Posted: April 12th, 2015

Guidelines for second human rights writing assignment

Guidelines for second human rights writing assignment

The policy brief writing assignment builds on the work you’ve already done. Here are guidelines for the final report.

• Find a policy brief or report from Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International whose formatting and style you like, and borrow liberally from it to format your own report.
  • Note the way the report is organized:       executive summary, recommendations, legal authorities, etc.
  • Note also how it uses maps, photos, quotes, etc. to complement the text.
  • Use these techniques in your own report as seems appropriate.
• Pay close attention to usage, typos, grammar, etc.       Careful writing is essential.
  • Avoid the passive voice: it’s often used in official reports, but if overused can bore readers to death.
  • Keep language professional: avoid overly emotional or emphatic usage.
  • Share drafts with friends, classmates, family (grandma might be interested!) to get feedback about readability, logic, clarity, etc. Print out drafts and mark them up by hand – don’t over-rely on screen reading.

This assignment will expect some additional points:

• More narrative details that illustrate the problem,
• More literature (citations, bibliography), including specific references to international and national human rights laws,
• Inclusion of political science research into the causes of human rights violations,
• Data in the form of tables, graphs or charts; time series and or cross-national comparative data in particular will be helpful,
• Specific policy options to guide governments (domestic and foreign), international organizations such as the United Nations, and international NGOs. Policy options should be well researched with an eye for political feasibility.

Some of the items in the guidelines below are similar to the first assignment, but it is expected that they be revised and rewritten to reflect your more intensive research. The Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International report style may suggest alternative ways of presenting similar information, so you have some latitude to adapt your material to a format that suits you.

1. Front matter

1. Executive summary

• Brief statement of the issue and why it is of concern in human rights terms

1. Background of the issue
   1. Brief description of events that illustrate or highlight what the issue is
   2. Brief history of the issue
   3. Data overview: event data, time series, cross-national comparisons, whichever is appropriate

1. Public reaction to events
   1. What has been the domestic activity inside the country where events are taking place? Who does what, and what have they done?
      1. research,
      2. advocacy,

• large-scale public protest and campaigns,

1. government reforms,
2. legal action in courts or tribunals,
3. truth and reconciliation commissions,

• other?

1. What is the international activity by governments, international governmental organizations like the UN, and international NGOs:
   1. research,
   2. advocacy,

• large-scale public protest and campaigns,

1. diplomatic action,
2. legal action in courts or tribunals,
3. military intervention,

• political or economic pressure, such as boycotts,
• other?

1. Discussion of what is known in political science and legal studies, about what causes this type of human rights violation, why such issues occur.
   1. What are the threats, perceived or real, that the perpetrators of violations feel they are facing?
   2. What are the patterns of human rights violations, political or conflict situations, regime types or behaviors, that help to identify the root causes of the problem?

• Human rights at stake
  1. What is the international human rights law or principle at issue, specifically?
  2. What is the status of human rights law domestically in the country?
  3. What legal or political actions have taken place in connection with the issue at hand?

• Prospects for resolution
  1. Discussion of what is known about how such issues have been and/or can be resolved
  2. Discussion of what options exist in the current situation
     1. How effective have currents efforts been?
     2. What additional or other efforts should be considered?

• What is the likelihood that action will be taken?
  1. Opportunities for action
  2. Obstacles to action
  3. Politics of the situation

1. What role is there for international human rights law and norms?
   1. UN, etc. role
   2. Country role

• NGO role

1. Recommendations: list for relevant organizations as appropriate

1. Bibliography