Raising the alarm: human rights and international advocacy

Dec 5, 2017

Adotei Akwei is the Managing Director for Government Relations for Amnesty International USA. In this conversation with Perry World House Deputy Director LaShawn Jefferson, Akwei discusses his work in human rights, advocating for important issues, and engaging the next generation of noisemakers.  

• (1:10) – Akwei’s path towards a career in human rights.
• (3:40) – How diplomacy can advance human rights.
• (7:30) – The role of advocacy, and Amnesty International’s work in the United States.
• (13:00) – How universities can support human rights and international advocacy work.  
• (16:05) – The art of influencing policymakers to affect change.
• (19:30) – The two most important challenges that Africa faces over the near-term.
• (21:44) – The most important global challenge in the long-term.
• (23:00) – Interesting fact about the world.
• (25:42) – Advice for college students interested in engaging the policy world.

Episode Reading:

• “States worldwide failing to prevent killings and disappearances of human rights defenders,” Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/12/states-worldwide-failing-to-prevent-killings-and-disappearances-of-human-rights-defenders/
• Adotei Akwei, “Love Is a Right, Hate Is a Crime,” Huffpost https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/love-is-a-right-hate-is-a-crime_b_4866712.html
• Chris Tognotti, “The Libyan Slave Trade Didn’t Just Happen – It’s Been Enabled For Years,” Bustle https://www.bustle.com/p/the-libyan-slave-trade-didnt-just-happen-its-been-enabled-for-years-6659275

Music and Produced by Tre Hester