Human Rights Law Resources

Human Rights Career Planning Compendium: To provide students with a starting point in their employment search within the practice of Human Rights, we have created this Human Rights Career Planning Compendium offering information for numerous organizations, career resources, and employment links.  The Compendium is designed to serve as a prime resource for those wishing to explore this broad employment area.  Other resources, targeted to specific areas within the practice of Human Rights, follow below:

• Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT): ACT is dedicated to building peace through innovative education, training, research and practice worldwide. Maintains an online resource for jobs, grants, scholarships, and events in peace and conflict resolution. Their guide to careers in this field is available here.
• AMIDEAST: Open positions and internships with AMIDEAST, an organization dedicated to promote understanding and cooperation between Americans and the people of the Middle East and North Africa through education, information, and development assistance programs.
• Amnesty International: A database of open positions throughout the world. Amnesty International is a worldwide campaigning movement that works to promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards.
• Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID): Organization dedicated to connecting, informing, and mobilizing people and organizations around the issue of women’s rights. A guide to getting a job in the field can be found here.
• Carr Center for Human Rights Policy: Internship, fellowship, and volunteer opportunities in human rights organizations around the world.
• Derechos Human Rights: Information and links to different human rights organizations and listserves.
• Directory of NGOs: This directory will give you access to information related to Non-Governmental Organizations. You can search for information by the name of the organization, the region where the organization's headquarters is located, or the organization's main area of interest.
• Equitas: News (including listings of internship positions) from Equitas (formerly Canadian Human Rights Foundation), an organization created to defend and promote human rights through education, in Canada and around the world.
• European Roma Rights Center: The European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), an international public interest law organization which monitors the human rights situation of Roma and provides legal defense in cases of human rights abuse. This is a link to available and current job openings.
• Foundation Center: Links to non-profit positions.
• Good Works: National directory of social change organizations and is the first directory to present alternatives to traditional corporate employment. This directory, now in its fifth edition, lists the aims and projects of over 1000 organizations and provides background information on contacts, starting salaries and benefits, types of staff openings, available internships, annual budget and funding sources, and the application process. It also profiles individuals who are building public interest careers.
• Human Rights Institute: Georgetown’s Human Rights Institute provides resources related to human rights law, including a list of organizations, jobs, and alumni contacts.
• Human Rights Watch: Link to open positions with U.S. based international human rights dedicated to monitoring and advocacy organization and change human rights-related policies of the U.S. and other influential governments.
• International Crisis Group (ICG): ICG is made up of concerned individuals from all over the world who are alarmed by the spiraling costs, both human and financial, of the ever-increasing number of conflicts on our planet and who believe that the responsibility for dealing with these problems lies fairly and squarely with the international community. ICG has been active in promoting solutions to the conflicts in various places such as Bosnia, Cambodia, South Balkans, Central Africa, and Algeria.
• International Human Rights Law Group: Link to job and internship announcements for this non-profit organization of human rights and legal professionals engaged in human rights advocacy.
• International Human Rights Vacancies Worldwide: Links to a variety of human rights organizations.
• International Rescue Committee: The International Rescue Committee is the leading non-profit, nonsectarian voluntary organization providing relief, protection, and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. IRC is committed to freedom, human dignity, and self-reliance. This commitment is reflected in well- planned resettlement assistance, global emergency relief, rehabilitation, and advocacy for refugees. This is a direct link to their current job openings.
• Lawyers Committee for Human Rights: Click on "About Us", then "Job Opportunities" for a list of opportunities with this human rights organization working to protect and promote fundamental human rights, holding all governments accountable to the standards affirmed in the International Bill of Human Rights.
• National Democratic Institute for International Affairs: Link to open position with The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI). A nonprofit, non-governmental organization that conducts nonpartisan, democratic development programs throughout the world. NDI has established a reputation for professionalism and expertise in various areas of democratic development.
• The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala:  Internship and job opportunities with this Washington-based organization that links over 150 North American committees and individuals that support the Guatemalan people in their struggle for justice, human rights, and self-determination.
• Peace and Conflict Research Centers, Institutes, Organizations & Networks: Includes University-Affiliated Centers, Institutes and Programs Associations, Consortiums, and Organizations, Virtual Networks, Relevant Organizations, NGO’s, and Networks.
• Scholarships in Development and Human Rights: A list of scholarships, grants, and fellowships in the field of international development, including areas such as human rights, gender equality, minority rights, and other social-justice issues.
• Open Society Foundations: Link to fellowships at The Open Society Foundations is a private operating and grant making foundation that seeks to promote the development of open societies around the world by supporting educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and often controversial issues.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provides protection and assistance to the world's refugees. UNHCR has provided help not only to refugees but to others forced to live in refugee-like situations. NHCR also assists and monitors the reintegration of refugees who have recently returned to their own countries.
• United States Agency for International Development: The United States Agency for International Development is the independent government agency that provides economic development and humanitarian assistance to advance U.S. economic and political interests overseas. USAID awards contracts to non-governmental organizations and others provide assistance in areas such as physical reconstruction, democracy building, and revamping of laws around the world.
• US Women Connect: List of women’s non-governmental organizations.