There are many human rights charities that work to help those who have been affected by injustices or human rights violations. These organisations provide support and assistance, advocate for causes and campaign against human rights abuses. They are conduct research and press for changes to laws and policies that will help prevent future abuses from happening. Here are 20 human rights charities and what they do.
#1. Human Rights First
Human Rights First (HRF) is an international human rights charity with a mission to put pressure on the US government and private business to respect and protect human rights and the rule of law. The HRF believes that the role of the US government is crucial in the struggle for human rights and when it comes to seeking reforms and accountability of those who abuse human rights.
The HRF’s work revolves around protection of minorities and refugees as well as fight against torture. Thus, it works worldwide to tackle the American influence to secure the core freedoms. It conducts campaigns to put pressure on the US government to hear about human rights violations and works with lawyers and human rights defenders to achieve this.
#2. Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) works around the world on investigating and reporting about human rights violations. With over 450 lawyers, journalists and human rights experts, the HRW puts pressures on governments, businesses and military groups to change their policies and laws that violate human rights.
The HRW does not accept government or corporate funding. It uncovers facts about human rights violations worldwide and shares them in their reports and social media on a daily basis reaching millions of people globally. The HRW is committed to achieving equality, justice and dignity for all people through its broad and wide scope of work.
#3. Migrant Voice
Migrant Voice is a migrant-led charity based in the UK, that was established with an aim to develop skills, confidence and capacity of members of migrant communities, asylum seekers and refugees. The Migrant Voice works to amplify migrant voices in media and public and to fight against xenophobia by standing up for their rights.
Migrant Voice tells real stories of migrants in the UK and brings together migrants from all backgrounds to discuss their concerns and translate them into innovative campaigns or research projects to make sure that these issues are not pushed on the societal margins.
#4. Art for Humanity
Art for Humanity is South African human rights charity that working raising human rights awareness by mobilizing artists, writers and poets to create artwork for social justice education and advocacy.
Art for Humanity produces books, multimedia artworks, exhibits and school workshops to highlight art as a tool to communicate the human rights message. To achieve this, the Art for Humanity partners up with corporations, other NGOs, as well as government agencies. According to the Art for Humanity its goal is to “promote a human rights consciousness by using the visual art as a public-advocacy medium dedicated towards cultural empowerment of society with a focus on the developing world”.
#5. Amnesty International
Amnesty International is probably one of the biggest human rights movements in the world within which more than seven million people fight against human rights abuses and justice. By employing lobbying and advocacy, the Amnesty International puts pressure on governments and decision-makers to put a stop to human rights violations.
Through research and action undertaken by human rights experts, Amnesty International can cover a broad area of human rights and related issues, from protection of minority rights to fight against torture and death penalty. It also uses letters, high-profile campaigns and organizes protests to call for action and accountability of those abusing human rights.
#6. The Fund for Global Human Rights
The Fund for Global Human Rights is a human rights charity that supports human rights activists and organizations to effectively address systemic inequality and human rights violations in more than 20 countries. It ensures that millions of people around the world live with dignity and can fully participate in the society.
The Fund works on expansion of awareness by supporting human rights activism and by helping human rights defenders and movements to become resilient. It also connects pioneering community-based groups and promotes cooperation across issues and borders by moving financial and technical resources to the frontline of human rights struggles.
#7. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights was established in 1995 in occupied Palestinian territories in Gaza City by a group of Palestinian lawyers and human rights activists. Its goal is to protect human rights and promote the rule of law in accordance with international standards, as well as help facilitate creation of democratic institutions within the Palestinian society.
The Centre supports the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence within the scope of the UN resolutions and international law. Its work is based on investigation and documenting of human rights violations, provision of legal aid and counseling for groups and individuals.
#8. Child Rights and You
Child Rights and You (CRY) is an Indian charity working on advancement of children’s rights with a mission “to enable people to take responsibility for the situation of the deprived Indian child and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action thereby enabling children to realize their full potential”.
CRY works with grassroots organizations across India with a goal to uplift underprivileged Indian children who are denied of their rights. CRY employs advocacy, action, and mobilization to achieve action. It also supports individuals and groups who directly interact with children to ensure healthy and happy childhoods.
#9. Save the Children
Save the Children works in over 120 countries around the world to protect and advance children’s rights in some of the most disadvantaged local communities in which it educates members of those communities about children’s rights and helps them comprehend the proper ways children should be treated.
Save the Children improves understanding of local communities about the situation of those children who need care as well as the participation of states in the protection of children and support of communities. It also advocates for the proper implementation of children’s rights in accordance with the UN Convention of Rights of the Child.
#10. World Vision
World Vision is a child-focused charity working in around 100 countries where it impacts and improves lives of almost 200 million vulnerable children. Its values are based on Christian beliefs; however, it strives to fight for the rights of all children regardless of their gender, ethnic, religion or race.
World Vision works with governments and other actors to tackle the child related issues and find solutions to those issue. It plays a big part in teaching local communities on the rights of child as well as directly improving lives of children, their families and communities that they live in.
#11. Emergency
Emergency is an Italian based human rights charity that was established in 1994 to provide high-quality and free surgical and medical care to victims of poverty, wars and anti-personnel mines. It promotes solidarity, culture of peace and respected for human rights.
Emergency pursues a human rights-based medicine and believes that “the right to be treated is a fundamental and inalienable right belonging to each member of the human family and is based on equality, quality, and social responsibility. It also builds hospitals and trains local staff. Emergency’s work would not be possible without contributions of thousands of volunteers and supports who choose to stand with it.
#12. Human Rights Foundation of Turkey
Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) was established in 1990 to provide rehabilitation services and treatment for torture victims and to document human rights violations in Turkey. It was founded out of the necessity to advocate against torture in Turkey and grave human rights abuses that left thousands of people traumatized.
The HRFT advocates for implementation of human rights into practice as set out within the international standards and contributes to the struggle against torture and other human rights violations. It also provides medical, psychological and social assistance to torture victims and impacts civil society in Turkey to become more coherent.
#13. Women for Women International
Women for Women International fights for women’s rights and supports some of the most marginalized and underprivileged women in countries affected by war. Through its programs, Women for Women enables women across the world to earn and save money and be able to make decisions within their households and local communities.
So far, Women for Women International has empowered more than half a million of women to rebuild their lives after war and has called for global attention to the unique role that women play in promotion of peace. Women for Women International achieves gender equality by teaching women about their rights such as voting, divorce, access to land and similar.
#14. Antislavery International
Anti-Slavery International works to eradicate all forms of slavery and practices like slavery. It is one of the oldest human rights charities in the world that works by following the UN conventions on slavery by influencing governments and policy-makers to bring change.
Antislavery International campaigns against the following issues: bonded labor, descent-based slavery, forced labor, forced marriage, the worst forms of child labor, the exploitation of migrant workers in conditions amounting to slavery and human trafficking. To achieve its goals, Antislavery International works with local organizations to provide justice to people freed from slavery.
#15. China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group (CHRLCG) is a Hong Kong based charity established in 2007 with a goal to advocate for the protection of the rights of human rights lawyers and legal rights defenders in China.
The CHRLCG provides humanitarian assistance to detained human rights lawyers and their families, as well as legal aid to the human rights cases they handle. It also publicly calls for the support of lawyers and human rights defenders who fight for the rights of the underprivileged people and educates the public on the human rights.
#16. Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is one of the largest US human rights charities working to achieve equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people in America. It has more than three million members, who work together to achieve HRC’s mission.
The HRC sees a world where “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community”. Therefore, the HRC works to end discrimination against LGBTQ people and to achieve a space in which everyone is equal.
#17. Protection International
Protection International was established in 1998 with a goal of supporting human rights defenders at risk and the mission to “enhance the security and the protection of threatened civil society actors with non-violent means, especially those who fight for their legitimate rights and for the rights of other as they are guaranteed by the international humanitarian law and the human rights conventions”.
Protection International supports human rights defenders by giving them tools and educating them to implement protection measures to be able to defend human rights freely. The goal of the Protection International is to achieve a public space in societies where human rights defenders are recognizes as actors of positive social change.
#18. Human Rights Law Centre
The Human Rights Law Center promotes and protects human rights in Australia and does this by using research, legal action, advocacy and capacity building. It works with lawyers, community organizations, academics, businesses and international and human rights organizations.
Over the last ten years, the Centre has achieved constitutional protection of the right to vote, improved access to healthcare for prisoners, and provided over 15.000 people with human rights training. Some of the areas that the Centre covers is protection of women’s reproductive health rights, as well as partnering up with indigenous Aboriginal people to promote their rights.
#19. Human Rights Support Centre
The Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) was established in 2008 in Ghana to advance and protect human rights in this country. HRAC’s work focuses on advocacy, research and the provision of legal services.
HRAC’s work revolves around marginalized groups in Ghana, including minority groups, persons with disabilities, women, children and refugees. It provides human rights services in the areas of healthcare, access to justice through pro bono legal services, prison advocacy for protection of the rights of prisoners, as well as education and awareness raising on human rights.
#20. Liberty in North Korea
Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) is California and Seoul based human rights charity that rescues North Korean refugees who hide in China and helps them settle either in South Korea or the US so that they are not forcibly extradited back to North Korea where they would face grave breaches of their human rights.
LiNK also conducts research and does media production to raise awareness of human rights abuses in North Korea. So far, LiNK rescued 1.179 North Korean refugees. According to LiNK it “rescues refugees without cost or condition and ensures their safety and dignity on their journey to freedom”.
