April 7, 2025 Sacred sites as a new way to advance pluralism and human rights Protecting sacred sites is not just about preserving cultural history, but fostering religious freedom, dialogue, and understanding in the present. By Knox Thames Español
December 4, 2024 Peace requires sympathy, even to those who endanger us The principles of civilization reflected in local norms must be extended to the global arena. By Rayyan Dabbous Español
October 24, 2024 In a world of calamity, are human rights still relevant? Amid ongoing acts of genocide against Palestinians and international attacks, the rights community must examine how rights frameworks and institutions have helped ... By Maha Abdallah Español
October 9, 2024 The human rights of human resources: Workplace justice in Lebanon By building change from the ground up, the political economy of human rights in the workplace shows a way out of the impasse in crisis-ridden Lebanon and a possible ... By Eugene Sensenig & Rouba El Helou Español
February 9, 2024 Israel’s ecocide is contributing to the forcible displacement of Gazans Israel’s assault on Gaza is creating widespread environmental destruction, compounding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians. By Emma Pearce Español
January 22, 2024 The failures of the UN in the Israel-Palestine conflict Structural power imbalances in the UN system have prevented it from halting Israel’s ongoing war crimes against Gazans. Individual states and civil society must ... By Susan M. Akram Español
December 8, 2023 Freedom of the press during the civil war in Yemen Yemen must protect journalistic rights and freedoms through greater transparency, stronger democratic practices, and a commitment to the press’s role in representing ... By Hassan Albaiti Español
December 6, 2023 The Turkish Republic at 100: Limited room for human rights through shifting paradigms For democracy, secularism, and equality to prevail in Turkey over the next hundred years, civil society must advocate for human rights for all. By Mine Yildirim Español
October 10, 2023 Now is the time to challenge harmful austerity in the Euro-Mediterranean region The upcoming annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank mark a crucial opportunity to center regional civil society voices on the human rights impact of austerity ... By Frederik Johannisson Español
May 4, 2023 Misappropriating human rights: Examining Turkey Turkey shares important similarities with global trends with respect to human rights appropriation practices at the expense of women’s and LGBTQI+ rights. By Başak Çalı & Esra Demir-Gürsel Español
April 6, 2023 Racial hatred on the rise in Tunisia: What is the role of digital platforms? Massive raids and attacks against Black migrants in Tunisia, triggered by a virulent online campaign, recall the urgent need for big tech to scrutinize the human ... By Salma Houerbi Español Français
September 29, 2022 Custody laws in Jordan maintain a sexist status quo Despite important strides made by social movements advocating for women’s rights and led by Arab women, there is still a long way to go to combat gender discrimination. By Lara Bellone d’Altavilla Español العربية
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
January 19, 2022 When did it become illegal to defend human rights? In the age of the internet, online human rights activism needs to be supported—and protected—as a vital part of the cybercommunications ecosystem. By Laurel E. Fletcher & Khalid Ibrahim Español
November 10, 2021 A discriminatory system killed a transgender man in Egypt By reforming its own system, Egypt can influence positive changes in other countries in the region and lead the way for accessible legal gender recognition mechanisms. By Nora Noralla Español العربية
October 8, 2021 Tunisian human rights activism in the 1960s: Revolutionaries, intellectuals and prisoners of conscience One should be cautious when conflating today’s human rights understanding with that of the past when narrating human rights history. By Marc Schade-Poulsen Français Español
September 1, 2021 The forgotten Islamic human rights document It is important to look at the CDHR as a symbolic document rather than a human rights instrument. By Nora Noralla Español العربية
August 18, 2021 Who will defend the defenders in Turkey? In today’s Turkey, lawyers themselves are being targeted—just for practicing their profession in accordance with the law. By Netherlands Helsinki Committee Español Türkçe
July 30, 2021 New regime, new patriarchy: the İstanbul Convention at stake The withdrawal decision is the most recent step on the part of the ruling circles in their policy practices against gender equality, mostly based on Islamic moralistic ... By Simten Coşar Türkçe Español
April 19, 2021 The long struggle of Turkish women to survive In the late Ottoman Empire, women organized protests and fought for equality. Now they are fighting to survive in Turkey. By Baris Cayli Messina Español
March 17, 2021 Syrians disagree on how to pursue justice: So what’s next? To effectively promote lasting peace, responses to the violence in Syria must account for incompatible—and even irreconcilable—demands for justice. By Jamie D. Wise Español العربية
December 2, 2020 Changing gender realities in MENA: Fostering social entrepreneurship Social enterprises help change gender realities in MENA to make them more equal. By Melissa Langworthy & Hadeel Qazzaz العربية
October 13, 2020 “Yazidi Female Survivors Law” in Iraq is groundbreaking but not enough The new “Yazidi Female Survivors Law”, while groundbreaking, is too narrow to address the needs of some of Iraq’s most vulnerable communities. By Kristin Smith & Sonali Dhawan العربية
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
January 23, 2020 Graffiti creates positive human rights narratives in Lebanon During widespread protests in Lebanon, street artists have painted messages of hope and human rights activism across Beirut. By Nohad Elhajj Français العربية
October 3, 2019 Turkey’s fast fashion is rising on the backs of Syrian refugees Weak labour legislation in Turkey, paired with brands that put profits before people, is causing harmful working conditions that exploit refugees. By Salma Houerbi Español العربية
August 8, 2019 Navigating human rights in war-torn Yemen Defending human rights in war-torn Yemen requires persistence, creativity, and strategic changes to daily operations. By Osamah Alfakih Español Français
April 23, 2019 In Afghanistan, the ICC abandons the field In giving undue weight to politics and practicalities in their decision to abandon war crimes investigations in Afghanistan, the ICC judges have set a dangerous ... By Param-Preet Singh Español
March 12, 2019 Litigating rights under occupation Israeli occupation is the root cause of Palestinian suffering. Litigation won’t change that, but it has nevertheless proven a successful tactic to defend Palestinian ... By Jessica Montell Español עברית العربية
November 13, 2018 Communications infrastructure in Palestine has become a tool of repression Restrictions on Palestinian mobile companies mean that Israeli companies reap profits from Palestinian customers, while Israel benefits from the resulting surveillance ... By Who Profits Research Center العربية Français
September 19, 2018 A hidden violation—sexual violence against men and boys in Syria and Turkey A new report suggests sexual violence against men and boys in widespread in the Syria conflict. And this largely unacknowledged abuse is barely addressed in the ... By Charu Lata Hogg العربية
August 8, 2018 The end of tyranny: South Africa’s civil society fights back Powerful civil society coalitions have re-emerged in South Africa, using litigation, social mobilization, and diverse political coalitions. By Ivor Chipkin Español
July 24, 2018 Resist or flee: NGOs respond to Egypt’s crackdown In the last few years, the Egyptian government has launched an unprecedented crackdown on civil society, causing human rights NGOs to flee, adapt or freeze. By Khaled Mansour العربية Español
June 26, 2018 Turkey’s democratic deficit and the European Court of Human Rights Erdoğan will likely succeed in removing the only genuine political opposition in the Turkish Parliament. And it will all, technically, be legal if the ECtHR does ... By Dilek Kurban
June 20, 2017 “No One Warned Me”: the trade-off between self-care and effective activism Is there a trade off between protecting your mental health as an activist and doing effective work? By Yara Sallam العربية
June 14, 2017 A levy in the African Union could be a step towards independence A new levy in the African Union could lead to more financial independence—but who is funding human rights? By Amandine Rushenguziminega Français
May 16, 2017 International recognition and public opinion towards conflict and violence Experiments show international recognition of statehood could change popular support for violence in self-determination conflicts. By Yael Zeira
May 8, 2017 Following orders: how expectations might reduce human rights abuses Understanding the logic of expectations could help us predict why some people follow orders to violate human rights—and others don’t. By Yonatan Lupu Español
May 3, 2017 Using experiments to improve women’s rights in Pakistan Experiments on support for women’s rights in Pakistan could improve the implementation and enforcement of UN treaties. By Gulnaz Anjum & Adam Chilton
April 19, 2017 Why engaging with perpetrators isn’t possible in Iran (yet) Engagement with Iranian human rights perpetrators might help someday, but in the current political climate it’s simply not possible. By Mahmood Monshipouri فارسی
December 20, 2016 Satire as a tool of resistance in Egypt In countries where fear is employed as a weapon against freedom of speech, satire is one of the strongest tools of resistance. By M. B. العربية
December 14, 2016 Rethinking strategies of child protection When children become the lead players in recruitment strategies, how can child protection advocates weigh in? By Rachel Schmidt Français
October 26, 2016 Human rights and public opinion in Israel: anger vs. pragmatism In Israel, public support for the term, “human rights,” is falling; support for actual human rights policies, however, is strong. By Dahlia Scheindlin Español עברית العربية
August 18, 2016 Will tougher sentences prevent female genital mutilation in Egypt? Egypt is considering tougher sentences and stiffer fines for doctors and parents who perform female genital mutilation on their daughters. But will that change ... By Amel Fahmy العربية
August 11, 2016 Human rights and the failed coup in Turkey There are risks for human rights in the post-coup purges in Turkey. But we must applaud more loudly the coup’s failure as a victory for human rights and democracy. By Richard Falk Türkçe
August 9, 2016 Human rights organizations and the state: how different are we really? How different are human rights organizations and the state institutions they challenge? A key Israel group has pulled away from cooperation with the army, arguing ... By Maayan Geva
June 14, 2016 Islamic ideals of peace and justice: are we overlooking something? Associating progressive social policies with Islam may unsettle some, yet the parallels are there and offer many possibilities. By Hakan Altinay العربية
May 25, 2016 Accounting for human rights: lessons from Syria If refugee advocates don’t shine a light on budgets, it will be nearly impossible to ensure sustained support for refugee protection efforts. By Sean Luna McAdams Español
May 24, 2016 Activists get creative in their push for Moroccan women’s rights Partnering with a comedienne and taking to social media, Human Rights Watch is getting creative to gain traction on women’s rights in Morocco. By Rachel Schmidt
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 4, 2016 When national security trumps international humanitarian law, who wins? International humanitarian law is not a diplomatic conversation devoid of real world implications, and ignoring it creates a free-for-all. By Brad Gutierrez
April 20, 2016 In the name of security: when silencing active citizens creates even greater problems Silencing activists in the name of security can stifle actors most likely to challenge extremist ideologies, making insecurity worse. By Iva Dobichina & Poonam Joshi Español
April 18, 2016 Missing: an international response to the rising tide of impunity Civil society organisations are targeted because political elites know they have power. But where is the international backup? By Cathal Gilbert Español
April 12, 2016 Is a reformed Refugee Convention a solution? The Refugee Convention was designed for an earlier era, but there seems little will to update its provisions to meet today’s reality. By Neva O. Öztürk & Cavidan Soykan Türkçe
March 31, 2016 Refugee protection is politics The best refugee legislation in the world will have little effect when those seeking protection are characterized as security risks. By Roni Amit & Loren B. Landau Français
March 23, 2016 Syria continues to bleed while the Middle East closes its doors Host states impose greater restrictions on refugees’ rights at least partly because Western states aren’t fulfilling their responsibilities. By Susan M. Akram العربية
February 5, 2016 Rethinking progressive NGO funding in Israel Marked as traitors by the dominant Right for relying on foreign aid, Israeli liberal NGOs need a wider base of local donors. By Hillel Ben-Sasson Español
November 17, 2015 Ignore public opinion at your own peril Why have global leaders continually been ignoring the views of Muslims—and especially of Syrians—on conflict? By Colin Irwin
November 4, 2015 Strategic, data-driven human rights advocacy: the Israeli experience Winning the public’s trust requires that NGOs be open to understanding, and respecting, the public’s perspectives. By Dahlia Scheindlin
October 7, 2015 Wanted in Israel: democratic leadership Israeli public opinion is not nearly as anti-democratic as is often depicted. Israeli leadership, however, is another story. By Tamar Hermann العربية עברית
September 29, 2015 Morocco’s “soft” repression of human rights activists Moroccan authorities still use old methods of oppressing opponents. Without popular support, can human rights groups fight back? By Zine El Abidine Meknassi Français العربية
September 23, 2015 In Israel, public opinion matters more when it’s against you Backed into a corner, Israeli human rights groups are trying to better understand and utilize public opinion. By Dahlia Scheindlin Español العربية עברית
September 14, 2015 Perceptions on human rights can help—or hinder—state building Public perception on human rights in the Middle East can provide important insights on state building. By Khalil Shikaki Français العربية
September 7, 2015 In Israel, intense combat spurs peace activism Experience of intense combat not only turns Israeli soldiers against conflict resolution, it can also spur them to become anti-occupation activists. By Erica Weiss עברית العربية
July 28, 2015 For Moroccan rights groups, good reputations aren’t enough Without building a strong popular base, the Moroccan human rights community cannot capitalize on its good reputation. By Rachid Touhtou & James Ron & Shannon Golden Français العربية
July 7, 2015 Partners in prayer: women's rights and religion in Morocco Pundits say that religion and human rights are opposing forces in Morocco, especially around women’s rights. Our Human Rights Perception Polls suggest a more nuanced ... By Meriem El Haitami & Shannon Golden & James Ron Français العربية
June 30, 2015 Let the pollsters pick? Navigating public opinion in Israel Polls help identify wedge issues, but what happens if human rights activists only pick fights they can win? By Jessica Montell Español العربية עברית
June 30, 2015 In Israel, implementing human rights feels wrong Polls indicate that Jewish Israelis generally support the concept of human rights, but are less supportive of Israeli human rights organizations – especially those ... By Dahlia Scheindlin Español עברית العربية
June 22, 2015 Is the relationship of the ICC and R2P truly “win-win”? Evidence from Syria and Libya suggests that linkages between the ICC and R2P are not always win-win. By Ruben Reike Français العربية
June 16, 2015 ICC action and the domestic effects of transnational criminality Noisy discussions in the Israeli/Palestinian context have obscured how the ICC’s role may impact Israel’s relations with other states, especially in Europe. By Valentina Azarov العربية
April 28, 2015 Palestine’s accession to the ICC may strengthen peace-first approach While civil society pushes a rights-first agenda in Palestine, resistance towards Palestine’s ICC membership suggests that governments may not embrace this approach. By Leslie Vinjamuri
March 31, 2015 Disputes over foreign funding in Israel mask much deeper issues If Israeli human rights groups are labeled fronts for foreign interests due to their funding, what does that make Israel itself? By Dimi Reider العربية עברית
February 27, 2015 Home, for Algeria’s Jews, is elsewhere Intolerance towards Algerian Jews has been driven by geopolitics and history, not religion. By Farah Souames العربية
February 25, 2015 The ICC in Libya – justice delayed and denied The ICC has issued only 3 indictments in Libya, and no new ones since 2011 – even amidst growing violence. New approaches are needed to make the Court’s mandate ... By Thomas Ebbs & Elham Saudi العربية
February 23, 2015 In Egypt, human rights need religion Religious progressives are vital for Egypt’s human rights; secular groups can’t do it alone. By Jack Snyder العربية
February 10, 2015 Transnational rights violations call for new forms of cooperation Human rights violations are increasingly transnational, yet there are no organizations addressing human rights in Israel’s foreign policy. By Jessica Montell עברית Español Français العربية
January 16, 2015 Women’s rights in Tunisia: promising future or religio-political game? Women in Tunisia have long enjoyed rights that are very clear on paper. In practice, however, the government’s willingness to enforce these rights seems to depend ... By Elsy Melkonian Français العربية
December 18, 2014 Religion and human rights - partnership with a dose of pragmatism Religion and human rights need not be completely divorced, or work hand-in-hand all the time. A case-by-case approach, taking into account the realities on the ... By Adem Kassie Abebe Français
December 4, 2014 ICC – threat or opportunity for Israel-Palestine? Palestinian accession to the ICC could provide an impetus for Israel to resolve the issue of settlements in the political arena before it reaches a legal adjudication. By Jessica Montell العربية עברית
October 23, 2014 Ebola, human rights, and poverty – making the links The Ebola crisis shows the necessity of a human rights approach to public health that focuses on discrimination and accountability, and the crisis itself has been ... By Alicia Ely Yamin
October 2, 2014 What do Muslim women want? Finding women’s rights in Islam The Koran proclaims equality between the sexes but also clearly indicates male superiority. In the fight for women’s rights in Islamic societies, how do human rights ... By Xaviera Medina Español
September 4, 2014 American Jews, money and the Israel-Palestine conflict Although the American Jewish community spends relatively little on human rights work in Israel/Palestine, they are getting serious about promoting a lasting peace ... By Benjy Cannon العربية עברית
August 27, 2014 For human rights, religious interpretation matters most Religious interpretation is what counts. This explains why Pakistanis vote for female leaders, while Saudi Arabia bans women drivers. By Iyad Barghouthi العربية
August 11, 2014 Arguing like Abraham for Gaza’s innocents Most Israeli Jews support the Gaza war, but the justice of self-defense has created a spiritual myopia among my people. As community and religious leaders, we rabbis ... By Rabbi Arik Ascherman العربية עברית Türkçe
August 4, 2014 Strategic choices facing Israeli rights group during the current war How should Israeli rights groups respond to this new war, and to the hatred many Jewish Israelis feel towards them and their work? By Dahlia Scheindlin עברית العربية Español Français
July 23, 2014 Occu-Kashrut and ethical Jewish consumerism For some, a boycott of products made in Israeli settlements - Occu-Kashrut - is an ethically motivated act of Jewish religious practice. As a result, Israel’s ... By Louis Frankenthaler
May 14, 2014 Faith in rights: ethics of the public square Human rights cannot thrive globally without the support of pluralist religious theologies that are in tune with public culture. In Muslim settings, this means that ... By Amyn B. Sajoo
April 17, 2014 In Israel, Rabbis for Human Rights address painful paradoxes In a world where so much blood is shed for religion, Rabbis for Human Rights believes that the Jewish faith must be a force for human rights. By Rabbi Arik Ascherman Español Français العربية עברית
April 17, 2014 Muslim NGOs, aid, and human rights Drawing on studies of Muslim aid organisations in Britain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Bangladesh, the author explores how these organisations do and don’t ... By Marie Juul Petersen Español Français العربية
April 15, 2014 Islamic and UN Bills of Rights: same difference Despite tension between western notions of individual freedom and Muslim tenets of communal responsibility, there is much common ground to be found in the fight ... By Muhtari Aminu-Kano & Ayaz Ali & Atallah Fitzgibbon Français Español العربية
March 25, 2014 Turkey, the EU, and civil society: An incomplete revolution Turkey’s campaign for EU membership has revolutionized funding for its civil society, but there is still a long way to go. By H. Selen Akçali Uzunhasan Türkçe
February 25, 2014 An alternative to international aid Nora Lester Murad describes a new alternative to international aid and domestic charity for Palestine; community directed funds By Nora Lester Murad Español עברית العربية
January 13, 2014 In defense of 'professional' human rights organizations Human rights NGOs do not necessarily need to be grassroots social movements. But issues of dependence on foreign funding and corruption that accompany 'professionalization' ... By Fateh Azzam العربية
January 8, 2014 No shortage of international complicity with Israeli occupation Aid to Palestine is essentially palliative, intended to maintain a status quo. From that vantage point, aid seems to be remarkably complicit with continued Israeli ... By Nora Lester Murad
December 23, 2013 Anti-ngo legislation in Israel: a first step toward silencing dissent Ultra-nationalist political parties are yet again trying to crack down on dissenting Israeli NGOs. This is the latest in a longer series of efforts to fundamentally ... By Daniel Sokatch
December 10, 2013 Turkey’s human rights groups in a funding squeeze The government often accuses Turkey’s human rights groups of doing the work of “foreign powers,” which scares off local donors. But when rights groups seek foreign ... By Murat Çelikkan Türkçe
November 14, 2013 Will foreign funding last for those inside Israel who defend the Palestinians? Israel’s human rights organisations depend on foreign funding to defend the rights of the Palestinians. But as the Middle East is increasingly torn by new conflicts, ... By Noam Sheizaf العربية
November 14, 2013 In the Arab region, barriers abound to giving locally It’s time for a paradigm shift in the Arab region, where local human rights groups are negatively perceived and donors still resist supporting right based initiatives. By Elie Abouaoun Español Français العربية
November 12, 2013 Funding cannot stop rights abuses The work of human rights organisations in the occupied Palestinian territories can never end abuses. Only a political solution that ends the Israeli occupation ... By Lori Allen Español العربية עברית Türkçe
September 13, 2013 R2P – hindrance not a help in the Syrian crisis The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine has failed to build an international consensus for action to protect civilians in Syria. Worse, R2P’s implicit support ... By David Petrasek العربية Español
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