Rights Camera Action "Take 3"

Outraged about failed aid efforts in the developing world?
Incensed about intellectual property rights laws blocking access to essential medicines in the Global South?
Fuming about university apparel being produced in sweatshops?

Would you like $200 to make your voice heard? 
Then take action, launch a campaign, and inspire the policy change you want to see!

What is Rights Camera Action? 
Rights Camera Action is an AIDemocracy initiative that equips young leaders with the resources and skills to design and implement effective campaigns addressing the systemic development issues that cause poverty, inequality, and human rights violations. Over the last year and a half, students from around the country have organized innovative campaigns addressing global development and human rights issues and documented their experiences on film. Their videos have inspired other students to get involved and enabled them to better publicize their amazing achievements. Now it's your turn to get active!

What issue areas do the grants cover?
The Global Development Program is currently prioritizing two systemic issues. The first is US trade policy, as it pertains to poverty, labor and indigenous rights, environmental protection, and intellectual property rights with respect to essential medicines. The second is US foreign assistance policy, including a push to modernize U.S. foreign assistance legislation, debt cancellation, climate adaptation aid, and food security/sovereignty. Campaigns to address these issues can take many different forms, but must include a push for improved U.S. national policy.

How Do I Apply?

Step 1: Click here to view original Rights Camera Action campaigns videos.

Step 2: Start looking at the big picture! Local manifestations of poverty and human rights violations are often a result of systemic problems in our development or international economic policy frameworks. How can you raise your issue in a way that inspires wider discussions of global development, economic, social, and cultural rights, and trasnational solidarity?

Step 3: Sign up to emulate a campaign here.

Step 4: Submit a 1-2 page proposal, outlining your campaign to sarah@aidemocracy.org.

Proposals should include:

• Ultimate, long-term, and short-term goals
• Target - who has decision making power over the change you are demanding?
• Timeline and description of campaign activities/events that will lead you to achieve your goals. May include awareness, education, advocacy, mobilization and direct action.
• Potential obstacles and strengths of your campaign
• How to you plan to use the $ (please be specific)? Do you have access to other resources that could help you fund this project?
• If you are a member of a student group, what is your current group membership (at meetings and on listserv)?
• Have you worked in coalition with other groups on this campaign? What alliances will you build to strengthen the impact of your campaign?
• Your university, year in school, and phone number where you can be reached

Proposals will be evaluated on how well the campaign connects global human rights challenges to local issues, its creativity and its potential to create substantive change both in campus culture and national policy.

Selected proposals will receive:

• $200 mini-grant to implement your campaign on your campus.
• Ongoing support from AIDemocracy staff, including organizing tools, contacts and materials, as well as personalized guidance, to ensure the health and success of your campaign.
• Publicity on the AIDemocracy webpage, blog, Youtube channel, newsletters, etc.

If possible, students are encouraged to film, photograph and otherwise document the steps they take and the results achieved with their campaign to serve as a reference for students looking to replicate similar campaigns.

If you have questions, please contact sarah@aidemocracy.org.

**At this time, we are only able to offer this opportunity to students who attend school in the United States.**

Copyright © 2002-2009 Americans for Informed Democracy - 218 D St SE, First Floor Washington, D.C. 20003 - Phone 202-544-9662