Defending the Facts

Physicians for Human Rights

I have been thinking a lot about the truth recently.

What is the truth? Who decides? And if it’s not true, but people think it is, does it even matter?

It does.

Over the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of working with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), a truly inspirational NGO. When we talk about human rights, we often think about lawyers, politicians, delegates, and even artists. PHR, a Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate, offers a very different perspective in the effort to protect human rights globally, taking a scientific evidence-based approach to the identification and documentation of abuses.

Now more than ever, truth is coming under attack globally. Abusers rarely admit to their misdeeds, victims are intimidated, and transgressions are covered up. Physicians for Human Rights challenges that, fighting to document contentious events by collecting medical evidence from an unbiased perspective. As a society, we must not allow human rights abuses to go unnoticed and undocumented; it is a vital mission to fight ignorance of these tragic events. PHR has defended Syrian doctors, documented and protected survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, advocated for asylum seekers, and fought the use of torture in the United States. Their multi-faceted but universally important mission requires your support to continue.

On Tuesday April 18th, please join me in supporting PHR at their annual gala at Jazz Center at Lincoln Center. This event will be honoring Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, a Turkish physician who’s worked alongside PHR for nearly three decades, fighting the torture and mistreatment of dissidents. She is pictured above. We will also be honoring Sigrid Rausing, a British publisher and philanthropist whose charitable trust has provided immense support for global organizations including PHR.

Humanitarian crises continue to develop globally, and we cannot allow ourselves to fatigue in our commitment to protecting human rights. PHR plays a central role in this protection, expertly documenting abuses to fight cover-ups and defend the truth. Please consider giving to this incredible organization.

Honesty is love. Let’s fight for truth together.