All over the world, in groundbreaking ways and often at great personal risk, grassroots activists with passion, commitment, creativity and leadership are taking a stand for human rights and fighting for social justice in their communities. Forefront is an international network of human rights activists from 30 different countries who have been recognized by the Reebok Human Rights Award. Forefront seeks a Program Associate to join a small team and contribute to all aspects of the organization's development. The position is comprised of 30% of coordinating the organization's administrative tasks and 50% organizing a new initiative, the Human Rights Web Resource Center, and 20% assisting with other program work as necessary.

Let me begin my presentation with a very provocative quote from an Ugandan political economist: "Anybody with any degree of intellectual integrity would see that globalisation of Africa --- or the integration of Africa into the global economy from the days of slavery to the contemporary period of capital-led integration – has on balance of costs and benefits been a disaster for Africa, both in human terms and in terms of the damage to Afirca’s natural environment. There is scarcely anybody in Africa who would talk of the last 300 years, including the last 40 years since the first African country gained independence, in language flattering either to colonialism or to governments that have taken over power since political independence."