Pens put to paper in the hopes of change

AMNESTY International’s Write for Rights is coming up and the local branch of the human rights lobby group are calling on locals to take part. 

As part of the push, Amnesty Bendigo are holding letter writing and petition signing days with the aim of getting governments to act against injustice. 

Amnesty International has researched 10 cases of people suffering human rights abuses across the globe to assist writers. 

For the first time in Write for Rights history, Australians on the Torres Strait Islands are in the 10 cases, as the islands are at risk of the impacts of global warming. 

Local Amnesty convenor Jan Govett said she hopes people will show up to support the campaign. 

“Five-million three-hundred-thousand letters, emails, and petition signatures were written last year, it really does have a proven impact,” she said. 

“Due to the many letters and petitions from activists, people have had their sentences reduced or been freed from prison. We know it works.” 

Last year, locals wrote 91 letters as part of the Write for Rights effort, and this year Amnesty Bendigo members are hoping for more than 100.  

Write for Rights will take place at Bendigo Library on Thursday 7 November in the lead up to World Human Rights Day on 10 December. 

The letters will be sent to Amnesty International to be bulk delivered to the governments of the countries in question.