Shia Rights Watch

Shia Rights Watch
Founded 2011 (2011)
Type Non-profit NGO
Focus Research, Advocacy, Anti-Shi'ism, Human Rights
Location
Area served
Worldwide
Members
600+ Active Members
Key people
  • Mustafa Akhwand (Director)
  • Ammar Hussain
  • Hussian Al–Rumaithi
Mission To Protect the Rights of Shia Muslims Worldwide
Website shiarightswatch.org

Shia Rights Watch (SRW) is an organization that works to defend justice and rights for Shia Muslims around the world. It is the first of its kind, a non-governmental, not for profit, organization that bases research and advocacy from case studies and reports, hands on experience, field education and policy changing, headquartered in Washington D.C. By working with victims, humanitarian organizations, journalists and its network of over 600 active members, SRW publishes reports and articles that help to spread awareness of the many human rights abuses committed against the Shia Muslim population throughout the world.[1]

Activities

Shia Rights Watch aims to protect the rights of Shia Muslims through investigative research and targeted advocacy. Its worldwide network provides SRW with the resources to publish detailed reports and articles that shed light on the human rights violations committed every day.[2] The organization goes through media, old and new, and take note of the reports that are being made on Human Rights violations to Shia Muslims around the world. If a media outlet, newspapers or blogs for example, reports on the violent acts and Anti-Shi'ist activities in a light that is honest, unbiased reporting, the organization contacts that media and thanks the author or other organization on the importance of reporting these violations.[3] The organization publicly condemns any reports that justifies violence or entire events itself, trying to raise awareness and bring the violations to the attention of the people.[4]

Reports

Each year, Shia Rights Watch publishes reports that document human rights violations committed against Shia Muslims as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2012, SRW published five reports including one on Pakistan, Bahrain, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. These reports include recommendations to the United States government with action steps for each specific country to move towards a more unbiased and peaceful government that does not exclude minorities, including religious minorities.[5] Journalists, researchers, human rights activists and members of the United States government request to the organization, largely based on case studies and research, to obtain a copy.[6]

Articles

Shia Rights Watch actively monitors human rights abuses by monitoring news sources, speaking with victims and witnesses, connecting with its over 600 active members worldwide and analyzing reports released by other nonprofits and NGOs.[7] Using this information, SRW writes articles about these human rights violations that are then published by a number of various news agencies, including Global Security News,[8] Jafria News,[9] Rasid News,[10] Islam Times,[11] The News Tribe,[6] AhlulBayt News Agency,[12] and others.

Conventions

Shia Rights Watch is an active member in the humanitarian and Shia Muslim communities. It regularly participates in conferences put on by organizations such as the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Islamic Information Center and the Universal Muslim Association of America.[13] Head members are often interviewed, reported on, and cited for key issues in the Middle East that involves sectarian violence and humanitarian issues.[14]

Anti-Shi'ism

In an effort to spread awareness of the discrimination and persecution faced by Shia Muslims worldwide, SRW coined the term Anti-Shi'ism.[15] This term refers to "prejudice and hatred toward the Shia branch of Islam or towards Shia Muslims" as defined by Merriam-Webster.[16] Since submitting this term to a number of popular dictionaries, the term as been widely used by scholars and the media.[17] Even in common term dictionaries, Anti-Shi'ism is popping up in dialogue around the web.

Organization

Shia Rights Watch is a non-profit, 501(c) organization. It is funded by private donors and does not receive government assistance.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Introducing a Shia organization: Shia Rights Watch". En.shafaqna.com. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  2. ↑ "INTERNATIONAL - Rapport de Shia Rights Watch sur les violations des droits des chiites dans le monde - Ar — Observatoire Pharos" (in French). Observatoirepharos.com. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  3. ↑ "Shia Rights Violation By Yousef Al-Qaradawi | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  4. ↑ "Shia Rights Watch Statement: Save the Lives of Shia Muslims and Shrines in Syria | World Shia Forum". Worldshiaforum.wordpress.com. 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  5. ↑ "Saudi Shia Muslim Victims of Sectarian Isolationism: Shia Rights Watch". Abna.ir. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  6. 1 2 "Shia Rights Watch to release report highlighting Bahrain's 'atrocities'". The News Tribe. 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  7. ↑ "About us". Shiarightswatch.org. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  8. ↑ "Shia Pilgrims Killed in Iraq by Militant Sunni Islamists: Iran Needs to Wake Up". Global Security News. 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  9. ↑ "Shia Citizen Under Worst conditions in Saudi Arabia , Shia Mosque Closed |". Jafrianews.com. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  10. ↑ "Saudi closed largest shia mosque in Al-Ahsa - Rasid News Network". Rasid.com. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  11. ↑ Behnegarsoft.com. "US rights group deplores deadly attack on Indonesian Shias". Islam Times. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  12. ↑ "Shia Rights Watch condemns Shia massacre in Pakistan". Abna.co. 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  13. ↑ "Convention". Shiarightswatch.org. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  14. ↑ "Mustafa Akhwand". AND Magazine. 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  15. ↑ "Anti-Shi'ism". Shiarightswatch.org. 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  16. ↑ "Merriam-Webster Online". Nws.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  17. ↑ "Always Free Online". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
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