Steve Cockburn
@stevecockburn
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Amnesty Head of Economic and Social Justice. Health, housing, workers rights, sport. Ex West/Central Africa. #NUFC fan. Trustee Newcastle @WEFoodbank
Whitley Bay, Dakar and Morpeth
Joined March 2009
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My better half ordered me a personalised Christmas mug from the
#NUFC
club shop, and here is what they sent.
#censorship
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As a lifelong
#NUFC
fan whose job at
@amnesty
includes the link between sport and
#humanrights
, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about the impending Saudi takeover of my club. Mixing the personal and professional rarely works, but here goes…
#NUFCTakeover
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“Nazis, haddaway and sh*te”
Everyone’s favourite Geordie phrase..
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Wow -
#FreeAfghanWomen
It would be a travesty if the IOC sanctioned Manish’s Talash for this moment of history.
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Both
@GaryLineker
and
@alanshearer
- two legends with 599 goals between them - expressed their support to the
#PayUpFIFA
campaign today.
As did 73% of people we polled in 15 countries.
Time to compensate migrant workers in Qatar.
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“Toon Toon, black & white (and brown & pink & olive etc) army”
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This year, some of the world’s biggest brands will sponsor FIFA over $1.3bn to be associated with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
4 sponsors have now spoken out in favour of compensation for World Cup workers. Our new poll out today shows the public want the rest to follow. A 🧵 ⬇️
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Together with our partners in
@Sport_Rights
, we
@amnesty
stand with Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting against disinformation and hate.
It’s time to stop using women for fodder in your culture wars. Let’s start treating people with humanity, decency and respect.
🚨 The online abuse and hateful rhetoric directed at Olympic boxers
#ImaneKhelif
and
#LinYuTing
is unconscionable, unfounded and must stop.
Read the full
#SRA
statement ➡️
#boxing
#Olympics
#Paris2024
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Not owned by the Saudi state, not owned by the Saudi state, not owned by the Sau....
✈️
#NUFC
have partnered with Saudi Arabia’s national carrier,
@SaudiAirlinesEn
as the club prepares for a warm weather training camp in Riyadh this December.
⚫️⚪️
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The final gold medalist of
#Paris2024
is the wonderful Sifan Hassan from Netherlands, victorious in the women’s marathon.
It’s a shocking irony that if she was French, she would be banned from wearing a hijab during this ceremony.
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Armed with billions of 💰💷💶 of public money🤑, pharma companies had the opportunity - and responsibility - to help vaccinate the world. But today's
@Amnesty
report shows that they have failed to meet their human rights responsibilities, often scandalously so.
A thread...
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Breaking:
@Amnesty
looked at sporting rules in 38 European countries.
Only one country bans Muslim from wearing a hijab while playing sports - this year's Olympic hosts.
The IOC failed to challenge this, and will give France the Winter Olympics too.
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#Paris2024
is here and I’m excited.
Of course, like every Olympic Games, it is where sport meets politics and human rights.
From banning hijabs to expelling homeless people - from Gaza to Ukraine - here are a few of the big issues that have been hanging over the games… 🧵
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Teams in the
#Qatar2022
World Cup will share *$440m* in prize money.
So today human rights orgs, unions & fans groups called on
@FIFACom
to provide at least the same to the workers who suffered to make the tournament possible. Here's why: 🧵
#PayUpFIFA
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For 5 months, FIFA has been holding on to an independent review of whether they should pay compensation to workers who suffered to deliver the World Cup in Qatar.
It's thought the review says they *should* pay - so it is time for FIFA to publish and act
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A small, tragic band of racist protestors opposite thousands of anti-fascists in Newcastle
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In the
#USA
, at least 507 health workers had died as of 6 July according to
@CDCGlobal
– a figure they highlight is a minimum number given data limitations. Health workers have been sounding the alarm for months about shortages of PPE, and still are.
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Workers in Qatar deserve justice for abuses suffered in preparing the 2022 World Cup.
Our new global opinion poll shows that 73% of people in 15 countries agree.
Less than 50 days for FIFA to fix this before the tournament kicks off...🧵
#PayUpFIFA
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Our new
@amnesty
investigation shows how contracted migrant workers in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia were deceived and exploited, with the company knowing about complaints for over two years without ending this shocking abuse.
Read more…👇🧵
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Convince me there is any coastline in Britain more beautiful than Northumberland.
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Imane Khelif carried herself with amazing dignity in this fight. Won with great technique and then the emotion flowed.
It is impossible to understand what she must have been going through. Whatever people think, I hope those watching saw the human behind the headlines.
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The World Cup is over, but the campaign continues. Ahead of
#FIFA
’s annual congress,
@Amnesty
&
@Avaaz
came together to deliver:
🖋️Over one million signatures
🌍From 190 countries
📢With one demand
Compensate migrant workers
#PayUpFIFA
Full story:
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Yet
#NUFC
is not just about winning games or trophies, it’s also about *meaning something*. It’s everything Sir Bobby says in this most beautiful of quotes. Pride. Identity. Belonging. Many of us were that small boy gripping their father’s hand at their first game. It's more.
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Billboards in Kathmandu call on FIFA to ‘support the hardest working team in Qatar’ by finally agreeing to compensate them for abuses suffered.
This one is outside Tribhuvan airport, where migrants too often return without wages, and where bodies are regularly repatriated. 🧵
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Absolutely blown away by
@RanaAyyub
talking about her undercover investigation into the 2002 massacre in Gujarat. Incredible work, huge impact, with real personal sacrifice.
#GujaratFiles
#CIJSummer
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Gianni Infantino just told a press conference that FIFA will make *$11 billion* over the next four years.
Waiting to hear how much of that will be used to compensate workers linked to this World Cup... 👀
#PayUpFIFA
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Breaking: A new
@amnesty
investigation reveals the shocking exploitation of security guards in Qatar, including on sites linked to the 2022 World Cup. Overworked, underpaid and subjected to forced labour. THREAD🧵
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The
#nufctakeover
shambles has shown that our club & fans have been a pawn in other people's games. Football is part of our community & identity, and our game must be more than a plaything of either Sports Direct or Saudi Arabia. My piece for
@guardiannews
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“In 2010 World Cups were awarded by FIFA in unacceptable ways with unacceptable consequences… The migrant workers injured, or the families of those who died, in the build up to this tournament must be cared for”
Such a powerful speech by Norway FA pres
@Lisekla
at
#FIFACongress
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This turned into an essay / therapy session. For more considered insight, read pieces from
@MiguelDelaney
@danielstorey85
@barneyronay
@GeorgeCaulkin
@RBanerjee23
@NcGeehan
and others...
Views are my own, but Im so indoctrinated they may be Amnesty's too...
#NUFCTakeover
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But every fan should have their eyes open. While Mike Ashley abused our club, what
#SaudiArabia
plans is much worse - using
#NUFC
to
#sportswash
its abysmal human rights record. Our club becomes a PR tool for what
@amnesty
calls 'the kingdom of cruelty'
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Six months since the World Cup ended - FIFA and Qatar are still failing to ensure justice for workers. New
@amnesty
investigation out today on security guards who faced recruitment abuse, excessive hours and broken promises. See more 👇
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THREAD: After years of scandal,
#Qatar
made big promises to improve
#workersrights
ahead of the 2022 World Cup. But our new
@amnesty
report shows that it is falling short. We found hundreds of workers waiting in vain for pay & justice despite new reforms
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The money behind the 2022 World Cup:
🏟$220bn on infrastructure
💰$7.5bn revenues to FIFA
🏆$440m prize money to teams
⚽️$200m compensation to clubs
👷🏽…for workers’ compensation?
Think workers should get a fair share?
Sign here:
#PayUpFIFA
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Our new
@amnesty
investigation released today showing how 100 migrant workers toiled for seven months without pay on one of Qatar's key World Cup stadiums. 👇
Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers accused over unpaid migrant workers
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Marcus Rashford is the most impressive human being I've seen in years. Football already came home.
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Want to host a World Cup? According to FIFA’s *own rules* you have to meet stringent human rights standards.
With bids due for 2030 & 2034, we look at the rights risks in the main bidders – Morocco, Portugal, Spain & Saudi Arabia.
It's fair to say there's plenty to do...👇🧵
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FIFA are soon to launch the process to decide who should host the 2030 men's World Cup - we asked YouGov to poll over 17,000 people in 15 countries to find out what they thought was important in making that choice - here is what they said... 🧵
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Real bravery from the Iran national football team last night, wearing jackets to cover national symbols in protest against the death of Mahsa Amini. Reminiscent of the national team wearing armbands in support of the Green movement in 2009.
#Mahsa_Amini
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This cartoon by
@squires_david
puts it brilliantly, but brutally. Iconic images from
#NUFC
history, captioned with entries from
@Amnesty
and
@HRW
reports. Ouch.
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Great news -
@ussoccer
has become the latest Football Association to back the call for FIFA and Qatar to compensate migrant workers.
From FAs to sponsors, players to fans, support is growing thick and fast - a thread on who else is demanding justice for workers...
#PayUpFIFA
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"2020 is the history of who had less, gave the most and received the least." Interview with new
@amnesty
head
@AgnesCallamard
as we launch our global human rights annual report.
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The brilliant
@ZidanSports
highlights his investigation that uncovered how Lionel Messi is paid $2m per social media post to promote Saudi Arabia - and whose contract has a non-disparagement clause that means he could never criticise the country.
Money buys silence.
#ptg2024
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With one year until
#Qatar2022
kicks off, new
@amnesty
report shows exploitation of workers continue despite reforms. Too many workers remain trapped in jobs, deaths remain uninvestigated. The richest country in the world CAN fix this, and the football world should demand they do
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Something to think about ahead of
#BlackFriday
. Workers' rights are human rights.
#OrganizeAmazon
Everyone has the right to join and form a union. But
#Amazon
is limiting this right. What is Amazon afraid of?
#LetWorkersOrganize
#OrganizeAmazon
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Really good, important piece. The price of Saudi sportswashing investment should, at the very least, be much greater scrutiny of its appalling human rights record. Not always easy or comfortable to keep doing so - but even more important for that reason.
#NUFC
7 young men face execution in Saudi Arabia for offences committed as minors.
Around the
#NUFC
takeover, some argued it would provide the chance to ‘shine a light’ on human rights.
Here’s a discussion about whether that’s happened, and what fans can do.
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Who pays tax, who doesn't, how it is raised, and how it is spent - these are all core human rights issues.
@Amnesty
is recruiting for an exciting new role to focus on the links between taxation and human rights.
Please share, RT and/or apply!
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FIFA has been misleading the world on worker’s remedy - here is how. 🧵
It's time to ensure that it's new Legacy Fund compensates workers who made its $7.5bn tournament possible.
New press release:
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New analysis: Rich countries have ordered enough vaccines to immunise their population 3 times over, while 69 poorer countries only have supplies for 1 in 10 people.
The hope of a
#COVID19
vaccine must be shared by everyone, everywhere.
#PeoplesVaccine
.
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It's not often enough that we get to share good news, but reimbursement of unlawful recruitment fees can be life-changing for migrant workers.
It followed investigations by brilliant colleagues
@EllaKnight86
and
@MayRomanos
as well top journalism from
@acharyapramod
. See more 👇
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It would be incredibly powerful for the captains of England, France and Denmark to support the
#PayUpFIFA
campaign and call on FIFA and Qatar to compensate migrant workers.
A simple but meaningful ask everyone can get behind.
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Yesterday Saudi Arabia published its Human Rights Plan for the 2034 World Cup.
It completely ignores mass forced evictions, a ban on trade unions, the imprisonment of rights activists and criminalisation of LGBTI people.
Our response to this whitewash 👇
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France agrees to back the
#TRIPSWaiver
to allow countries to produce their own vaccines. Another important step towards a
#PeoplesVacccine
. Felicitations à
@oxfamfrance
et tous les militants en France!
🍾🙌 IMPORTANT
Nous venons de quitter l’Elysée,
@EmmanuelMacron
s’est engagé à soutenir ce WE au
#G7
la levée des brevets sur les vaccins et c’est une GRANDE nouvelle.
Ce combat pour la justice et la santé aux côtés de
@peoplesvaccine
est un combat essentiel !
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So we
@amnesty
are launching a new 100 day campaign - backed last week by
@DrTedros
and
@mbachelet
- to demand that states and companies deliver 2 billion vaccines to lower income countries by the end of the year. Please watch this space to see how you can support the campaign.
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#FIFACongress
announced a review of whether existing remedy schemes are sufficient to address abuses in Qatar. Clue - they aren't!
Important that FIFA recognised a problem, but this must not be a whitewash to kick workers' justice into the long grass.
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It’s taken years of constant, unrelenting dehumanisation to get to the point where people can try and burn down a hotel with people in it, some not even bothering to wear a mask.
It’s not just these thugs responsible - look hard at the shit stirrers and attention seekers.
In August 1992 German neo-Nazis set fire to an apartment block in Rostock, Germany, in bid to drive asylum seekers out (right)
In August 2024 British racists set fire to a hotel in Rotherham in bid to drive migrants out (left)
Appalling
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“It is sad. It’s even shameful to be at this point in 2024, to block dreams just because of a piece of fabric.”
Ahead of
#Paris2024
, new
@Amnesty
report highlights the devastating impact of France's hijab ban on women & girls who simply want to play sport and express their faith
NEW Amnesty publication 👇
#France
: Hijab bans in French sport expose discriminatory double standards ahead of
@Olympics
and Paralympic Games
#Paris2024
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There is an alternative to the zero-sum game of vaccine hoarding, export restrictions and contract disputes. It means putting global solidarity over national competition, and knowledge sharing over intellectual property. My piece for
@CNN
#PeoplesVaccine
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But the Premier League lacks a human rights policy, its fit and proper person test is weak, and the fact that TV disputes are more likely to be a barrier says a lot. The PL could do a lot worse than banning sovereign wealth funds from owning football clubs
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Every new pledge of life-saving vaccine doses at the
#COVIDSummit
has been for delivery in 2022 - why wait when people are dying now and hundreds of millions of surplus doses are available immediately?
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Solidarity with everyone organising, joining or just respecting this protest today. It’s a brave move and important to keep talking about human rights - it’s the only way sportswashing doesn’t win.
Join
#NUFCFans
this Saturday, in a silent, dignified protest in solidarity with victims of Saudi human rights abuses.
Eight minors on death row in Saudi Arabia
#SayTheirNames
#StopTheSlaughter
————————————————————-
Further info on our campaign here 👇
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It’s worth reading the IOC’s statement on women’s boxing for more context and facts.
There are human beings at the centre of this, women who are receiving horrific abuse for being who they are and following the rules.
We desperately need more respect and dignity in this space.
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Incredible panel of young sports journalists, talking about the crucial work reporting on issues of racism, sexism and human rights in sport.
One shocking detail - of 16 young African journalists selected to report on a sports event in France, 8 were denied visas to do so. 😡
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It's official,
#Gambia
has notified the UN that it will stay with
@IntnlCrimCourt
, and "honour its obligations under the Rome Statute."
#ICC
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We get so lost in debating the numbers of how many workers have died in Qatar, we often forget that behind every figure is a person with a family who has lost both a loved one and any chance of financial security. They need truth and compensation.
#PayUpFIFA
#PayUpQatar
"The continued debate around the number of workers who have died in the preparation of the World Cup exposes the stark reality that so many bereaved families are still waiting for truth and justice"
@stevecockburn
#Qatar2022
#PayUpFIFA
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Jammeh to Barrow: Congratulations to you and your team.
#Gambia
needs peace. I will be a farmer in Kanilai [laughs]. Wow.
#GambiaDecides
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There is a bitter-sweet taste to this announcement. One of the key figures fighting for the abolition of the
#deathpenalty
in
#BurkinaFaso
was
@AmnestyWARO
researcher Gaetan Mootoo, who passed away last weekend. He would have been proud to see this.
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"Employers still have workers in a headlock" an Embassy official told
@amnesty
in our new report on Qatar out today - one year on from the 2022 World Cup.
A thread on the promised legacy for workers - and what must be done to save it 🧵
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Powerful and damning statement from 8 global trade unions ahead of
#FIFACongress
- without trade Union rights and remedy for workers in Qatar “there is no tangible or lasting legacy… of which Qatar, FIFA and the world could be proud”
How will FIFA respond?
#PayUpFIFA
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Out tomorrow: new
@amnesty
and
@Sport_Rights
report highlighting the human rights at stake in the bidding for the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups.
Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Saudi Arabia and FIFA all under the spotlight.
More coming soon…
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The Ashley years have been grim. It’s not just the relegations, the underinvestment, or hiring Joe Kinnear twice. It’s the treatment of Keegan & Gutierrez. The surrender of hope & joy. Becoming a Sports Direct commodity. The feeling our club is grubby and we don’t mean anything.
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📢New report on 2030 & 2034 World Cup bids:
⚽️ Serious human rights risks in Morocco, Portugal & Spain need addressed.
⚽️Massive violations inevitable in Saudi Arabia without fundamental reforms.
⚽️FIFA must make binding rights agreements or walk away.
👉
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📢 Great job alert: Amnesty is recruiting for a global Researcher/Advisor focused on the right to health.
An excellent opportunity for someone - please do share or apply!
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Response from
#Qatar
to latest
@amnesty
report
We recognise all these reforms in our report - Qatar *has* made progress - but they do not erase the suffering of so many workers exploited before laws were changed, nor those abused today when laws are not enforced. Remedy is key.
#infographic
|
The most prominent statement of the
#Ministry_of_Labour
, in response to the Amnesty International report
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Leading epidemiologists say mutations could make current vaccines ineffective within a year, unless technology is shared and global vaccine coverage is ramped up. New survey today by
@peoplesvaccine
#PeoplesVaccine
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Great to speak with football fans from across Europe about the need for sport to embrace human rights.
It’s clear fans are frustrated by huge outstanding questions on workers rights, LGBTI rights & fan safety for
#Qatar2022
- just four months left, is anyone listening?
#EFFC22
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This is huge news. 400,000 children die of malaria every year, and a vaccine is now finally in sight. More game changing work from Oxford's Jenner Institute.
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I may cheer if
#NUFC
wins its first proper trophy since 1969 (I also cheered our Intertoto & Championship ‘trophies’). But seeing it done surrounded by adverts for the Saudi regime, knowing that our victory would really be their victory, would cheapen it massively.
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Finally, to read more, and why
@amnesty
's Secretary General
@AgnesCallamard
describes pharma's role in this crisis as "their shame and our collective grief", see our press release and full report here.
(End of thread, thanks if you made it this far)
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A year since the kindest, most gentle and powerful human rights defender left us. Gaëtan Mootoo found humanity in every person he met, every cause and individual he fought for. Sorry we failed you. Thank you for everything you gave and taught us. You made us better people.
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"There will be zero tolerance for human rights abuses" in new
#Gambia
,
@BarrowOfficial1
tells
@aliounetine16
of
@AmnestyWARO
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