Amnesty International
Media Advisory
Tuesday 31 July 2012

New Zealand students take up the challenge for human rights

Students around the country will be campaigning against forced evictions in Cambodia and Israel & the Occupied Territories this week and next, as part of Amnesty International’s Freedom Challenge.

Both school and university students will get involved with Amnesty’s Don’t Bulldoze People’s Lives campaign on forced evictions by getting creative with the theme.

“Adequate housing is a basic human right. But millions of people around the world live in slums. Sadly, many of these people are vulnerable to forced evictions; their houses may even be demolished,” says Freedom Challenge Coordinator Lisa Marshall.

“Freedom Challenge is an opportunity for New Zealand students to use their freedom to fight for the rights of others,” adds Marshall.

Imagining what it would be like to have to pack up their lives in just a few minutes inspired students to take on the Freedom Challenge, with events from handcuffing Principals to creating cardboard slums and enacting forced evictions taking place.

Background:

Every year this nation-wide week of youth action encourages New Zealand school kids to get creative and come up with an inventive way to take action for human rights.

The aim of Freedom Challenge is to raise awareness about the issue and inspire others to take action

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