2010 Event Webcasts

Many children face insurmountable challenges that keep them from attending school. The hurdles these youth face include gender discrimination, forced labor, armed conflict, disabilities, gang violence, lack of parental support, HIV/AIDS, and natural disasters. It is estimated that of the world's 218 million child laborers, 166 million are between the ages of 5 and 14. There are at least 25 million out-of-school children living in low-income countries affected by conflict, and around 14 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 who have been forcibly displaced by conflict into education systems that lack the most basic education services. This panel will highlight both the challenges faced and the successes achieved by innovative programs and determined individuals working to expand access to education worldwide. Panelists will focus on specific actions and interventions that students and universities can take to ensure that the most vulnerable and disadvantaged have the opportunity to get an education and build a brighter future.

According to the U.S. Department of State, there are at least 12.3 million adults and children currently in forced labor, bonded labor, and commercial sexual servitude. Additionally, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year, and up to 50 percent of them are minors. Trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity in the world, accounting for more than $9.5 billion in annual revenue. But this is not an issue that exists exclusively in developing countries. Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 victims are trafficked into the U.S. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with nearly 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into forced labor and the sex industry. Whether it is the clothes we wear, the phones we talk on, or the food we eat, items tainted by slave labor are a part of everyday life for many Americans. Making more informed decisions as consumers could make a difference for millions of people. This panel will inform students on the issue of trafficking, how it impacts crime in the U.S., and what they can do on their own campuses to prevent it in the future.

With over 350 million active Facebook users and over 20 million unique visitors on Twitter, online social networks hold a wealth of potential for mass mobilization for human rights. Last June, the world watched in awe as Iranians relied primarily on Twitter to organize and communicate with the outside world during the protests over the disputed elections. And with the fastest growing mobile market in the world in Africa, the creative applications of mobile technology for information sharing, election monitoring, and grassroots reporting are endless. These applications enable individuals and organizations both onsite and abroad to monitor abuses, conduct far-reaching education and advocacy campaigns, mobilize constituents, and empower those in need. This session will examine ways in which social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr can continue to revolutionize students' ability to communicate, mobilize, and promote human rights.

The technology revolution is sparking a global health revolution as well. With more than four billion mobile phones alone throughout the world, those in remote and resource-poor settings can often have the same access to information as those on the more prosperous side of the digital divide. In the public health field, new initiatives in low-cost technology ( including text messages, open-source software, and social media ) have just begun to tap into this potential. This session will explore how students and universities can push forward the adaptation and adoption of low-cost, innovative technology solutions that are being used to address health challenges around the globe.

All health is local. To improve health within a community, residents must be empowered to be catalysts of change.. The importance of community health programs in developing countries is often overlooked and underfunded. As a result, very little is offered in the way of health education or prevention. This problem is compounded by the fact that most communities are faced with unequal access to primary health care and escalating out-of-pocket expenses for treatment. This session will focus on the tools and strategies of successful community health initiatives that have created local leaders and ownership by engaging community members to assess what is needed, what is wanted, and what can be done. Panelists will discuss new and innovative models developed by young leaders and universities striving to create sustainable, replicable community-based programs.

Greenhouse gases from the transportation sector account for roughly 15 percent of global CO2 emissions and 30 percent of domestic CO2 emissions. As urban sprawl and personal automobile ownership rates continue to increase throughout the world, it is increasingly important for communities to improve outdated and environmentally-harmful transportation systems. Underutilized modes of sustainable transport, from bus rapid transit systems to bike-sharing programs, can reduce air pollution, save money, shorten commute times, and encourage healthy living. When implemented in conjunction with broader community sustainability efforts, these measures can have an even greater impact, including job creation and neighborhood revitalization. This session will examine how students and higher education institutions can support green transportation innovation and partner with other schools, NGOs, businesses, and local government agencies to bring the clean energy economy to scale in their own campuses and communities.

An estimated 1.6 billion people, many of them in rural regions of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, do not have access to electricity. Instead, many households turn to biomass to fuel their stoves. But the black carbon particulate emissions from these stoves are not only a major driver of climate change, but a severe respiratory health risk as well. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.6 million people die annually from the adverse effects of indoor air pollution. The challenge to provide modern, clean, and affordable energy services while creating global economic opportunity is significant. Many low-cost, clean energy technologies exist but have not yet been implemented on a meaningful scale. How can young people and the higher education community identify and disseminate these emerging eco-technologies, particularly in existing areas of energy poverty? This session will feature scalable student and university initiatives that provide sustainable energy services and economic opportunities where they are needed the most.