Interns Ajanet Rountree (left) and Charles Coleman (middle) join Tina Reuter, Ph.D., (right) in the Institute for Human Rights. Photo by Ian KeelSufia Alam - Staff Writersufia@uab.edu
An organization on campus is growing and offering multiple ways for students to become more aware and active in furthering human rights and equality.
The Institute for Human Rights was established in 2014 to serve as an interdisciplinary platform for scholars, educators, students and activists to raise awareness, engage in education and research and create initiatives for practical action and outreach to serve the leaders of the global human rights community. Furthermore, their vision is to prepare, transform and support the leaders of the global human rights community by creating educational programs, research initiatives and outreach solutions. The Institute has four main core areas, focusing on the interaction between human rights and peace, poverty, civil rights and public health.
Tina Reuter, Ph.D., was named the director of the institute in February. She also works as an associate professor of human rights, peace studies, and international politics at UAB. Before joining UAB, she was the director of the Reiff Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution at Christopher Newport University.
The institution also has four UAB student interns on staff: Charles Coleman, a senior international studies major, Liz Reid, a junior political science major, Ajanet Rountree, a senior interdisciplinary liberal arts major and Marlee Townsend, a sophomore political science major.
“There was a need to be filled at UAB and this town to add to the human rights history and movement, and open it up to the world,” Reuter said. “I always say we bring Birmingham to the world and the world to Birmingham.”
The Institute for Human Rights is an organization that students can use to become more aware of issues such as human trafficking, racial discrimination, refugee crises or any other major topic concerning human rights. Rountree says she hopes to personalize these issues because human rights are about the individual rather than just the group. According to her, phrases like “Black Lives Matter” or “save the refugees” open the door to make the issue about the person and their hopes and dreams.
“I think it is of the utmost importance for students to be aware of the injustices being done not only abroad, but of the ones being done around them,” Reid said. “Part of our mission is to make people realize that the local is global and the global is local.”
Reuter also said that because human rights is an interdisciplinary subject, students from any background or major have the opportunity to get involved.
“Students can use their abilities from using technology to fight for human rights, to their skills in language, to really anything they’re passionate about,” Reuter said.
Students have the opportunity to get involved in human rights issues in a variety of ways. A new minor in human rights as well as a masters in anthropology of peace and human rights are being offered, and a new student organization, Students for Human Rights, is available to join as well. The IHR’s website also provides a comprehensive list of other student led organizations available to students who hope to engage with others on human rights topics.
And the Institute isn’t exclusive to students; members of the community have the opportunity to take part as well. Reuter said she hopes that they will be able to hold workshops for community leaders in order to spread awareness.
A lecture on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. with Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee celebrated the opening of the institute.
