The Amnesty International Group has been active at BHS all year culminating in a great Freedom Challenge Week where we raised the profile of human rights abuses on Palm Oil plantations.

We have a committed group of students who work tirelessly throughout the school year for human rights in many countries around the world.

In Term 1, our focus was putting pressure on the Australian government to close the Offshore Detention facilities on Nauru and the Manus Islands. We raised over 250 signatures and wrote directly to the Australian Prime Minister, Minister of Immigration and the Australian Ambassador to NZ.

Term 2 saw us turn our attention to prisoners of conscience in China, Iran and Egypt. We send letters and e-mails to Presidents, Judiciary and prison officers to keep Prisoners of Conscience in the forefront of their mind.  We write to the prisoners themselves and try to raise their international profiles through social media.

Freedom Challenge Week in Term 3 had a focus on Wilmar owned Palm Oil plantations in Indonesia where workers rights are grossly abused. Wilmar produces Palm Oil for companies such as Nestle, Kelloggs, Proctor and Gamble, Unilever...+ many other companies. We collected over 400 signatures and sent messages of solidarity to the workers, their families and their human rights lawyers. Thanks to the hundreds of staff and students who supported us by signing the petition and drawing solidarity Palm to Palm hands. Please show your support for this cause by tweeting #not in my trolley