Restless Beings

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Restless Beings
Restless Beings logo.jpg
Formation31 October 2007 (2007-10-31)
FounderRahima Begum
Mabrur Ahmed
TypeHuman rights charity
HeadquartersLondon, England
Rahima Begum
Mabrur Ahmed
Websitewww.restlessbeings.org

Restless Beings is a UK-based non-profitable,[1] non-political, international grassroots human rights charity.

Premise[]

Restless Beings was founded by Rahima Begum and Mabrur Ahmed[2] on 31 October 2007[1] and launched on 1 May 2008.[3] It is an international[4] grassroots[2] human rights charity[2][5][6] that aims to support marginalised communities that are deprived of media or public attention.[7][8]

Its focus has been to ensure most unheard, marginalised communities, silenced and forgotten communities are brought to the forefront and a global understanding of the problems they are experiencing and the roots of their struggle.[9] The organisation is not affiliated with any political organisation and is run by an in-house team of volunteers made up of students and professionals. They have links and contacts with small NGO's across the world.[3]

Projects[]

Restless Beings' projects are holistic in operation and work towards self-sufficiency. Through campaigning and raising awareness of the plight of the communities at the heart of their work, they are able to mobilise civil society, media, academic institutions, NGO's and government bodies. They currently learn five projects.

Street Children of Dhaka, Bangladesh[]

According to the organisation, "street children are one of the world’s most invisible populations, overlooked by governments, law and policymakers and many others in society". This project is to help those who are exposed to drugs, trafficking, prostitution and poverty to provide them education, nutrition, accommodation, medical aid, vocational support and psychological counselling.[10]

They work with local changemakers, civil society and the government[11] to improve the quality of children's lives and their access to education, healthcare, shelter and safe employment opportunities.

  • Children are continually facing the dangers of drugs, sexual exploitation and trafficking and they work towards addressing each of these issues in the most holistic way possible.
  • They have worked with over 400 children assisting them from transitioning away from a life of drugs, abuse and petty crime.
  • Established an initial Rehabilitation Centre for child users of Dandy, a local drug made of alcohol and glue.
  • Currently fundraise for creation of a sustainable village made for Street Children to offer pathways away from abuse and into safety and potential.[10]

Rohingya Rights, Burma & South/Southeast Asia[]

Their Rohingya Rights Project aims to help Rohingya refugees who are being ethnic cleansed and living with acts of abuse by the Burmese junta. They are one of the leading international organisations campaigning for the rights of the persecuted Rohingya community. They were one of the first to bring verified news and pictures of the suffering to the world via our longstanding contacts and work in the region. They helped bring the very first and exclusive reports to CNN, BBC, Channel 4, AFP and more during the 2012 crisis.

  • Directly supported over 100,000 Rohingya by providing temporary shelter on their arrival to the Bangladesh/Myanmar border.[12][13]
  • Distributed over 600 tonnes of aid since 2017.
  • Over the past decade, they have made multiple policy recommendations to governments worldwide, consulted with NGOs and INGOs to ensure the support given to the Rohingya is dignified and partnered with think tanks for a number of vital research projects which directly impact the wellbeing of the Rohingya.
  • They are currently running children's and women's safe spaces and learning centres inside the camps which work towards providing much needed support in the form of counselling for rape victims, PTSD therapy, creative programmes and beyond.
  • They have provided and continued to provide policy advice to the British Parliament through the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Burma, Bangladesh, Rohingya and India – they are currently the only human rights organisation to do so for the Rohingya APPG.
  • They have advocated and provided policy advice to the European Parliament and the US Congress on various human rights and humanitarian policies.
  • Over 60 international academic presentations, lectures, conferences and seminars including: Columbia University, Berkeley University of California, Panjab University, Universiti Malaya, Kings College London, University of Dhaka, New York University, Queen Mary University of London, Edinburgh University, Southampton University and many more.[14][15][16]

Assam & Wider India Citizenship Rights[]

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) excluded 1.9 million people from citizenship in Assam alone. According to the organisation: "...this poses a risk of mass deprivation of nationality and arbitrary detention of linguistic and religious minorities and is a clear violation of Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights". The Assam & Wider India Citizenship Rights Project entails:

  • Working with local activists, academics, committees, lawyers and organisations on the ground.
  • Helping to mobilise students and academics to help widen understanding and raise much needed awareness.
  • Working directly with those affected by the NRC. Together with support from affected communities we devised an international campaign.
  • Working with human rights defenders to ensure that freedom of democracy and the democratic process are widely available to all across the region.
  • Ensuring that all cases of xenophobia, intimidation and abuse of those deemed as ‘foreigners’ are reported and perpetrators held to account.

Farmer Suicide & Agrarianism in Punjab, India[]

The Farmer Suicide & Agrarianism in Punjab Project seeks to understand and advocate on behalf of the farmers' concerns against state and Central Government. "Often survivor families of farmers who have committed suicide struggle with the very basic elements of life – our project seeks to fill that gap, offer hope through education and livelihood for the families and to ensure that they have legal rights of protection".[17]

  • The prevention of farmer suicide, the rights of farmers (land ownership, understanding of changing legislations which will directly impact them), and the livelihoods and security of the families of farmers who have committed suicide (especially the women and children) is our primary concern for this agrarian project.
  • We are currently working with farmers associations and academic institutions in India to raise more awareness and cultivate an interest in the rights and lives of this community.
  • Protecting farmers and their families who are threatened by money-lenders and loan sharks and also advocating for Government loan conditions to be fair.
  • Working with local and Central government to advocate for the safe and fair use of Punjab's natural river water and resources. Over the last generation, Government decisions have led to river water from Punjab being siphoned off to other neighbouring states. Consequently, these decisions have adversely affected the livelihoods of farms and communities across Punjab leading to various social maladies.[17]

Ala Kachuu and Women’s Rights, Kyrgyzstan[]

Non-consensual Ala Kachuu is the practice of bride kidnapping. Once a romantic, playful tradition in which two consenting adults would role-play as the groom ‘took away’ his bride, over time this tradition mutated into actual kidnap. The victims, outside of the severe trauma of the experience itself, can suffer sexual abuse, domestic violence and intimidation in their marital home. This has come about due to various socio-economic reasons.[18]

  • They have successfully lobbied the government to enforce laws against the practice.
  • Partnered with Kyrgyz women's rights organisations to help provide counselling and support to victims, working with women and girls of all ages.
  • Created literature and programmes for academic institutions to widen the understanding of the human rights abuses that stem from this practice.
  • Produced a national TV campaign and advertisement with the partnership of Kyrgyzstan's leading film directors. This helped raise awareness of the horrors of bride kidnapping, which directly influenced legislation on women's rights.

Their support for the persecuted Rohingya people in Burma as well as women's rights in Kyrgyzstan received particular praise[9] and attention of the international media and world opinion.[8][19][20][21][22][23]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Shahid, Omar (28 November 2011). "Review: Restless Beings, Human Writes 2 @ Rhythm Factory". Omar Shahid. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Choudhury, Nilima (6 June 2011). "Third anniversary of Restless Beings charity". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b "About us". Restless Beings. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  4. ^ "A Voice's value". Your Local Guardian. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. ^ "2013 British Bangladeshi Power 100 unveiled". The Asians. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. ^ "2013 British Bangladeshi Power 100 unveiled". Tazakhobor.com. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  7. ^ Baynes, Mark (21 December 2010). "Nominations for British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration 2014 still open". Love Wapping. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  8. ^ a b "British Asians make valuable contribution in developing society". The Asians. 18 May 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  9. ^ a b Rivers, Daniel (January 2013). "Emerging Influence - Community recognition for RestlessBeings". Restless Beings. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Dhaka Street Children Project". Restless Beings. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  11. ^ Website, About the host Labour Campaign for Human Rights Facebook Twitter. "Human Rights in Bangladesh: Shaping the Future of Diplomacy". Labour Campaign for Human Rights. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  12. ^ "Reaffirming Génocidaires – Myanmar's elections | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  13. ^ "ROHINGYA RIGHTS / Asia-wide". Restless Beings. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  14. ^ "Preventing disaster: COVID-19 and the Rohingya in Bangladesh". South Asia@LSE. 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  15. ^ "Assam and Rohingya Citizenship Crises - School of Law". www.qmul.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  16. ^ "Beyond the Crisis Narrative | Institute for South Asia Studies". southasia.berkeley.edu. 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  17. ^ a b "Panjab Farmers Rights". Restless Beings. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  18. ^ "WOMEN'S RIGHTS / Kyrgyzstan". Restless Beings. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  19. ^ Aslett, Matthew (8 November 2012). "Rohingya Global Day of Action takes place in London". Demotix. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  20. ^ Restless Beings (19 June 2013). "Protest in London Exposes Plight of the Rohingyas". Independent Media Center. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  21. ^ "Restless Beings Talk #Rohingya Crisis On Revolution". Reprezent 107.3FM. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  22. ^ "Revolution". Reprezent 107.3FM. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  23. ^ "Press Statement for Immediate Release". Restless Being. Retrieved 1 November 2014.

External[]

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