The Promise Institute for Human Rights (Los Angeles)
Here in Los Angeles…
Welcome! Explore our website to learn more about our programs, events, faculty, and why we’re the home for human rights at UCLA.
…and in Europe
Looking for our European office?
Head to The Promise Institute (Europe) website to learn more about their programs, events, and student opportunities.
Early Registration Now Open:
2026 Annual Conference on Human Rights and the Crisis of World Order
Featuring a keynote from Dr. Albert Barume, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, this day-long Conference seeks to engage the structural forces shaping our world in this moment and explore critically the role and relevance of human rights as a moral, political, and legal force for social action and transformative justice.
Learn More & RegisterLatest News:
Faculty Director Earns MacArthur Foundation Chair Appointment
We are excited to share that our Faculty Director, Professor of Law Anna Spain Bradley has been appointed as the MacArthur Foundation Chair in International Justice and Human Rights!
Professor Spain Bradley noted “We are living in a time in human history when the ideals of international justice and universal human rights are under threat. Being named the MacArthur Foundation Chair in International Justice and Human Rights, at this moment in particular, is a great honor. It is also a responsibility I take seriously.”
Read the AnnouncementLatest News:
The Inter-American Court’s Advisory Opinion on Climate
This summer, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued its landmark Advisory Opinion on the Climate Emergency and Human Rights (OC 32-25).
The Opinion marks a major step forward in articulating the ways the climate emergency is related to human rights harms. Crucially, the Opinion also establishes obligations and standards which States must meet in response to the climate emergency — obligations set according to the standards of international human rights law.
From the Opinion’s application of a racial justice lens, to the development of climate and environmental legal frameworks, we were encouraged to find the Court’s Opinion aligned significantly with our brief’s racial justice emphasis, particularly on issues addressing Indigenous and Afro-descendent peoples’ rights.
Explore Our Full Analysis, along with the Brief and OpinionLatest News:
Garífuna Territorial Reparation – Report from the Field
Our newest report from the Human Rights in Action Clinic and Prof. Joseph Berra comes nearly a decade after an Inter-American Court of Human Rights decision ruled that Honduras had failed to implement key provisions of the Court’s order.
In addition to not returning clear title for 1,022 hectares to the Garífuna people, the state’s failure to comply has further dispossessed the Garífuna by allowing third parties to take advantage of the land for tourism and residential development.
Co-authored by student Mollie Cueva-Dabkoski ’25 and in coordination with Organización Fraternal Negra de Honduras (OFRANEH) the report not only addresses the systemic and political factors in play, but charts a path forward towards restoring Garífuna human rights and seeking accountability in the wake of Honduras’ disregard of Court’s order.
Lea el Informe Ahora en Español
Read the Report Now (English)Court Cases
A valuable resource hub for information related to our publicized cases — including context, court documents, and more
Output
We engage our students and our research to drive positive real-world impact.
Our Origin Story
The Promise Institute owes its founding to Dr. Eric Esrailian, producer of the film The Promise. As the first feature film to tell the story of the Armenian Genocide, The Promise is a powerful example of the way art can connect history to action.ts and our research to drive positive real-world impact.
Press/Media Appearances
See why The New York Times, NPR and ABC News are just a few of the outlets reaching out to our experts for their insights
Faculty/Experts
Our professors, lecturers, speakers, fellows and researchers represent the vanguard of human rights thinking.
Your support powers our human rights education, research, and advocacy.
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