Archive: Society | Human rights Human rights
Hana Kulhánková – the director of the One World International Human Rights Film Festival
Film has played an important role in Hana Kulhanková’s life ever since
she was a teenager. Later, she studied film and worked at the Mezipatra
Queer Film Festival, which showcases gay and lesbian filmmakers. Now, Hana
Kulhánková is the director of one of Prague’s most colorful and
interesting film festivals, One World, which focuses on human rights
documentaries. Ahead of the start of this year’s edition, I spoke to her
about the festival program, human rights and what initially piqued her
interest in film. More
Icy temperatures pose threat to Prague homeless, Czech capital opens tent shelter
With temperatures in Prague expected to drop as low as minus 20 degrees in
the coming days, the Czech capital’s homeless are at high risk. Due to
the harsh weather, homeless shelters are already close to operating at full
capacity. To help battle deaths from exposure city hall officials have
arranged for a large heated tent to be put up for those with no roof over
their heads. More
Prague court delivers landmark ruling in home births advocates’ battle with the state
A ruling on Thursday by a Prague court might lead to a breakthrough in the
ongoing Czech debate about home births. While state officials and health
care providers have consistently opposed the practice over safety concerns,
the court decided that mothers indeed have the right to choose the place of
their child’s delivery, and the state has to provide all necessary
assistance. More
Home births back in spotlight as group of pregnant women take their case to European Court of Human Rights
A woman's right to give birth at home is back in the spotlight in the Czech
Republic, as a group of pregnant women intend to file a complaint at the
European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Czech state makes planned
home births virtually impossible; there are midwives qualified to deliver
babies at home, but they lack official registration and insurance companies
won't cover them. More
Injured Libyans to receive treatment in Prague hospitals
A Czech military plane brought five injured Libyans to Prague for treatment
on Monday night. All are in need of surgery which overcrowded hospitals in
their homeland are unable to provide. An appeal from Libya for European
countries to help treat their wounded has led to the Czech government
extending its Medevac aid programme for children to adults with serious
medical problems. More
Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek on social unrest, fall of communism, and Miloš Forman films
The Slovenian thinker Slavoj Žižek has been described as the most
dangerous philosopher in the West. He criticizes global capitalism and
warns of the dangers it presents for today’s democracy. Slavoj Žižek
recently arrived in Prague to launch a Czech translation of his latest
book, entitled First Tragedy Then Farce. Czech Radio’s Petr Dudek spoke
to Slavoj Žižek during his Prague visit, and first asked him about his
view of the Occupy Wall Street movement in the US. More
Stories of Injustice film project tries to shed light on grey “normalization” period
The 2006 film “Swingtime” inspired by a communist-era secret police
operation as well as four documentaries will be screened in November at
primary and secondary schools around the country as part of a month-long
project called Stories of Injustice. Now in its seventh year the project
organized by the NGO People in Need covers a period often neglected in the
curriculum. Through film and subsequent discussions with survivors,
witnesses and victims of communist injustice, students are learning about
post-war Czechoslovak history – this year with a special focus on the
period of normalization and the subjects of emigration and exile. Radio
Prague talked to the project’s spokesman Filip Šebek. More
Former Czech President launches 15th annual Forum 2000 Conference in Prague
The 15th annual Forum 2000 Conference which brings together world thinkers,
former and acting politicians and other public figures was officially
launched in Prague on Sunday by its founder, former Czech president Václav
Havel. In their discussions, over a hundred and twenty delegates, including
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Kosovo Atifete
Jahjaga and US economist Joseph Stiglitz will focus primarily on this
year’s main theme which is “democracy and the rule of law”. More
Czechs make their voice heard for fair trade
A booth on Prague’s Jungmann Square is making people stop and stare.
Individuals walk inside, close the door and yell at the top of their lungs
– to come out smiling moments later, as someone else takes their place.
What you hear there is not a frustrated employee letting off steam after a
bad day at work –it’s a voice raised in support of fair trade and
making companies observe human rights and give people decent work
conditions in countries where it is easy to abuse them. The Czech NGO Na
Zemi has launched a campaign to raise awareness of how many people in the
developing world work in shocking conditions for large multinational
companies and try to put a stop to the practice. Anna Lazorova from Na Zemi
is one of the organizers. More
Czeslaw Walek – Prague Pride’s first director and a lawyer by profession
Czeslaw Walek, who studied law with a focus on human rights, has been in
the media a lot in recent weeks, due to his role as the director of the
Prague Pride festival. Previously, he has held government offices such as
director of the Office of the Council for Roma Affairs. He has lived in
both Krakow and Budapest and is a member of the Czech Republic’s Polish
minority. He speaks about his work, human rights and how he feels the first
Prague Pride festival went. More
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