Some General Human Rights Sites
Here is a list of sites in which you can investigate previous and current human rights issues. This might help you in getting started by finding either a region or a subject matter that particularly interests you. And if you are awarded an internship, these sites might provide additional information about the country you are going to and current problems its people and/or government are facing. This certainly is not a comprehensive list of Human Rights websites but it can serve as an introduction.
Human Rights Today: A United Nations Priority
This site provides a helpful introduction to the concept of universal human rights, reviews the history that led to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and describes the principal United Nations (UN) bodies that deal with human rights issues.
Amnesty International
This is the site of Amnesty's International Secretariat in London. It includes a library of many of AI's current publications, including Amnesty's annual report, country reports, new releases, and international campaign materials. The site also maintains links to Amnesty sections and groups around the world. Information on Amnesty's past campaigns from 1994 to present is also archived on this site.
Amnesty International USA
This site includes news releases, the Amnesty Action newsletter, regional office addresses, and links to US local groups' sites. Current actions and appeals for letter writing, along with a guide to letter writing, are available through the Amnesty Action Center, as is information about starting a student group. Information about AIUSA's current campaigns can be found here, as well as info about the Environmental Defenders, Outfront!, Urgent Action, Government Action, Legal Support, Children's Rights, and Women's Rights Networks.
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights/Partners in Human Rights Education
This site provides summaries of several human rights advocacy programs at Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, including Children's Rights, Women's Human Rights, and the Refugee and Immigrant Program, including the BIAS Project and the Refugee and Asylum Project. Information on current actions, volunteer opportunities and pilot programs is available, as well as a list of publications which can be ordered through Minnesota Advocates. An extensive list of links to other human rights advocacy organizations and education websites can also be found here.
Human Rights USA
The Human Rights USA website includes areas for human rights education, communication, and action. Information on human rights education methodologies and annotated bibliographies are also posted here, in addition to a human rights education directory with contact info for various human rights organizations, and links to other human rights education sites. The text of Human Rights Here and Now, an educational resource for community and classroom community education is found here. This site also includes ordering information for educational materials from the Human Rights Resource Center, and links to human rights documents and libraries as well as links to an advocacy network, including an education listserve.
Human Rights Web
This website includes background information on the history of human rights, links to legal and political documents, international human rights organizations, resources and listings of newsgroups and discussion groups.
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
This well-maintained site contains over 90 of the most important international human rights documents and many useful links to human rights organizations and documents. In addition to the International Bill of Rights, it includes the United Nations treaties on the rights of women, children, indigenous peoples, refugees and asylum seekers, and on slavery. Information on applied human rights research topics is also available, in addition to links to mirror web sites from four continents.
Women's Human Rights
This site includes documents related to the reproductive and sexual rights of women, annotated links to research material, governmental and non-governmental documents, and a bibliography of women's international human rights sources.
Human Rights Internet
This site based in Canada contains listings of resources, funding sources for projects, human rights background information and documents, and human rights education materials. They have listings of human rights seminars, internships, courses, and schools offering human rights related programs. Also included are syllabi of human rights courses taught around the world at post-secondary institutions. There also is a Rights Talk Forum, and a Youth Centre, with activities and information aimed at students.
Derechos
This site contains information on specific prisoner cases, letter-writing actions, mailing lists, and human rights organizations, mainly but not exclusively focusing on Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas. Information is in both English and Spanish.
Youth in Action Network
This site provides an interactive forum in which youth can learn about issues such as indigenous and cultural rights, and the environment. The "Talk About It" section allows real-time discussions about selected topics and provides an online forum where participants can post their thoughts and questions on human rights issues. Tools for taking actions are posted, including how-to info on writing letters, making petitions, contacting legislators, and raising funds.
International Committee of the Red Cross
ICRC is a unique, private organization that acts as the custodian of the Geneva Conventions and works to protect and provide assistance to victims of international armed conflicts and internal violence. A wealth of resources resides on its site, including articles from the International Review of the Red Cross, a humanitarian law database with texts of relevant treaties, and information on ICRC's country operations.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
In additions to information on current UNHCR operations, this includes a section for teachers that provides an up-to-date list of teaching resources-curricula and videos-on refugee issues, some of which are available for free. Detailed lesson plans in the areas of art, history, geography, civic education, and language and literature are available for three age groupings: ages 9-11, 12-14, and 15-18.
National Immigration Forum
This is the site of a non-profit organization whose purpose is to "embrace and uphold America's tradition as a nation of immigrants." It includes fact sheets, informational packets, newletters, and a list of publications on immigration issues.
Refworld
This site includes full-text databases with current and comprehensive information about refugees throughout the world, with links to U.N. official documents, country reports, international instruments and refugee case law.
