Human Rights Research and Advocacy

This course is designed to develop practical advocacy skills to protect and promote human rights. A focus will be developing an advocacy strategy on a current human rights issue, including the identification of goals and objectives, appropriate advocacy targets, and appropriate methods. Students will explore broad-based human rights campaigns, use of the media, and advocacy with UN bodies, the US government, and the private sector (corporations). Over the course of the semester, students will become familiar with a variety of tools to apply to a human rights issue of their choosing. Case studies will illustrate successful advocacy campaigns on particular issues, such as sexual violence in conflict, keeping human rights offenders off the UN Human Rights Council and access to safe abortion.