Student Task Force

The Student Task Force (STF) is a youth leadership program within Human Rights Watch. STF launched in 1999 to educate and train high school and college students to develop leadership and critical-thinking skills through the promotion of human rights. STF activities are rooted in current local and international human rights topics that students can relate to directly. Under the guidance of STF staff and teacher advisors, students select a human rights advocacy action plan that places particular importance on safeguarding the rights of children. STF students from each school develop leadership abilities, hone their presentation skills, and become effective communicators as they work on behalf of children globally who are denied basic rights. Through their participation in STF, students improve their skills by collaborating with diverse groups of peers and interacting with public officials.

 

Implementing HRW’s mission to defend human rights, STF helps youth build a foundation for human rights, raises awareness about children’s rights violations, and develops young leaders and advocates to become instrumental voices for social justice around the world.

 

STF staff guide and mentor participants to implement a shared human rights advocacy action plan across campuses. Through these action plans, STF members learn how to evaluate problems and independently discover ways to address them, harnessing the leadership skills they work on each week. STF leaders enter the program with varying levels of public speaking, project coordination, and presentation experience. The ongoing leadership training provides students with the skills and confidence needed to lead their classmates.

 

The STF works to support the Children's Rights Division (CRD) of Human Rights Watch through advocacy projects. Based in New York, the CRD monitors human rights abuses against children around the world and campaigns to end them. Examples of Student Task Force projects include leadership training workshops, planning advocacy action plans, meeting with elected representatives and with human rights activists from around the world, documentary film screenings and other public education events.

 

Click to see recent STF activities.

 

How To Get Involved
To learn more about the Student Task Force and how to get involved, please email stf@hrw.org.