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Human rights stories are all around us. We explore contemporary and historic human rights stories, from Canada and around the world.

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Persecution of queer Canadian soldiers in wartime

By Sarah Worthman

A man stands in dark shadows in a stark stone cell, gazing upward at bright sunlight streaming in through a barred window. Partially obscured.

Every Canadian’s responsibility

By Karine Duhamel

A young woman with braided hair, wearing a maroon jacket and gray winter cap, looks forward resolutely. A red handprint is painted over her mouth and face. Partially obscured.

“My future children will never get to experience the home I knew”

By Damhat Zagros

Watercolour painting of a group of adults and children, their faces obscured, standing in a field. All the women’s heads are covered and most people are carrying backpacks and have things in their hands. Partially obscured.

The Impact of War on Children Worldwide

By Shelly Whitman Ph. D.

White paint peeling off a brown wall. Partially obscured.

What Is Two‐Spirit? Part One: Origins

By Scott de Groot

A poster featuring large artwork depicting two faces in dramatic colours and patterns, with background imagery including hands, standing figures and geometric shapes. A large title at the top reads “The 10th Annual International Two Spirit Gathering” and text at the bottom reads “August 27-31, 1997. Onamia, Minnesota.” Partially obscured.

Heartbeat of a People

By Dave McLeod

Close-up on a group of people wearing beaded jackets and vests performing on stage. In the centreer, a man wearing glasses, a hat, and a large, beaded medallion sings into a microphone. Partially obscured.

Beyond the Beats and Rhymes Is Life

By Mark V. Campbell (DJ Grumps)

A woman in a grey jacket and darker grey pants is breakdancing on a sidewalk during daytime. Trees and buildings are in the background. Partially obscured.

The Amchitka Campaign

By Barbara Stowe

A boat in the water with mountains and clouds in the background. Its sail is decorated with large peace signs. Partially obscured.

An interview with Tegan and Sara

By CMHR Curatorial Team

Two people with long hair in high ponytails wearing winter coats pose in the corner of a grey-painted brick room. Partially obscured.

Gender‐based violence across Canada

By Julie S. Lalonde

A digital collage with a large drawing of an umbrella overlaid with images of large overlapping hands. Below it, two hands (one black, one pink) reach up and away from a stylized road leading to a distant house partially overlaid with a pixelated, cloudy stain of red colour. In the background is an image of a forest of white tree trunks and a faint yellow sun. Partially obscured.

Treaty 3: Honouring its truths

By Carlie Kane

Mist rises off a large, calm lake surrounded by an evergreen forest. Partially obscured.

Black Lives Matter and the struggle for racial justice in Canada

By Debra Thompson

A large group of people holding signs with slogans such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Enough is Enough” and “Your Silence is Betrayal.” Partially obscured.

Online misogyny: the “manosphere”

By Steve McCullough

A white man with short hair sits alone at a brightly lit desk in a dark room, staring at a computer monitor. Partially obscured.

Caring for the Witness Blanket

By Skylar Wall, Cindy Colford, Carolyn Sirett, Stephanie Chipilski and Carey Newman

Many pieces of wood and other materials arranged in interlocking and repeating geometric patterns. Partially obscured.

Pass the Mic: Let’s Talk About Racism

By Sarah Adomako-Ansah

Photo on the left – A biracial man dressed in drag. He is wearing a black headpiece, black leather gloves, a black leather dress and and black and white sweater. Photo in the centre – a Black woman wearing black and red Athletic gear, jumping. She has blonde braids. Photo on the right – a Sikh-Canadian man, smiling, wearing a black and white striped sweater, blue and brown pants, boots, and an orange turban, in the snow in front of a cabin. Partially obscured.

The Doctrine of Discovery

By Travis Tomchuk

Two people in braids and ribbon skirts raise fists and hold a large cloth banner reading “RESCIND THE DOCTRINE” on the steps of an enormous cathedral. Partially obscured.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

By Karine Duhamel

Drawing of a diverse group of people, one of whom holds up a blank page meant to symbolize the Declaration. Partially obscured.

Manitoba’s Mincome experiment

By Travis Tomchuk

Late 1960s-era photo of downtown Winnipeg showing the Eaton’s building decorated with many bright Christmas lights. Partially obscured.

Justice after genocide: Rwandan Canadian community activism

By Jeremy Maron

A group of people walking down a street with sign that reads “Commémoration du génocide contre les Tutsi du Rwanda. Avril-Juillet 1994. www.pagerwanda.ca”. Partially obscured.

Canada, antisemitism and the Holocaust

By Jeremy Maron

Black and white photo of three signs on a post, reading “Christians only,” “Jews not allowed” and “Danger.” Partially obscured.

Persecution of queer Canadian soldiers in wartime

By Sarah Worthman

Modern anti‐2SLGBTQI+ hate echoes the myths and prejudices of the past, threatening to erase queer soldiers’ stories again.

A man stands in dark shadows in a stark stone cell, gazing upward at bright sunlight streaming in through a barred window.

Every Canadian’s responsibility

By Karine Duhamel

MMIWG2S+ through the lens of Canadian and international law.

A young woman with braided hair, wearing a maroon jacket and gray winter cap, looks forward resolutely. A red handprint is painted over her mouth and face.

“My future children will never get to experience the home I knew”

By Damhat Zagros

A first person’s reflection on being forced from home and wrestling with what that means for him and for future generations. The article provides evocative narrative as well as background on international law as it relates to refugees and internally displacement peoples and the intergenerational effects of trauma and displacement.

Watercolour painting of a group of adults and children, their faces obscured, standing in a field. All the women’s heads are covered and most people are carrying backpacks and have things in their hands.

The Impact of War on Children Worldwide

By Shelly Whitman Ph. D.

“The world is waging war on its children, in an obscene mockery of international law,” wrote Simon Tisdall in The Guardian. In 2022, one in six of all children on the planet were living in conflict‐affected areas. As of 2024, we are witnessing unprecedented levels of attacks against children in armed conflict areas. How can we protect our youth?

White paint peeling off a brown wall.

What Is Two‐Spirit? Part One: Origins

By Scott de Groot

Discover the history and meaning of Two‐Spirit. The term speaks to community self‐determination, rejects colonial gender norms and celebrates Indigenous sexual and gender diversity.

A poster featuring large artwork depicting two faces in dramatic colours and patterns, with background imagery including hands, standing figures and geometric shapes. A large title at the top reads “The 10th Annual International Two Spirit Gathering” and text at the bottom reads “August 27-31, 1997. Onamia, Minnesota.”

Heartbeat of a People

By Dave McLeod

First Nation, Inuit and Métis music has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability throughout history. Music by the people is still at the heart of who they are, as it has been for millennia.

Close-up on a group of people wearing beaded jackets and vests performing on stage. In the centreer, a man wearing glasses, a hat, and a large, beaded medallion sings into a microphone.

Beyond the Beats and Rhymes Is Life

By Mark V. Campbell (DJ Grumps)

For decades, hip hop has spoken truth to power. Its lyrics, rhythms, dance and art express youth culture, challenge inequality, and resonate around the world.

A woman in a grey jacket and darker grey pants is breakdancing on a sidewalk during daytime. Trees and buildings are in the background.

The Amchitka Campaign

By Barbara Stowe

Music played a key role in the founding of Greenpeace. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and others played a benefit concert to raise money for its momentous first mission.

A boat in the water with mountains and clouds in the background. Its sail is decorated with large peace signs.

An interview with Tegan and Sara

By CMHR Curatorial Team

Tegan and Sara, identical twin sisters hailing from Calgary, Alberta, have been performing together for more than 25 years. The sisters have openly identified as queer and as such, their music has motivated, encouraged and inspired a generation of LGBTQ+ and feminist fans at home and abroad.

Two people with long hair in high ponytails wearing winter coats pose in the corner of a grey-painted brick room.

Gender‐based violence across Canada

By Julie S. Lalonde

Violence limits and threatens the lives of women in Canada every day. The legal system and communities can do more to support and defend targets of male violence.

A digital collage with a large drawing of an umbrella overlaid with images of large overlapping hands. Below it, two hands (one black, one pink) reach up and away from a stylized road leading to a distant house partially overlaid with a pixelated, cloudy stain of red colour. In the background is an image of a forest of white tree trunks and a faint yellow sun.

Treaty 3: Honouring its truths

By Carlie Kane

Treaties were meant to ensure peaceful co‐existence between settlers and Indigenous peoples. But they became instruments of colonial control. Together, we can return to the original goal of mutual respect and care.

Mist rises off a large, calm lake surrounded by an evergreen forest.

Black Lives Matter and the struggle for racial justice in Canada

By Debra Thompson

Protest movements reveal and resist the injustice of systemic racism in Canada. Black community activism includes public protest, policy change and collective care.

A large group of people holding signs with slogans such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Enough is Enough” and “Your Silence is Betrayal.”

Online misogyny: the “manosphere”

By Steve McCullough

Digital misogyny is on the rise. Why do some men and boys get drawn into – and even seek out – extremist influencers and groups?

A white man with short hair sits alone at a brightly lit desk in a dark room, staring at a computer monitor.

Caring for the Witness Blanket

By Skylar Wall, Cindy Colford, Carolyn Sirett, Stephanie Chipilski and Carey Newman

Discover the collaborative, decolonizing approach taken to preserving the Witness Blanket as a monument commemorating Canada’s residential schools.

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Many pieces of wood and other materials arranged in interlocking and repeating geometric patterns.

Pass the Mic: Let’s Talk About Racism

By Sarah Adomako-Ansah

When it comes to racism, there is a lot to learn and unlearn. Listening to those with lived experiences is an important first step in taking a stand against discrimination.

Photo on the left – A biracial man dressed in drag. He is wearing a black headpiece, black leather gloves, a black leather dress and and black and white sweater. Photo in the centre – a Black woman wearing black and red Athletic gear, jumping. She has blonde braids. Photo on the right – a Sikh-Canadian man, smiling, wearing a black and white striped sweater, blue and brown pants, boots, and an orange turban, in the snow in front of a cabin.

The Doctrine of Discovery

By Travis Tomchuk

Learn about this 500‐year‐old colonial idea that still affects Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples.

Two people in braids and ribbon skirts raise fists and hold a large cloth banner reading “RESCIND THE DOCTRINE” on the steps of an enormous cathedral.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

By Karine Duhamel

What is the UNDRIP and why is it important? What does Canada’s commitment to enact UNDRIP mean? How will it impact treaty rights, land, resources and cultural rights in Canada?

Drawing of a diverse group of people, one of whom holds up a blank page meant to symbolize the Declaration.

Manitoba’s Mincome experiment

By Travis Tomchuk

A landmark study performed in Manitoba in the 1970s showed that guaranteed annual income could improve the lives of people in poverty.

Late 1960s-era photo of downtown Winnipeg showing the Eaton’s building decorated with many bright Christmas lights.

Justice after genocide: Rwandan Canadian community activism

By Jeremy Maron

Explore how members of the Rwandan Canadian community mobilized to pursue justice, within Canada, for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

A group of people walking down a street with sign that reads “Commémoration du génocide contre les Tutsi du Rwanda. Avril-Juillet 1994. www.pagerwanda.ca”.

Canada, antisemitism and the Holocaust

By Jeremy Maron

Widespread antisemitism in Canada in the 1930s and 1940s kept the nation’s borders closed to Jews trying to escape the Holocaust.

Black and white photo of three signs on a post, reading “Christians only,” “Jews not allowed” and “Danger.”

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