The Promise Institute for Human Rights
With our innovative courses, globally renowned experts, and opportunities to launch students into human rights careers, there is no better place to study human rights law than The Promise Institute for Human Rights.
Advancing Indigenous Housing Rights in Los Angeles: International Best Practices and a Legal Framework
We’re excited to join the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission in announcing the release of a pivotal new report authored by our Human Rights in Action Clinic students, led by Prof. Joseph Berra.
Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, and due to the legacy of systemic racism and genocide, this population endures disproportionate homelessness – a risk that is increasing with each passing year.
Learn More and Read Our ReportRead our Symposium with Just Security
Just Security is an online forum for the rigorous analysis of security, democracy, foreign policy, and rights. This symposium – a collaboration between The Promise Institute and Just Security – expands on insights captured by our in-person symposium speakers and elevates some of the most pressing questions about the relationship between AI and human rights.
Dive InCelebrating the 2024 Aurora Prize Laureate: Dr. Denis Mukwege
Together with our co-organizers, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, the eighth Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded to Dr. Denis Mukwege, a world-renowned gynecological surgeon and human rights activist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the Aurora Prize Ceremony at UCLA on May 9, 2024, Dr. Mukwege received a $1,000,000 award in support of the Panzi Hospital and Foundation which he founded in 1999. To date, the hospital and its staff have cared for more than 80,000 survivors of sexual violence.
The hospital not only treats survivors with physical wounds, but also provides legal aid, socio-economic reintegration, and psychosocial services to its patients. Dr. Mukwege has been fearless in his efforts to increase protections for women and to advocate that those responsible for sexual violence be brought to justice, including the Congolese government and militia groups laying siege to eastern DRC. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.
Learn More about Dr. Mukwege and the Aurora PrizeJustice & Accountability for Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh Project
This project seeks to address impunity for international crimes perpetrated against Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh and parts of Armenia by the Azerbaijan government since 2020 to the present.
Backed by rigorous open-source investigation, fact-finding, and legal research and analysis, the project calls for concrete justice and accountability measures to be taken by states and international and regional courts and mechanisms in order to prevent further atrocities, address violations of the rights of Armenian refugees, and promote peace in the region.
Explore the ProjectEvents
Holding Corporations Accountable for Human Rights Violations: The Case Doe v. Chiquita Brands in the Context of the Justice and Peace Process in Colombia
Learn MoreEvaluating Resistance to Autocracy: The Trump Cases and the Rule of Law
Learn MoreCourses
We offer an inspiring education in human rights that goes far beyond the law.
Faculty / Experts
Our professors, lecturers, speakers, fellows and researchers represent the vanguard of human rights thinking.
Output
We engage our students 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
Court Cases
A valuable resource hub for information related to our publicized cases — including context, court documents and more
Publications
Advancing Indigenous Housing Rights in Los Angeles
The Use of Open Source Investigation Methods in Tracking Environmental Harms
Setting Institutional Priorities on Climate Reparations & Racial Justice: Learning from Social Movements
Summary List of Election Deniers and Skeptics Elected to Office During the 2022 U.S. Midterms
UC Student Research Team Monitors the 2022 Midterm Elections for Voter Suppression and Misinformation
Environmental Racism & Climate (In)Justice
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SustainableDevelopment Goals and the Fight Against Racial Discrimination
With the Williams Institute: Knowledge Gaps and Research Priorities on LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Race, Empire and Human Rights
The Crime of Ecocide Through Human Rights: A New Tool for Climate Justice
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