1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1975 The Helsinki Accords Fund for Free Expression founded as precursor to Human Rights Watch   1978 Human Rights Watch founded as Helsinki Watch 1981 Americas Watch founded 1985 Asia Watch founded 1987 Prison Project founded 1988 The Watch Committees become Human Rights Watch The International Film Festival founded Africa Watch founded 1989 Middle East Watch founded London office opened 1990 Woman’s Rights Project founded Los Angeles office opened 1991 Hong Kong office opened 1992 Moscow office opened Arms Project founded 1994 Brussels office opened Children’s Rights Project founded Rio de Janiero office opened 1995 Rwanda emergency office opened 1996 Academic Freedom Project founded Sarajevo emergency office opened Tashkent office opened 1997 Dushanbe office opened 1998 Tbilisi office opened Global refugee program founded