When people talk about human rights, what do they really mean? The language of human rights seems to be everywhere, but it’s not always clear what lies behind it. The website for Human Rights Watch includes a lot of material on laws and procedures that may not be familiar to everyone. In these short videos, the staff of Human Rights Watch tries to explain the basics.


What are human rights?
Ken Roth, Executive Director
New York

How are human rights different from civil rights?
Faraz Sanei, Iran Researcher
New York

Does international law protect human rights?
Carroll Bogert, former Deputy Executive Director, External Relations
New York

Is there progress on human rights?
Anneke Van Woudenberg, former Deputy Director, Africa Division
London

Do human rights reduce poverty?
Maria Laura Canineu, Brazil Director
São Paulo, Brazil

Mausi Segun, Nigeria Researcher
Abuja, Nigeria

How do you know if something is a human rights violation?
Ken Roth, Executive Director
New York

Why are some people's rights more protected than others?
Carroll Bogert, Deputy Executive Director, External Relations
New York

Who has to uphold human rights?
Babatunde Olugboji, Deputy Program Director
New York

Do human rights express Western cultural values?
Ken Roth, Executive Director
New York

Do human rights express Western cultural values?
Faraz Sanei, Iran Researcher
New York

Are some rights more important than others?
Elaine Pearson, Australia Director
Sydney, Australia

Mausi Segun, Nigeria Researcher
Abuja, Nigeria

How do human rights evolve?
Boris Dittrich, Advocacy Director, LGBT Rights Program
Berlin, Germany

What about human rights during wartime?
Anneke Van Woudenberg, Deputy Director, Africa Division
London

What is civil society and why is it so important for protecting human rights?
Maria Burnett, Senior Researcher, Africa Division
Washington D.C.