Impact

By investigating and exposing human rights abuses, we work to create a world where everyone is treated fairly and equitably, no matter their race, religion, or beliefs. We call for action so that people who disagree with their government can speak their opinions freely, so that children are protected, and refugees cared for. All of us, regardless of who we are, who we love, or the color of our skin, should be able to enjoy fully our human rights.

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Change is sometimes immediate, sometimes incremental. We work on issues for years and know from experience how to transform deep-rooted problems. Here are examples of some of the recent impact we have made, together with our partners, in advancing human rights around the world.

How do we bring about change?

Investigate
Our researchers investigate human rights abuses, first by speaking with victims or witnesses. We corroborate their stories using a variety of sources, including government records, weapons’ fragments, satellite imagery, and the statements of accused perpetrators – be they members of governments, armed groups, or companies. We often do this work together with partner activists.

Expose
We share this information widely, in multiple languages, to help shape public debate. Our reports, videos, and social media posts show up hundreds of times daily in news media around the world, bringing both global and local attention to our rigorously fact-checked findings.

Change
Often in coalition with local groups, we bring our findings to officials who have the power to change things. For every issue we work on, we make specific, concrete policy recommendations that will bring people justice, prevent future abuses, and protect human rights.

Our work has been instrumental in some foundational victories for human rights, including our work on banning landmines worldwide, for which we and our partners received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. Below are some examples of our historic impact.

All impact

  • June 21, 2019
    (Geneva, June 21, 2019) – The adoption of a ground-breaking global treaty on June 21, 2019 by the International Labour Organization (ILO) will improve protections for workers facing violence and harassment, Human Rights Watch said today.
    201906wrd_ilo
  • June 20, 2019
    The Court of Appeal in London ruled on June 20, 2019 that the United Kingdom government’s refusal to consider Saudi Arabia’s laws-of-war violations in Yemen before licensing arms sales was unlawful, Human Rights Watch said today.
    Destruction at the location of an air strike at Radfan Ceramics Factory, west of Sanaa, Yemen, on September 23, 2015.
  • June 10, 2019
    A leading disability rights organization will award Human Rights Watch its annual Lead On! Award on June 10, 2019, in recognition of the organization's contributions to the inclusion and rights of people with disabilities.
    A child in a Russian state orphanage for children with disabilities.
  • May 28, 2019
    Venezuela is in the grips of a humanitarian crisis fueled by Nicolás Maduro’s repression and mismanagement. The country is wracked by severe shortages of food and medicine, and more than 3.7 million Venezuelans have fled, most of them to other Latin American countries.​ Human Rights Watch has raised the stakes on Venezuela’s government through both our high-level advocacy and a social media campaign, and today the pressure on Maduro has never been so intense.
    Venezuela’s Journalists Can’t be Silenced
  • May 28, 2019
    A teenager with autism in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been allowed to return to high school. Slavko Mršević, now 19, had been barred from taking classes for three years by both his school and by the country’s education ministry because of his disability.
    A boy sitting at his desk in his room doing homework
  • May 17, 2019
    Crowds waving rainbow flags broke into cheers – and tears of joy – as news spread that Taiwan’s lawmakers had passed a bill today allowing same-sex couples to marry.
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  • May 8, 2019
    Human Rights Watch recently reported on disturbing allegations that survivors of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique were being forced to have sex with community leaders in exchange for food. Now there is a real chance to end exploitation of vulnerable cyclone victims.
    201905africa_mozambique_idai_aid
  • May 7, 2019
    The dubious decision to cancel the March 31 Istanbul mayoral election win by opposition candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, in the absence of compelling evidence that the vote was not free or fair, has interfered with the democratic right of millions of voters.
    201905europe_turkey_erdogan_election