It's not happening here, but it's happening now

Human rights are restricted, lost, or non-existent in almost every corner of the world. This is a bitter reality for so many, and unfortunately a mystery for so many others. We all face these problems collectively, but many are so far distanced from the issues they lack the awareness and compassion necessary for change.

Although this is post does not bring attention to a new advertising campaign, I find the brilliance and message of it too strong to ignore. In Spring 2006, Amnesty International Switzerland, broke a new outdoor campaign using the tag line, "It's not happening here, but it's happening now."

Sobering images of countless human violations are depicted on transparent billboards, showing people what is going on in the world, even if it's not happening in front of them at the bus stop. The ads portray issues happening all over the world, in countries like Iraq, China and Sudan.

With this campaign, Amnesty International has tried to raise awareness and discussion about social issues and additionally called to the importance of working for human rights.

The central mission of Amnesty International is to uncover, document and bring attention to violations of human rights. The hope is that if many people know what is going on in other places, they will collectively become involved and work towards change. There are many different forms of human rights violations, and although all involve different sets of circumstances, one thing remains constant: people are victimized. This campaign names names, showing what really happens in the places we can so easily avoid.

The placement of the images on transparent billboards seems brilliantly strategic, highlighting the lack of transparency regarding world issues today. If you aren't involved or actively searching through the news on a daily basis, it becomes very easy to ignore what's occurring. Amnesty International wants to make the view a little less cloudy. Images of the sad reality many people face on a daily basis may be a bit hard to swallow on the morning commute, but it's an even harder experience for those who are actually living through it. It's a pity this campaign didn't launch globally. The global world may not want to see such stark messages, but this is not the issue. Those who face the sad realities of the world should not be silenced by naivety and ignorance any longer.

If we are moving towards a society where nations are all linked together by a complex web of businesses, networks, and ideas, then surely we need to also be linked through compassion and a desire to help. If more of these advertisements were displayed globally, it would seem impossible to stand at a bus stop and not feel the need to change things in some way.

Make a change, learn what's going on in the world.