Human Rights

Across the great span of civilizations, the 20th and 21st centuries are clearly the age of Human Rights. There is hardly a country that remains unaware of Human Rights as a significant political and economic issue in international affairs. The awakening has arrived. But the implementation of humane laws is another matter completely. From the American war tortures in Vietnam to the murders in Zimbabwe, modern societies have yet to prioritize Human Rights as a fundamental force of life. Politics, economics and militarism brutally push to the head of the line in human affairs.

Listed here are a few of the many Human Rights organizations around the world that actively work to improve Gay Rights and Human Rights conditions.

United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The Commission conducts periodic reviews of each member state regarding their human rights activities. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which   involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four  years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.
Human Rights First
Human Rights First protects people at risk: refugees who flee persecution, victims of crimes against humanity or other mass human rights violations, victims of discrimination, those whose rights are eroded in the name of national security, and human rights advocates who are targeted for defending the rights of others. These groups are often the first victims of societal instability and breakdown; their treatment is a harbinger of wider-scale repression. Human Rights First works to prevent violations against these groups and to seek justice and accountability for violations against them.
Soulforce
The purpose of Soulforce is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance.
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, we give voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes. Our rigorous, objective investigations and strategic, targeted advocacy build intense pressure for action and raise the cost of human rights abuse. For 30 years, Human Rights Watch has worked tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and has fought to bring greater justice and security to people around the world.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. Our supporters are outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world – so we work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity. We have more than 2.2 million members and subscribers in more than 150 countries and regions and we coordinate this support to act for justice on a wide range of issues.
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is a leading international organization dedicated to human rights advocacy on behalf of people who experience discrimination or abuse on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Learn more about our work by clicking on the links below.
International Lesbian and Gay Association
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is an international organization bringing together more than 600 lesbian and gay groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for gay rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and regularly petitions the United Nations  and governments. ILGA is represented in around 110 countries across the world.
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
Global Exchange
As an education and action resource center, we advance our vision by working to ensure our members and constituents are empowered locally and connected globally to create a just and sustainable world. Global Exchange takes a holistic approach to creating change. With 20 years working for international human rights, we realize that in order to advance social, environmental and economic justice we must transform the global economy from profit centered to people centered, from currency to community.
Freedom House
Freedom House is a clear voice for democracy and freedom around the world. Since its founding in 1941 by prominent Americans concerned with the mounting threats to peace and democracy, Freedom House has been a vigorous proponent of democratic values and a steadfast opponent of dictatorships of the far left and the far right.   Eleanor Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie served as Freedom House’s first honorary co-chairpersons.
Witness
Witness uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. We empower people to transform personal stories of  abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. We envision a just and equitable world where all individuals and communities are able to defend and uphold human rights.
Anti-defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Now the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency, ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all.
Universal Unitarian Service Committee
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is a nonsectarian organization that advances human rights and social justice in the United States and around the world. We envision a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights. Through a combination of advocacy, education, and partnerships with grassroots organizations, UUSC promotes economic rights, advances environmental justice, defends civil liberties and preserves the rights of people in times of humanitarian crisis.
Physicians for Human Rights
PHR was founded in 1986 on the idea that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to investigate the health consequences of human rights violations and work to stop them. PHR mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice and promotes the right to health for all.
Seva Foundation
Seva is a Sanskrit word for service.  Seva Foundation was formed in 1978 with a mission to alleviate suffering caused by disease and poverty. Our approach is to build partnerships that respond to locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions. Working in nine countries in addition to the United States, Seva Foundation supports projects in the area of health and wellness, community development, environmental protection and cultural preservation.
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization
IGLYO is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth and Student Organization. It was created in 1984 as a reaction to the need for better co-operation among local, regional and national LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) youth and student organizations. Today the IGLYO network is an important meeting point for LGBTQ youth in the European region, having member organizations in almost every European country and beyond. IGLYO’s vision is a world where we, young people in all our diversity, are able to express and define our own sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions, and are able to participate fully in all aspects of life, rise to our full potential, and enjoy respect and positive recognition.
List of LGBT Rights Organizations
This links to a Wikipedia page that lists hundreds of other gay and gay-friendly Human Rights organizations around the world.
List of Human Rights Organizations
This links to a Wikipedia page that lists hundreds of other Human Rights organizations around the world.
More Human Rights Information
In addition to these organizations, Wikipedia also has extensive listings about LGBT rights in many individual countries, such as this one for Iran.
Asia: National Human Rights Institutions Promote Human Rights of LGBT People
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) have the potential to serve as gatekeepers for the advancement of human rights in their countries. They are considered the “cornerstones of human rights protection systems.”
Health and Human Rights…A Resource GuideThe field of health and human rights brings together two important movements. For public health advocateshuman rights provide an essential tool for promoting accountability and addressing the non-medical roots of poor health. For human rights advocates, the protection of public health is a mark of democracy, good governance, and open society.This equal partnership is more important than ever to prevent abuses in health care and generate pragmatic, rights-based solutions to urgent health threats.

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