Human rights movements resist oppression and promote social justice. There have been many throughout history centered on issues like voting rights, racism, gay rights, and democracy. The backlash against these movements is often violent, but through the danger, activists keep going. Here are 9 examples of human rights movements around the world:
Table of Contents
#1. Women’s suffrage
#2. The Civil Rights movement
#3. The anti-apartheid movement
#4. The gay rights movement
#5. Ni Una Menos
#6. End Sars
#7. Black Lives Matter
#8. The farmer protests
#9. The Hong Kong democracy movement
#1. Women’s suffrage (The UK and the United States)
“Suffrage” refers to the right to vote, and for centuries, women were not given equal rights to men. The suffrage battle – which was most intense in the UK and the United States – kicked off in the 19th century. It was New Zealand that first gave women the right to vote in national elections in 1893. The UK and US faced a much longer battle. In the UK, prominent suffragists like Emmeline Pankhurst led increasingly militant protests as the government refused to budge. Violent suffragists were sent to prison where they kept protesting through hunger strikes. When WWI broke out, suffrage organizations began aiding the war effort, which helped sway the public in their favor. The Representation of the People Act, which passed in 1918, gave all women 30 and over complete voting rights. WWI also helped suffrage in the US. In 1920, the 19th Amendment extended the right to vote to women.
Many figures in the women’s suffrage movement leave a complicated legacy. Racism was prevalent among white leaders, especially in the United States, where the suffrage movement split over supporting the 15th Amendment. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady opposed the amendment because it gave Black men the right to vote before wealthy white women. Black suffragists like Ida B. Wells campaigned for both women’s suffrage voting and civil rights for Black Americans.
Interested in more modern activism for women’s rights? The “Fighting for Equality” course covers 1950-2018.
#2. The Civil Rights Movement (The United States)
The Civil War ended slavery in the United States in 1865, but the country quickly took steps to restrict the rights of Black Americans. In the South, “Jim Crow” laws were designed to keep Black people out of public life as much as possible. The North didn’t have Jim Crow, but Black Americans still faced significant discrimination and restricted voting rights. Activists had always resisted oppression since Jim Crow, but the Civil Rights Movement really took off in the 1950s and 1960s. Landmark events include Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man, lunch counter sit-ins, the Freedom riders’ protest of segregated bus terminals, and the March on Washington. In the face of intense violence from citizens and police, civil rights activists held their ground.
Major legislation was passed during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1957, Eisenhower signed The Civil Rights Act of 1957, which allowed federal prosecution of people who tried to prevent others from voting. In 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation. The Fair Housing Act was signed in 1968, which prevented housing discrimination based on sex, race, national origin, and religion.
Interested in learning more about the Civil Rights Movement and how it still impacts modern activism? Consider taking “From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement.”
#3. The anti-apartheid movement (South Africa)
The apartheid system segregated South African society by race. Under this system, which began in 1948, non-white South Africans were forced to use separate public facilities, live in isolated areas, and get permission to travel. Non-whites were also forbidden to vote, participate in government, or marry white people. The anti-apartheid movement faced violent resistance. In 1960, police shot into a group of unarmed Black protestors. Over 180 people were injured while at least 69 were killed. The Sharpeville massacre represented a shift in the anti-apartheid movement. Peaceful protest no longer looked like an option, so many leaders (like Nelson Mandela) adopted more militant strategies.
In 1976, after thousands of Black children in Soweto were attacked, anti-apartheid sentiment spread around the world. The country entered an economic recession while the UN Security Council imposed a mandatory embargo on selling arms to South Africa. Reforms began trickling in, including the end of pass laws and interracial marriage bans. In 1990, the South African president freed Nelson Mandela. Four years later, a new constitution formally ended apartheid and Mandela became president. After almost 50 years, the anti-apartheid movement was successful.
Formed in 1996, South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission used restorative justice practices. The “Restorative Justice and Practice: Emergence of a Social Movement” course explores what restorative is.
#4. The gay rights movement (The United States)
The fight for LGBTQ+ equality has a long history in the United States. The first documented gay rights organization was founded in 1924. A few other organizations appeared, but life for gay people got worse before it got better. In 1952, the American Psychiatric Association classified homosexuality as a “mental disorder.” The next year, Eisenhower signed an executive order that banned gay people from federal jobs. Things began to improve starting in the 1960s. In 1961, Illinois became the first state to repeal its sodomy law. Through the 1970s and early 1980s, 21 states followed suit.
The Stonewall Riots represented a new era for the gay rights movement. In the summer of 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, which was a gay club in Greenwich Village. Enraged by years of harassment, people started throwing objects at the cops and a riot exploded. Inspired by the protest, new gay rights groups formed and in 1970, community members held what’s considered the United States’ first gay pride parade. Over the next decades, increased visibility led to more victories, but the poor response to the AIDS crisis and the ban on gay marriage continued to harm. In 2015, the Supreme Court finally legalized gay marriage. The movement is far from irrelevant, however. In the past few years, anti-LGBTQ+ attacks and bills are on the rise.
Art and human rights movements have always been entwined. The “ART of the MOOC: Activism and Social Movements” course is for thinkers, activists, and activists who want to participate in social change.
#5. Ni Una Menos (Argentina)
Ni Una Menos translates to “not one less,” which means that not another woman should be killed by a man. In Argentina, femicide is a major issue. The #NiUnaMenos movement kicked off in 2015 when a journalist tweeted about a woman’s murder. She had been killed by her boyfriend. 200,000 people in Buenos Aires and other areas gathered in town squares. Their mission? Draw attention to gender-based violence. In 2016, after the rape and murder of a teenager, thousands marched in the Black Wednesday protest.
In the years since, activists connected to Ni Una Menos have expanded to other women’s issues, such as better employment opportunities, an end to transphobia, and the right to abortion. In 2018, Argentina came close to legalizing abortion but needed just seven more votes. In December 2020, after a 20-hour debate, the activists’ efforts paid off. The National Congress passed a bill legalizing elective abortions up to the 14th. Ni Una Menos continues to fight for women’s rights and has inspired feminist movements in Latin America.
#6. End Sars (Nigeria)
In 1992, Nigeria created the police unit SARS. Their job was to respond to violent crime, especially armed robbery. Instead of serving justice, the unit became infamous for its corruption and violence. The hashtag #EndSARS first emerged in 2018 to raise awareness of the unit’s abuses. In response, the government restructured SARS, but the violations continued. In 2020, a video of a SARS office shooting a young man went viral and the hashtag resurfaced. More abuses were documented and thousands of people began protesting across the nation. #EndSARS trended globally and international demonstrations were organized around the world.
The Nigeria Police Force came out strong against protesters. During an incident known as the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre, the police opened fire into the crowd. Videos were broadcast on Instagram Live, horrifying the world. It’s unknown how many were killed or injured during this series of protests, but some reports say police killed at least 49 people. Like many movements centered on police brutality and corruption, #EndSars also calls out corruption in the country as a whole. At the time of writing, investigations have stagnated. Over 40 protesters are still being detained without a trial. They’ve also been tortured. The End Sars movement is not over.
#7. Black Lives Matter (The United States)
In 2013, George Zimmerman killed 13-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was Black and unarmed. The resulting trial and Zimmerman’s acquittal outraged activists. The Black Lives Matter organization and hashtag were created in response. The movement gained further awareness after the murders of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The movement, which extends beyond a single organization, continued to draw attention to police brutality with hashtags like #SayHerName.
The Black Lives Matter movement surged in visibility again in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder. Protests grew all over the country, earning it a comparison to the Civil Rights Movement. It may even be the largest human rights movement in America’s history. Data shows that the vast majority of protests were peaceful. When there was violence, it was usually counter-protesters or police targeting Black Lives Matter protesters. Victories remain elusive. In 2022, police killed more people than in any other year over the past two decades. Officers were charged with a crime in just 9 cases.
#8. The farmer protests (India)
In 2020, the Indian government passed three agricultural laws, saying it would modernize the system. Farmers were immediately concerned about the laws’ impact. Tens of thousands came to New Delhi while 250 million gathered around the country in a 24-hour strike. Protests went on for months and became the largest protest in Indian history. Finally, the world began to pay closer attention. People were especially concerned with President Modi’s response, which included violating free speech as well as police brutality. While protests in India have centered on agriculture before, these were the most significant.
In 2021, after more than a year of protests, India formally repealed the three farm laws. The movement wasn’t done. In August 2022, thousands of protesters returned to New Delhi with new demands, including the clearing of all farmer debts.
#9. Democracy movement (Hong Kong)
Until 1997, Britain controlled Hong Kong as a colony. When it was returned to China, Hong Kong maintained a “one country, two systems” structure. They had more freedom thanks to the Basic Law, but citizens of Hong Kong accused China of violating those freedoms. In 2019, the Hong Kong government proposed a bill that would extradite suspected criminal offenders to mainland China. Many saw that as a violation of Hong Kong’s judicial independence. Protesters hit the streets, leading to the bill’s suspension and eventually a formal withdrawal. Pandora’s Box had been opened. Activists began asking for an independent investigation into the police’s brutal response to the protests.
Despite some victories for the democratic movement, its power has been crushed for now. In the summer of 2020, a national security law that allowed Beijing to set up a security force in Hong Kong was passed. It also gave China the ability to influence which judges hear national security cases. In January 2021, 53 pro-democracy politicians were arrested. Jimmy Lai, one of the main funders of the pro-democracy movement, could face life in prison for what supporters call politically-motivated charges.
