Rights & Development

...putting human rights at the center of development policy

WOLA works for sustainable strategies to reduce poverty, address the factors behind migration, and protect the full range of economic, social and cultural rights.

Featured Content

Brazil’s Lessons in Rural Development

Family Agriculture, Access to Water, and Civic Engagement
21 Feb 2013
Publication
WOLA is pleased to announce the publication of the new report, “Brazil’s Lessons in Rural Development: Family Agriculture, Access to Water, and Civic Engagement,” which highlights two Brazilian policies that support small farmers.

Guatemalan mining raises human rights concerns

The Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAE) at Tufts University has just released a study that examines a controversial gold mining project in Guatemala
3 Oct 2011
Publication
The issues raised in the study have implications for extractive industry projects and for human rights and social justice activists who follow these projects.

CEDECO Speech at WOLA Human Rights Awards (with intro)

21 Sep 2011
Video
On September 13, 2011, WOLA honored CEDECO (The Education Corporation for Costa Rican Development) for promoting a successful and climate-smart economic model for small-scale farmers in Central America.

Protecting Mexican Guest Workers and Seeking a Saner Migration Policy

30 Sep 2011
Publication
Adam and WOLA Senior Associate for Rights and Development Vicki Gass talk with Chuck Barrett, a consultant to Catholic Relief Services, about rural development, migration, and protecting the rights of agricultural guest workers from Mexico.
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Rights & Development News & Analysis

Continued Labor Violations, Empty Promises

12 Feb 2013
Video
On February 12, WOLA hosted Colombian Senator Alexander López Maya and a panel of union leaders as they explored continued obstacles facing Colombia's workers and recommendations for progress. This event was in Spanish.

WOLA and Partners Stand with Fired Colombian Autoworkers

As ASOTRECOL union workers continue their hunger strike, WOLA, LAWG, and WFP rebut management's claims that no labor violations were committed
20 Aug 2012
Analysis & Commentary
On August 1st, 2012, four members of the Association of Injured Workers and Ex-Workers of General Motors Colmotores (ASOTRECOL) began a hunger strike by sewing their lips shut. To date, there are seven fired workers who have sewn their lips closed, with more joining the ranks every week GM Colmotores ignores their requests to ...

Obama’s Opportunity to Publicly Express Support for Trade Unions in Colombia

Union Leader’s Murder Sends Chilling Message about Lack of Labor Rights Guarantees
12 Apr 2012
Analysis & Commentary
Impunity for murders and threats against labor organizers emboldens perpetrators. Virulent anti-union sentiment results in violence directed against trade unionists and labor activists.

Obama Poised To Give Presidential Seal of Approval To Gross Labor Rights Violations in Colombia

Analysis by Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli and Anthony Dest of WOLA and Dan Kovalik of the USW
11 Apr 2012
Analysis & Commentary
Despite continued anti-union violence, the high rate of impunity, serious impediments to union organizing, and the dire conditions faced by workers, President Obama is now poised to announce at the Summit of the Americas that Colombia has complied with the Labor Action Plan
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Experts

Vicki Gass

Senior Associate for Rights and Development

Clay Boggs

Program Officer

See Also

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