On Saturday 21st November 2009 for the very first time The Hobart Women's Rights Team along with many activists and volunteers participated in the Hobart Christmas Pageant to wish all women and children a safe and happy Christmas with huge success. We would like to thank all who joined us at the Parade and all who waved and gave us a smile in the crowd. Even the rain couldn't keep our Christmas cheer away.

As a result of the Strengthening Democracy project, the Board is proposing a number of constitutional amendments to strengthen democracy within AIA. Here is a summary of the resolutions, and the Tasmanian delegations proposed position.  

The result being that the National Human Rights Consultation Committee have recommended the introduction of a Human Rights Act.

The public rally to free Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday August 15th was a great success. The sun came out to greet all our activists and a total of 154 actions were signed. Guests speakers, live music and a keen interest in helping out a human rights abuse victim all contributed to making this event a great one. Thanks to all who came out and helped and for all who signed a petition. Your messages have been sent to Aung San Suu Kyi to let her know that she isn't forgotten.

On Saturday August 1st, the Stop Violence Against Women group hosted the "Support Comfort Women with Butterflies" event on Parliament House Lawns. The volunteers and activists, armed with their yellow and black butterflies, braced the wind and the rain to get butterfly petitions signed and to spread the word on the atrocities which were forced upon the Comfort Women of Japan during WWII.

Please follow this YOU-TUBE link to see how the event went. For more information on the Comfort Women of Japan, click on this comfort link.

Today at UTAS' Sandy Bay campus at lunchtime, students were happily greeted with delicious cinnamon and chocolate biscuits shaped as butterflies. The Uni Group worked diligently (and in the rain no less) to get the word out on the street about The Comfort Women of Japan and reward fellow students with a tasty treat if they signed a Butterfly petition. Grand total of Butterfly petitions signed... 150! Thank you and congrats on a job well done everyone.

In cold and wet conditions on the morning of June 4th, three members of the Devonport group of AIA gathered to remind the people of Devonport about the events of 4/6/1989 in Beijing.

On May 28th, the Hobart Action center celebrated Amnesty International's 48th Birthday with the launch of the new Demand Dignity campaign.

In honour of Refugee Week (June 14-20 2009), the Hobart Action Center is giving away "Freedom From Fear" posters for you to take into your workplace and spread the word. Stop by the office between 10am-4pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays to pick up your poster or contact us if you can't make it between these times.

On 18th of May Amnesty International Australia got some further information on the plight of the residents of Group 78 in Cambodia, who as yet, have not been evicted from their homes.