Category: Human Rights

Less than three weeks after a December 25 military airstrike in Sokoto state reportedly killed 10 villagers, an airstrike in Zamfara state has resulted in more accidental deaths. The victims, who the military wrongly identified as bandits, were members of a local vigilante group and farmers in the vicinity of Tungar Kara village, Zurmi Local […]

As Russia’s war of aggression continues to devastate Ukraine, approximately 12.7 million people are in need of urgent assistance. New European Commission funding will be used to provide life-saving support and ensure that essential aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in Ukraine. The €148 million in new funding will continue to support vital humanitarian aid […]

Nahid Taghavi, a German-Iranian women’s rights activist, has been released from prison in Iran after serving more than four years of a 10-year sentence. Her release follows international pressure and advocacy from organizations like Amnesty International, which had called for her immediate freedom, and her family, who had been campaigning on her behalf. Taghavi was […]

At the beginning of each year, UNICEF looks ahead to the risks that children are likely to face and suggests ways to reduce the potential harm. The latest report, Prospects for Children 2025: Building Resilient Systems for Children’s Futures, demands strengthening national systems that are designed to mitigate the impacts of crises on children and ensure […]

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Venezuelan authorities to urgently address the disappearance of Carlos Correa, a prominent media activist and leader of the organization Espacio Público. Correa, a vocal critic of the Venezuelan government’s suppression of press freedom, vanished on January 7 under suspicious circumstances following a meeting with colleagues about ongoing media […]

The Cameroonian government in December suspended the activities of four nongovernmental organizations for three months, without any warning or legal basis, in a move that is harming victims of gender-based violence. As one of these organizations provides services to support gender-based violence survivors, its abrupt suspension affected survivors’ access to support and resulted in some survivors […]

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Go here to read our analysis of the decision and the likely next steps, and here for our ICC explainer.  Asked by reporters at the regular noon […]

As ongoing talks for a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas unfold, families of the hostages held in Gaza are cautiously optimistic. In recent discussions, Hamas has reportedly agreed to release a list of 34 hostages, a step forward in the prolonged negotiations that have left many families in limbo since the October 7, 2024 […]

2025-2026 Henigson Fellowship Application Now Open The Human Rights Program is pleased to announce that the application for the 2025-2026 Henigson Fellowship is now open.  The post-graduate fellowship is open to Harvard Law School graduates only. The application deadline is on March 17, 2025. Prospective applicants must email HRP Associate Director Abadir M. Ibrahim ([email protected]) […]

On January 9, 2025, Lebanon’s parliament elected military commander Joseph Aoun as president, ending a two-year political deadlock in the country that resulted in a leadership and governance vacuum. In his first remarks to parliament, President Aoun said that “a new phase of Lebanon’s history has begun” and vowed to “protect the sanctity of individual […]