We believe that young people do not need years of formal legal or academic training to be effective human rights advocates.

We work closely with communities directly affected or threatened by rights abuse.

We believe that social change happens when people’s movements succeed in shifting power— not when lawyers achieve victories in the courtroom or other legal fora.

We support people's movements at home and abroad.

We defend and promote economic and social rights—including the right to a clean and healthy environment—as vigorously as civil and political rights.

We believe that our role is to build the power of democratic movements led by directly affected people.

University Network
for Human Rights

The University Network for Human Rights trains the next generation of advocates by engaging undergraduate and graduate students in supervised human rights fact-finding, documentation, and advocacy. We defend human rights in their broadest sense and pursue movement-based advocacy that centers the voices of directly affected communities. Learn more about our mission here.

If you are an undergraduate student:

The University Network will train you in human rights fact-finding, documentation, and advocacy and provide you with opportunities to engage in hard-hitting, high-impact human rights work.

To learn more about our undergraduate programs, see our Undergraduate Training page. You can also see what past students are saying about our training programs here.

If you are a university educator in the US:

The University Network will provide structured opportunities for students at your institution to channel their interest in human rights into practical, experiential learning with renowned experts.

If you are a university educator outside the US:

The University Network will work together with you to develop interdisciplinary experiential learning programs in human rights at your institution, facilitate opportunities for your students to engage in human rights advocacy, and learn from your expertise to jointly promote social justice.

“I traveled to Cancer Alley, Louisiana along with thirteen other undergraduates. We worked closely with a community suffering the effects of environmental racism. The University Network gave me an unparalleled opportunity to do real human rights work.”

—Noam, University Network participant

University Networkfor Human Rights

If you are an undergraduate student:

If you are a university educator in the US:

If you are a university educator outside the US:

“I traveled to Cancer Alley, Louisiana along with thirteen other undergraduates. We worked closely with a community suffering the effects of environmental racism. The University Network gave me an unparalleled opportunity to do real human rights work.”

University Network
for Human Rights