The PHR National Student Program
Physicians for Human Rights The PHR mission: Physicians for Human Rights mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice and promotes the right to health for all. Harnessing the specialized skills, rigor, and passion of doctors, nurses, public health specialists, and scientists, PHR investigates human rights abuses and works to stop them.
How does PHR operate? PHR uses the skills of health professionals (forensics, physical exams, epidemiology) to establish evidence of human rights violations. Based on this evidence, PHR provides concrete policy recommendations. Advocacy is essential to ensuring that policies are changed to promote and protect human rights.
Foundations of PHR Dr. Jonathan Fine leads a delegation to Chile to investigate the disappearance of 3 prominent physicians under the Pinochet regime Dr. Fine creates The American Committee for Human Rights with Dr. Robert Lawrence & Dr. Eric Stover Other physicians and healthcare workers join the ACHR in leading investigations into human rights abuses abroad (Jane Green Schaller, Carola Eisenberg, H. Jack Geiger) Name changed to Physicians for Human Rights
PHR Highlights 1988 First to prove Iraqi’s use of chemical weapons on Kurds 1993 Exhumed mass graves in the Balkans 1996 Discovered critical evidence of genocide in Rwanda 1997 Won Nobel Peace Prize for the international Campaign to Ban Landmines
PHR Highlights 2003 Warned of health and human rights catastrophe prior to the invasion of Iraq 2004 Documented and analyzed the genocide in Darfur 2005 Detailed the story of tortured detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay 2010 Showed how CIA medical personnel sought to improve water-boarding and other interrogation techniques that amount to torture
Why Health Professionals? Specialized skills, rigor, knowledge Scientific evidence Objectivity and credibility Influence of the profession Guided by ethical obligations Internationally shared vocabulary and sense of responsibility Interdependence of health and human rights
Why Medical Students? Energetic and dedicated – ready to make an impact now Idealistic and visionary – preparing to be the human rights leaders of tomorrow Ready to apply clinical skills as well as develop advocacy and leadership skills Responsive and ready to mobilize Structure of Chapters reinforces convictions and ensures impact
The PHR National Student Program The goal of the PHR National Student Program is to advance health professional students’ understanding and lifelong investment in health and human rights activism, and to cultivate their unique contributions as advocates promoting health and human rights locally, nationally and globally.
Student Advocacy As future health professionals, students across the country advocate on behalf of health and human rights through PHR student chapters. Student advocacy includes: Organizing direct actions on key health and human rights issues Raising awareness of health and human rights issues on campuses, in local communities, and in the media Moving their elected officials to take action Hosting educational projects with health and human rights experts
What Can You Do First? Register your Chapter and create your profile at Stay up-to-date at Participate in PHR advocacy (sign online petitions, make phone calls, write a letter to the editor) Use student resources at Go to PHR events to develop knowledge, skills, and to connect with a network of students, clinicians, and advocates Join other students to plan events to educate the community about health and human rights
2010 NSP Events Regional Advocacy Institutes Chicago - October 23, 2010 Baltimore – November 13, 2010 Boston – December 4, 2010 Health Access Week of Action PHR Students will coordinate efforts in the days between World AIDS Day (December 1, 2010) and Human Rights Day (December 10, 2010) PHR National Student Conference February 2010(Boston) Global Health Week of Action Sunday, April 4 to Saturday, April 10, 2010