Human Rights Now (HRN) is an international human rights NGO based in Japan. Hoping to end serious human rights violations that continue around the world, it was launched in 2006, led by professionals in the human rights field such as lawyers, researchers, journalists and citizens.
It became a specified nonprofit corporation in 2008, obtained special consultative status with the United Nations in 2012 (which allows it to consult with the UN under Article 71 of the UN Charter), and became a certified NPO corporation in 2014. It has offices in Tokyo, Osaka, New York, Geneva and Yangon. Based on internationally established human rights standards, it aims for a just world free of conflict and human rights violations.
Its themes are wide-ranging, including women's rights, business and human rights, children's and girls' rights, armed conflict and human rights, human rights defenders and democracy activists, and economic and social rights. It shares information through research reports, events and webinars, and press conferences. It also offers programs citizens can join, such as the World Children's Day charity walk.
Key points
- Launched in 2006, a Japan-based international human rights NGO with UN special consultative status
- Theme-based communication through research reports and events on women, children, business and human rights, and more
- Many ways to get involved: volunteering, internships, pro bono work and donations
Why this organization deserves attention
Its basic approach is to listen to the voices of people facing human rights issues on the ground and to walk alongside them. It works from a human rights perspective in several settings: international cooperation overseas, activities at the United Nations, and awareness-raising in Japan.
Its website neatly organizes research reports and event reports. It also introduces initiatives involving younger generations, such as a youth-produced handbook on sexual consent, which offers an opportunity to think about human rights in a familiar way.
Editor's comment
The words "human rights" can sound big, but at their root is a simple wish for a society in which every person is valued. Human Rights Now's work seems to give that wish a careful shape.
Some webinars and events are easy to join online. Why not start by looking at a theme that interests you on the official website?