Demanding justice on a global scale

HQ Location: United States

After the watershed events of 2011, human rights did not quite enjoy the same global exposure in the year just gone. If anything, however, this only served to further highlight the crucial role played by the New York-based Human Rights Watch. With Cold War roots stretching back to 1978, the organization has a long track record of ‘muscular’ advocacy to achieve sustained, positive behavioral change by governments, law-makers, judicial systems, corporations and rebel groups. Unafraid of courting controversy, unlike mass membership movements Human Rights Watch focuses on targeted advocacy, insider access and deft utilization of media headlines to raise pressure on those in positions of influence.

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