Waiting for a Breakthrough: transnational NGO builds human rights through culture.

TRANSNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL organizations (NGOs) are participating in a "migration of values", as different regions exchange human rights and development goals. This can bring about change in unexpected ways. Breakthrough--an international human rights organization that uses media, education and popular culture to promote the values of dignity, equality and justice--helps bring migrant rights that is often associated with the global South to the United States, while simultaneously bringing reproductive health often associated with the global North to India.

The innovative structure of Breakthrough, based in New York and New Delhi, promotes a truly transnational way of looking at human rights. Both affiliate agencies share the same vision, mission and strategies, but do not work together on projects unless it makes sense. Although this structure offers some challenges, according to its founder, Mallika Dutt, it can also give a transnational perspective and shed light on the importance of intersecting identities across cultural and geographic boundaries.

The Breakthrough office in New Delhi focuses on women's rights, with an emphasis on gender-based discrimination, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Intersecting identities, such as gender, sexuality, race, religion and nationality, must be taken into account when tackling these issues. In India, about 2 million women have been infected with HIV, mostly by their husbands. In May 2005, Breakthrough India launched its "What kind of man are you?" campaign, encouraging men to wear condoms. In attempting to create a culture of equality and male accountability, the campaign used music videos, television spots, print advertisements, radio jingles, public service announcements in cinemas, calling cards, slogans posted in mass transit centres, and a campaign website hosted by a popular portal.

The New York office, on the other hand, emphasizes the inclusion of immigrant rights as an essential part of human rights, focusing particularly on detention and deportation. International migration is a truly global issue and State policies can have a transnational impact. Migrants have intersecting identities that reflect both their origin and destination, and an organization based in two cities can use its transnational knowledge to address the unique concerns facing each migrant. Breakthrough's ongoing campaign, "Value Families", uses multiple media, such as cartoons, pod-casts and pamphlets, to reach out to young people and educate them about the importance of civic engagement and the human rights consequences of United States immigration policies.

On 20 September 2006, Breakthrough got a boost when former President Bill Clinton at the second annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative presented Ms. Dutt with a certificate of commitment for the organization's work on immigrant rights. The event identified and discussed the world's most pressing problems, brought together a variety of great minds to come up with innovative solutions and sought a specific and measurable commitment from each member to implement solutions.

Partnering up with over 70 other organizations to discuss the provocative question "Why can't America have human rights?", Breakthrough hosted a forum on 14 September 2006 at The Riverside Church, a historic centre for human rights activism in New York City. In the spirit of open, democratic debate, and using the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a framework and an inspiration, participants, including activists, artists, musicians and spiritual leaders, utilized several media to point out what they considered human rights violations within the borders of the United States and to question the Government's supposed authority in the promotion of human rights around the world.

According to Ms. Dutt, "the human rights framework allows us to move beyond single issues and identities, and understand the interconnectedness of humanity". The causes represented and the themes discussed underscored the centrality of human rights to so many of the world's problems. Highlighting the intersecting identities found in a globalizing world, Paul Miller, better known by his musician pseudonym DJ Spooky, declared that "sampling is what holds this culture together ... we're all remixes". Breakthrough plans to convene similar events to encourage bridge-building and the use of a human rights framework in social justice activities.

As the United Nations tackles problems from a human rights framework, Ms. Dutt feels that it is often effective in advocating for Breakthrough's goals, even if it is less than perfect. "The United Nations system is important as a shaming and pressuring place for human rights, but not as an enforcement mechanism." Open-ended forums that address complex questions make a rich contribution to the human rights dialogue. Breakthrough is one of many new NGOs malleable and creative enough to truly create a culture of human rights.

(For more information please visit www.breakthrough.tv)