Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that has been dedicated to investigating and reporting on human rights violations worldwide since its founding in 1978 as Helsinki Watch. Today, over 550 people from more than 70 nations work for HRW.

• Investigate: Our researchers work in over 100 countries to uncover facts about human rights violations and create irrefutable records[1][3][5].
• Reveal: We share our findings with millions of followers on social media and online, and our investigations are often picked up by news media[1][3][5].
• Change: We meet with governments, the United Nations, rebel groups, businesses, and others to ensure that policies are changed, laws are enforced, and justice is achieved[1][3][5].

The main mission of Human Rights Watch is to combat human rights violations and advocate for justice, dignity, compassion, and equality. Our work is based on the principles of international human rights and humanitarian law and respects the dignity of every person[1][3][4].

Human Rights Watch has focused on numerous critical areas over the past decades:

• International Justice: HRW has played a leading role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court and advocates for the prosecution of war criminals[3][5].
• Arms Control: HRW was instrumental in the campaign to ban landmines and the treaty to ban cluster munitions, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997[2][3][5].
• Protection of Vulnerable Groups: HRW advocates for the rights of women, children, refugees, migrants, people with disabilities, and LGBT individuals, addressing issues such as domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual violence in conflict[1][3][5].
• New Methodologies: HRW uses modern technologies such as satellite imagery and big data analysis to document and combat human rights violations[1][3][5].