Human Rights Watch | Defending Human Rights Worldwide

Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. Please give now to support our work

Women take part in a demonstration against the Polish abortion law, in Wroclaw, Poland, on March 17, 2021.

October 19, 2021

Poland: A Year On, Abortion Ruling Harms Women

Women, girls, and all pregnant people have faced extreme barriers to accessing legal abortions in the year since a Constitutional Tribunal ruling virtually banned legal abortion in Poland.

Africa

October 19, 2021
Report
Nigeria: A Year On, No Justice for #EndSARS Crackdown
Americas

October 14, 2021
News Release
Canada: Stop Incarcerating Immigration Detainees in Provincial Jails
Asia

October 18, 2021
Commentary
When Foreign Men Talk to the Taliban About Women's Rights

Heather Barr

Associate Director, Women's Rights Division

Published in: INKSTICK

Latest News

October 18, 2021 Dispatches

Australia Moves Closer to Ending Harmful Intersex Surgeries
October 18, 2021 News Release

Nepal: Police Allegedly Use Excessive Force on Protesters, Target Activists
October 18, 2021 News Release

German Postcode Lottery Grants
October 18, 2021 Dispatches

India’s Medical Curriculum Gets LGBTI Update
October 16, 2021 Commentary

Thugs Attack Russian Human Rights Group, Then Police Make Matters Worse

Published In The Moscow Times
October 15, 2021 Dispatches

Russian Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Environmental Protests
October 15, 2021 Commentary

Top Human Rights Tweets of the Week
October 15, 2021 Dispatches

US Should Invest in Home and Community-Based Services
October 15, 2021 Dispatches

Lebanon’s Tragic Cycle of Violence Has a Cause
October 15, 2021 News Release

Turkey: Soldiers Beat, Push Afghan Asylum Seekers Back to Iran
October 15, 2021 Dispatches

New Vetting Process in International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor Elections
October 14, 2021 Commentary

Al-Sisi’s Western Benefactors Are Betraying Egypt’s Democratic Struggle

Published In Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
October 14, 2021 Dispatches

Sweden Should Press China to Release Swedish Book Publisher

Donate now to support human rights around the world

Make a One-time Gift

Videos

Reports

October 19, 2021 Report

Nigeria: A Year On, No Justice for #EndSARS Crackdown

Prosecute Those Responsible for Abusing Protesters
October 12, 2021 Report

Africa: Covid-19 Aid Falling Short

Rise in Poverty, Hunger Shows Need to Expand Social Protection
October 8, 2021 Report

Israel/Palestine: Facebook Censors Discussion of Rights Issues

Independent Investigation, Alignment with International Standards Needed
October 7, 2021 Report

Enforced Misery

The Degrading Treatment of Migrant Children and Adults in Northern France

Africa

Africa

October 19, 2021
Report
Nigeria: A Year On, No Justice for #EndSARS Crackdown

October 12, 2021 Report

Africa: Covid-19 Aid Falling Short

October 12, 2021 News Release

UN: Noncompetitive Rights Council Election Aids Abusers
Americas

Americas

October 14, 2021
News Release
Canada: Stop Incarcerating Immigration Detainees in Provincial Jails

October 14, 2021 Letter

Colombia: Letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

October 12, 2021 News Release

UN: Noncompetitive Rights Council Election Aids Abusers
Asia

Asia

October 18, 2021
Commentary
When Foreign Men Talk to the Taliban About Women's Rights

Heather Barr

Associate Director, Women's Rights Division

Published in: INKSTICK

October 18, 2021 Dispatches

Australia Moves Closer to Ending Harmful Intersex Surgeries

October 18, 2021 News Release

Nepal: Police Allegedly Use Excessive Force on Protesters, Target Activists
Europe/Central Asia

Europe/Central Asia

October 19, 2021
News Release
Poland: A Year On, Abortion Ruling Harms Women

October 16, 2021 Commentary

Thugs Attack Russian Human Rights Group, Then Police Make Matters Worse

Published In The Moscow Times

October 15, 2021 Dispatches

Russian Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Environmental Protests
Middle East/North Africa

Middle East/North Africa

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
Lebanon’s Tragic Cycle of Violence Has a Cause

Lama Fakih

Director, Crisis and Conflict Division

October 14, 2021 Commentary

Al-Sisi’s Western Benefactors Are Betraying Egypt’s Democratic Struggle

Published In Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)

October 14, 2021 News Release

Kuwait: Quash Conviction Against Transgender Woman
United States

United States

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
US Should Invest in Home and Community-Based Services

Emily DiMatteo

Intern, Disability Rights Division

October 12, 2021 News Release

UN: Noncompetitive Rights Council Election Aids Abusers

October 8, 2021 Dispatches

US Should Keep Millions of Children Out of Poverty

Arms

September 15, 2021
News Release
US: Commit to Joining Cluster Munitions Ban

August 2, 2021 News Release

Killer Robots: Urgent Need to Fast-Track Talks

July 27, 2021 Report

Gaza: Apparent War Crimes During May Fighting
Business

Africa

October 11, 2021
Commentary
What is the Future of Guinea's Mining Sector After the Coup?

Jim Wormington

Senior Researcher, Africa Division

Published in: Thomson Reuters Foundation

October 8, 2021 Report

Israel/Palestine: Facebook Censors Discussion of Rights Issues

September 22, 2021 Dispatches

Biden’s Best Chance to Tackle US Inequality
Children's Rights

Middle East/North Africa

October 11, 2021
News Release
Lebanon: Planning Lapses Endanger School Year

October 8, 2021 Dispatches

US Should Keep Millions of Children Out of Poverty

October 7, 2021 News Release

France: Degrading Treatment of Migrants Around Calais
Crisis and Conflict

Afghanistan

October 15, 2021
News Release
Turkey: Soldiers Beat, Push Afghan Asylum Seekers Back to Iran

October 1, 2021 Dispatches

Millions at Risk as Ethiopia Expels UN Officials

September 21, 2021 News Release

US: Treatment of Haitian Migrants Discriminatory
Disability Rights

United States

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
US Should Invest in Home and Community-Based Services

Emily DiMatteo

Intern, Disability Rights Division

October 14, 2021 News Release

Canada: Stop Incarcerating Immigration Detainees in Provincial Jails

October 5, 2021 Dispatches

Ensuring All Iraqis with Disabilities Are Able to Vote
Environment

Europe/Central Asia

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
Russian Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Environmental Protests

Damelya Aitkhozhina

Researcher, Russia

October 12, 2021 Dispatches

UN Rights Bodies Take Strong Stance on Climate Crisis

October 6, 2021 Dispatches

UN Rights Body Should Act to Recognize Right to a Healthy Environment
Free Speech

Asia

October 13, 2021
News Release
Singapore: Withdraw Foreign Interference Bill

October 13, 2021 Q & A

Q & A: Uzbekistan’s 2021 Presidential Election

October 13, 2021 News Release

Uzbekistan: Opponents Barred from Presidential Ballot
Health

Asia

October 13, 2021
Dispatches
As Australia Reopens, Vaccine Equity Should Be a Priority

Sophie McNeill

Australia Researcher

October 5, 2021 Commentary

Vaccine Mandates Can Support Human Rights, But Broader Strategy Is Crucial

Published In The New Humanitarian

September 22, 2021 Dispatches

Quad Leaders Should Back Covid-19 Intellectual Property Waiver
LGBT Rights

Asia

October 18, 2021
Dispatches
Australia Moves Closer to Ending Harmful Intersex Surgeries

Elaine Pearson

Australia Director

Kyle Knight

Senior Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program

October 18, 2021 Dispatches

India’s Medical Curriculum Gets LGBTI Update

October 14, 2021 News Release

Kuwait: Quash Conviction Against Transgender Woman
Refugees and Migrants

United States

October 7, 2021
Dispatches
Biden Administration Falls Far Short of US Refugee Admissions Cap

Bill Frelick

Director, Refugee and Migrant Rights Division

October 7, 2021 News Release

France: Degrading Treatment of Migrants Around Calais

October 7, 2021 Witness

Showing the Despair, and the Beauty, in Migrants’ Lives
Rights of Older People

United States

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
US Should Invest in Home and Community-Based Services

Emily DiMatteo

Intern, Disability Rights Division

October 5, 2021 Report

Canada: Disastrous Impact of Extreme Heat

September 20, 2021 Dispatches

Discrimination Against Older People Pervasive Worldwide
International Justice

October 15, 2021
Dispatches
New Vetting Process in International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor Elections

Elizabeth Evenson

Associate Director, International Justice Program

October 14, 2021 Letter

Colombia: Letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

October 11, 2021 Dispatches

ICC Should Pursue Higher-Level Seleka from Central African Republic
Technology and Rights

Middle East/North Africa

October 8, 2021
Report
Israel/Palestine: Facebook Censors Discussion of Rights Issues

September 21, 2021 Dispatches

US Tech Companies Bow to Russian Government

August 13, 2021 Commentary

Cybercrime is Dangerous, But a New UN Treaty Could Be Worse for Rights

Published In Just Security
Terrorism / Counterterrorism

National Security

September 11, 2021
Commentary
End the 'War on Terror'

Kenneth Roth

Executive Director

Published in: Newsweek

September 9, 2021 Commentary

Twenty Years On: The Legacy of 9/11

September 9, 2021 Commentary

9/11 Unleashed a Global Storm of Human Rights Abuses
Torture

Asia

September 16, 2021
News Release
Thailand: Outlaw Torture, Enforced Disappearances

September 1, 2021 Commentary

Al-Sisi Is Leaving the Sick to Suffer in Egypt’s Prisons

Published In Foreign Policy

August 26, 2021 News Release

Thailand: Drug Suspect Tortured to Death
United Nations

Global

October 12, 2021
Dispatches
UN Rights Bodies Take Strong Stance on Climate Crisis

Katharina Rall

Senior Researcher, Environment and Human Rights

October 12, 2021 News Release

UN: Noncompetitive Rights Council Election Aids Abusers

October 10, 2021 Letter

Joint Open Letter on Human Rights in North Korea
Women's Rights

Europe/Central Asia

October 19, 2021
News Release
Poland: A Year On, Abortion Ruling Harms Women

October 18, 2021 Commentary

When Foreign Men Talk to the Taliban About Women's Rights

Published In INKSTICK

October 12, 2021 Commentary

No stability and peace without protecting women and girls

Published In Friedrich Naumann Foundation