May 3, 2024 Make or break for Moldova’s democracy: Collaboration needed to protect elections In the face of the growing threat of disinformation, Moldova must invest in collaborative efforts between the government, civil society, and media to safeguard ... By Emma Lygnerud Boberg Español
March 1, 2024 Online platforms and biometric surveillance: How the UK government weaponizes safety The UK government has proposed a series of measures that would weaken legal protections for the right to privacy. Rights groups and industry experts must continue ... By Alex Wagner Español
November 16, 2023 Should “the right to party” be a human right? Nightlife serves a crucial social and economic function in German culture, and the government should prioritize the continued thriving of nightclubs during times ... By Florian White Español
June 30, 2023 Hereditary monarchies are the antithesis of a human rights culture Monarchs hold sway over 43 states worldwide; the UK should take the lead in dismantling this archaic system of unaccountable power. By Kate Bermingham Español
June 6, 2023 Rejecting the colonial legacy of discriminatory laws States around the world should repeal discriminatory and archaic laws that reproduce historical inequalities and patterns of oppression. By Marco Perolini Español
February 17, 2023 Solidarity, not charity How #LeaveNoOneBehind advocated a reconfiguration of pro-migrant solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic and what we can all learn from it as we face current and ... By Isabell Sluka Español
December 8, 2022 Promoting women’s rights: Introducing the Women’s Rights Recommendation Compliance Explorer A new tool helps people track recommendations and compliance about women’s rights in Europe. By Jillienne Haglund & Courtney Hillebrecht Español
December 8, 2022 Hollow rights victories? Dutch struggles against digital injustice Algorithms calculating the probability of fraud were overwhelmingly and wrongly targeting immigrant groups. By Victoria Adelmant & Christiaan van Veen Español
June 29, 2022 Egalité? Not in France’s refugee policy For a country whose founding universalist principles are imbued with humanitarian rhetoric, it’s astounding how egregiously égalité has been violated. By Jacqueline Parisi Español
May 26, 2022 Rights at risk: Russia’s withdrawal from the ECtHR The stakes of Russia’s withdrawal are exceedingly high—for past and present victims and for the Court itself. By Courtney Hillebrecht Español Русский Українська
May 13, 2022 Why business might thwart the UK government’s Rwanda asylum export plan Although the plan was initiated by the government, it seems likely that private enterprises will be asked to play a significant role at all stages of the process. By John Morrison Español
May 12, 2022 Private equity and children’s care homes: a socially responsible investment? The operation of care facilities for vulnerable children by private-equity backed companies poses threats to human rights. By Claire Methven O’Brien & Rebekah Wilson Español
April 25, 2022 Child migrants are children first As a matter of human rights, our policies must consider child migrants by their status of child before their status of migrant or litigant. By Sarah Damoff Español
April 7, 2022 Moving towards a new history of social rights A deeper history of social rights can help us identify the factors that have impeded the human rights project. By Steven L. B. Jensen & Charles Walton Español Français
March 16, 2022 Why current events in Ukraine (should) raise questions about refugees in Greece The current expressions of solidarity by various European countries towards refugees from Ukraine should reignite the discourse about Europe’s response to refugees ... By Mimi Hapig Español
February 4, 2022 Privacy and digital identity: The case of Pakistan’s NADRA Pakistan’s national ID system is failing to cater to the needs of various marginalized communities, and is a potential threat to citizens’ right to privacy. By Hamza Waqas & Amna Khan Español
July 27, 2021 A cautionary lesson from Italy: commercializing healthcare can kill At the latest G20 Global Health Summit, global health leaders seemed to have forgotten one of the most costly lessons of the pandemic. By Rosa Pavanelli & Rossella De Falco Español Italiano
July 23, 2021 Why the world should follow Scotland’s embrace of a human-rights based approach The Scottish report stands out for being forward-looking, distinguishing it from piecemeal and reactive approaches found amongst “advanced” democracies and countries ... By Slava Balan & John Packer Español Français Русский العربية
July 12, 2021 Social rights constitutionalism in interwar Ireland: for a people’s history Interwar Ireland offers a rich case-study of popular movements contesting economic and social rights ‘from below.’ By Thomas Murray Español Français العربية
July 9, 2021 What the French Revolution can tell us about the history of social rights Achieving a consensus on the terms of social obligation in a society based on equality is both complex and extremely important. By Charles Walton Español العربية Français
June 4, 2021 Litigating the future: climate rights before the German Constitutional Court Human rights analysts and practitioners will recognize in the decision of the German Court an important turn in the evolution of rights. By César Rodríguez-Garavito Español
June 2, 2021 British U-turn on torture shows how human rights advocacy can work The UK looked set to undermine the international prohibition against torture, but relentless campaigning and shaming forced a change. By Frank Foley Español
May 10, 2021 European plans to regulate internet will have major impacts on civic space at home and abroad Without inbuilt protections, the European Union's new law billed as a new constitution for the internet could inadvertently empower governments set on shrinking ... By Iverna McGowan Español Français Deutsch
May 7, 2021 Human rights principles, treaties and mental health: a case study of Greece How can human rights inform our understanding of mental health support services? By Jonas Bull & Sacha Feierabend العربية Español Deutsch Français
April 21, 2021 Welfare caps: how the UK and Serbia became outliers in restricting child support The limits placed on child benefits in Serbia and the UK have a similarly destructive impact on household incomes and children’s well-being. By Imogen Richmond-Bishop & Danilo Curcic Español
December 22, 2020 Stopping the abuse in your produce basket Under the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and consumers have the opportunity to rethink how we look at the human costs that sustain our grocery shopping. By Amanda Borquaye Español
October 19, 2020 Closing the supply-side accountability gap through climate litigation Closing the impunity gap on climate change includes making fossil fuel suppliers accountable for their emissions. By Michelle Jonker-Argueta Español
August 14, 2020 Protecting migrant women workers in food supply chains during COVID-19 Spain is paying little heed to the rights of seasonal workers during the pandemic as long as labour needs are met, and the food supply is maintained—what will spur ... By Aintzane Márquez Tejón & Hannah Wilson Español
July 10, 2020 Litigation in Ireland’s Supreme Court may condemn inaction on climate change Public support in Ireland for taking action against climate change is high, but the government has not adequately mitigated its impact—a recent Supreme Court case ... By Victoria Adelmant & Philip Alston & Matthew Blainey Español
July 2, 2020 Early parole reforms in Turkey put political prisoners at increased risk A new early parole bill in Turkey had the potential to improve the country’s human rights track record—but instead, it leaves political prisoners even worse off. By Ali Yildiz Español Türkçe
June 28, 2020 Judges within their powers: determining the lower limit for countries’ climate action Are courts able to determine that a government’s climate change policy is insufficient and order governments to do more? By Dennis van Berkel Español
June 12, 2020 London refugee groups offer online services but face disparities in connectivity With millions of the world’s students now facing extended learning at home, the required access to the internet—and to the right devices—is exposing drastic inequalities. By Christa Blackmon Français العربية
June 5, 2020 Coronavirus in austerity Britain: poverty and discrimination compounded The global pandemic—following ten years of draconian austerity measures in the UK—has created a perfect storm of human rights violations against already marginalized ... By Imogen Richmond-Bishop & Sara Bailey
May 14, 2020 Covid-19 and the duty to provide health information to diverse populations As European nations struggle to provide COVID-19 information to immigrant and minority populations, Norway illustrates a grounded and inclusive approach. By Anne Hellum & Kristin Bergtora Sandvik & Tatanya Valland & Marta BIvand Erdal Español Français
April 3, 2020 Being BOLD in difficult times: Bulgarians organizing for liberal democracy A new initiative in Bulgaria aims to reinvigorate support for democratic values and human rights by directly engaging citizens in a bottom-up process of deliberative ... By Dimitrina Petrova Español Русский
March 30, 2020 When law meets tech: moving toward rights-based AI To address the rights implications of AI, legal and human rights professionals must develop broader knowledge-building networks and increase collaboration across ... By Vanja Skoric Español
March 19, 2020 Landmark judgment from the Netherlands on digital welfare states and human rights A landmark judgement in the Netherlands shows how technology used by governments to stop welfare fraud and improve “efficiency” may be leading to unjustified exclusion, ... By Christiaan van Veen Español Français
March 11, 2020 How to identify a contemporary authoritarian regime To identify a contemporary authoritarian regime, we can start by asking what Hungary and Brazil have in common. By Daniela Ikawa Español Português
October 31, 2019 What does that mean here? Localizing human rights in the UK Some people believe that there is a lot of skepticism towards international human rights in England, but experiences of localization of rights are making a difference ... By Koldo Casla & Kath Dalmeny Español
October 23, 2019 Polish activists fight for rights already guaranteed in their constitution The democratic community in Poland is under threat, but activists and judges who use the constitution to push back against the government and fight for human rights ... By Małgorzata Szuleka Español
September 12, 2019 Technology and gaming innovations bring new life to Russian NGOs Russia’s non-profit sector has been playing a constant game of catch-up—can new media technologies break this pattern and appeal to younger audiences? By Tatiana Tolsteneva Español Русский
August 1, 2019 Bringing human rights home: new strategies for local organizing Declining economic conditions in cities and communities around the world have inspired more people to organize locally to defend and promote our “right to the city.” By Jackie Smith & Joshua Cooper Español
July 24, 2019 Ukraine may need to look beyond the ICC for justice While many Ukranians place their hopes in the ICC to end impunity, improving the local judiciary could be a more effective development. By Quincy Cloet Español
July 18, 2019 What Putin’s supposed “death” of liberalism means for human rights If Putin was right, and liberalism is dead, what would be the future of human rights in global politics? By Koldo Casla Español
July 10, 2019 Why do emerging AI guidelines emphasize “ethics” over human rights? It’s clear that regulation of AI must start now, but why do emerging frameworks primarily talk about ethics rather than law and human rights? By Alison Berthet Français
June 20, 2019 Giving with trust: how philanthropy can transform power relations Philanthropy can repeat oppressive patterns, or it can transform donor-recipient relations by giving decision-making power and trust along with money. By Ise Bosch & Claudia Bollwinkel Español Deutsch
April 3, 2019 NGOs start thinking like businesses in Eastern Europe and Central Asia NGOs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have shown resilience under pressure by inventing new ways to generate funds, including hybrid for-profit and non-profit ... By Rostislav Valvoda
March 5, 2019 Landmark case from Romania expands possibilities for LGBT rights A landmark case on same-sex marriage in Romania could expand the possibilities for LGBT rights in the region. By Adrian Coman Español
February 20, 2019 Funding changes in the Caucasus—will NGOs adapt? Many NGOs in the North Caucasus have survived the panic of Russia’s “foreign agent” law, but not all activists raised in the comfort zone of grant-funded NGOs can ... By Almut Rochowanski Русский
October 25, 2018 Irish Traveller communities in Cork monitor and campaign for social rights Traveller communities in Ireland are using international human rights law to monitor their housing conditions and to demand action from the local council. And they ... By Koldo Casla
October 2, 2018 The privilege of remedy: how accessible is the ECtHR? The European Court of Human Rights is supposed to help victims of rights violations seek justice, but procedural hurdles are preventing access for those that need ... By Leyla-Denisa Obreja
September 18, 2018 Despite closing space, innovative branches of Russian civil society thrive After years of coverage about how the “foreign agent law” would spell the end of freedom of association in Russia, parallel universes of Russian civil society are ... By Almut Rochowanski Русский
August 24, 2018 Dropping the defense: hopeful stories fight stigma in Hungary Dropping defensive tactics and reframing human rights in a relatable way are both key to responding to stigmatizing backlash in Hungary and connecting to new audiences. By Stefania Kapronczay & Anna Kertész Español
August 7, 2018 Human rights NGOs should learn funding lessons from service providers Human rights NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe are facing increased hostility from governments and declining legitimacy in public opinion, while social service ... By Dimitrina Petrova Русский
May 24, 2018 Assessment tools can strengthen social movements by bringing activists together A new measurement tool helps social movement actors identify where they are progressing and where they can improve—but what comes after the assessment is the most ... By PeiYao Chen & Natalia Karbowska Español Français العربية Русский Українська
May 2, 2018 Fighting the backlash against feminism in Bulgaria In Bulgaria, women’s rights, feminism, and LGBTQ rights are inflammatory topics, and one women’s fund is fighting back with controversial campaigns. By Nadejda Dermendjieva & Gergana Kutseva Español
December 6, 2017 As NGOs speak out, expect clampdowns to grow Governments from Uganda to Poland are silencing activists and organizations that criticize them—what can these NGOs do to fight back? By David Kode Español
October 31, 2017 Protecting environmental defenders should be a central issue at climate talks As attacks on environmental rights defenders escalate, the stakes are high for the upcoming climate change talks in Germany. By Katharina Rall Español Français العربية
October 27, 2017 The Achilles’ heel of the European Court of Human Rights The whole European system of human rights protection is powerless when confronted with bad faith, and this represents its existential threat. By Sergei Golubok Français
October 11, 2017 Indigenous rights in the Russian Arctic: self-determining communities or stakeholders? When indigenous rights are not observed, communities that shift their demands from the state to the corporation may trade in one form of power imbalance for another. By Laura A. Henry Русский
June 7, 2017 Evicted rights in Spain: no room of one’s own Thousands of people are being evicted in Spain due to austerity measures, and women are disproportionately affected by structural inequality. By Koldo Casla Español
May 11, 2017 When advocacy work builds resilience, everyone benefits For many, activism can be healthy and healing. By Kristi Pinderi Español shqiptar
May 5, 2017 Discrimination in action: the value of experiments in human rights A video game experiment in Slovenia reveals discriminatory practices against the Roma—what else might experiments teach us about human rights? By Ana Bracic
March 21, 2017 Crowdfunding to bypass Russia’s civil society crackdown With heightened restrictions on foreign funding, reporting on the Russian government’s repression requires creative social media projects. By Grigory Okhotin Русский
February 14, 2017 An elusive justice—holding parent companies accountable for human rights abuse A UK judgement on Shell’s operations in Nigeria yet again shows the need to prevent powerful multinationals hiding behind their subsidiaries to dodge accountability ... By Joe Westby Español
November 4, 2016 Fast and flexible support: ingredients to enrich LGBTI campaigning There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to campaigning for today’s LGBTI activists, but providing support on short notice allows organisations to be reactive and ... By Laura Piazza
October 28, 2016 Closing space in Hungary with a Russian cookbook Hungary is using Russia’s playbook to close down civil society space, and many Western allies are hardly even noticing. By Péter Krekó
October 25, 2016 Tackling economic inequality with the right to non-discrimination Inequality may be compatible with human rights, but not if it violates the right to non-discrimination. By David Barrett
July 21, 2016 What can Brexit teach us about business and human rights? The economy we have built isn’t the economy that delivers shared prosperity and shared security for the majority. The business and human rights movement has a fundamental ... By Phil Bloomer
July 20, 2016 The UK government cannot reconcile austerity measures with human rights UK governments have claimed austerity measures are necessary while ignoring the disproportionate adverse effects on marginalized groups. By Jamie Burton & Alice Donald & Koldo Casla
July 11, 2016 In southeastern Europe, data helps bolster LGBTI rights Using polling data, the National Democratic Institute is helping LGBTI groups in southeastern Europe build their activist base. By Marko Ivkovic Español Српски
June 29, 2016 Brexit and human rights: winter is coming Given the toxic politics of Farage, Johnson, Le Pen and Trump, will human rights be enough to resist right-wing nationalism in the wake of Brexit? By Stephen Hopgood
June 28, 2016 Now more than ever the UK needs the compass of human rights It is in uncertain times—like the aftermath of the Brexit vote—that we need human rights the most. By Benjamin Ward
May 23, 2016 Migrants are driving innovative campaigns for female refugees in Germany Activists are using a multi-van in Germany to help female refugees cope with violence and harassment. By Claudia Bollwinkel Deutsch
May 11, 2016 Crisis in Europe exposes failing refugee protection regime The refugee protection regime works if it remains limited to those genuinely fleeing persecution — though the Syrian crisis proves again that ways must also be ... By John Torpey
May 10, 2016 Local funding is not just an option anymore—it’s an imperative As local rights groups seek alternative funding sources, the closing space for civil society makes this even more imperative. By Jenny Hodgson
April 20, 2016 Civil society in the post-Soviet space: fighting for the “End of History” “Partly free” countries in the post-Soviet space must fight even harder now to protect growing civil societies. By Orysia Lutsevych Русский
March 15, 2016 The struggle for sans-papiers human rights Protecting the rights of refugees and migrants requires a response based in hospitality not hostility. By Upendra Baxi
March 11, 2016 Building community around women’s rights: feminist philanthropy in Serbia Becoming agents of change for women’s rights in Serbian society requires creativity in building connections and solidarity. By Zoe Gudovic Español
January 18, 2016 Grounds for (a little) optimism? Russian public opinion on human rights Despite Putin’s clampdown on Russian civil society, public opinion trends point to growing support for civil liberties. By Theodore P. Gerber Español Русский
September 15, 2015 “Small places, close to home”: successful communication on human rights Effective counter-framing is crucial to improve public opinion on human rights. By Neil Crowther Español Français
July 3, 2015 Research-based messaging changes public support for human rights Amidst widespread negative views on human rights in the UK, public opinion research can help improve outreach strategies. By Rachel Krys Español Français
June 29, 2015 Does it matter when polls go wrong? When political polls go wrong, many people start to doubt polling entirely. But that’s a costly mistake. By Kathy Frankovic
January 22, 2015 Long before “internationalization”: Human Rights Watch and local collaborations in Russia Despite a hostile climate and many different challenges, the collaborations of Human Rights Watch with local Russian organizations continue to be the key for making ... By Tanya Lokshina Русский