Mission
Founded in 2005 by Tamar Ayrikyan and Caitlin McLoon ’06, the Harvard College Human Rights Advocates is a research and advocacy organization dedicated to defending human rights principles and protections around the world. Based on the model of a similar student organization at Harvard Law School, our primary work is to partner with international non-governmental organizations in providing substantive research support for human rights advocacy projects. In addition, the Advocates seek to establish enduring and fruitful relationships with human rights faculty and organizations throughout the university, and ensure the existence and proliferation of opportunities for Harvard College students to engage in substantial human rights advocacy.
We are committed to producing top-quality outputs: informed advocacy, thoughtful research projects, and influential campaigns. With a view to realizing this mission, the organization commits to the following roles:
1. Sponsoring and developing specific projects for students to engage in international human rights advocacy;
2. Assisting in any way possible with legal research and advocacy campaigns on behalf of victims of human rights violations and civil society;
3. Organizing training sessions, internship advising, and conferences to give students the practical knowledge needed for effective advocacy;
4. Promoting the development of human rights courses at the College; and
5. Encouraging networking and social interaction among students and faculty interested in human rights.