providing opportunities for local community ownership of the ongoing work to achieve human rights and social justice.

• Participate in advanced Human Rights and Policy Training

• Select local issues to be addressed by their Commission

• Select young women to mentor as junior Commissioners

• Develop an Action Plan for a local and state advocacy agenda

 

For more information contact:

Winifred Green
Senior Consultant, SRBWI
722 Mazant St.
New Orleans, LA 70117
504 218-8908
wgreen32@cox.net

Carol Blackmon
SRBWI Consultant
Post Office Box 31721
Jackson, MS 39217
601.940.6245
carolblackmon@att.net