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THE UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, ADJACENT TO THE CAMPUS OF WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY IN MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2018. WE ARE COMMITTED TO TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION IN COMMUNITY-CENTERED, INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY IN THE UNITED STATES AND GLOBALLY. THE UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FACILITATES SUPERVISED ENGAGEMENT IN THE PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ACROSS THE GLOBE. WE PARTNER WITH ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES AFFECTED OR THREATENED BY ABUSIVE STATE, CORPORATE, OR PRIVATE CONDUCT AT HOME AND ABROAD; TRAIN STUDENTS IN INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY; COLLABORATE WITH SCHOLARS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO ADVANCE PRACTICAL, INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAMS; AND BRING TOGETHER GLOBAL ACADEMICS AND PRACTITIONERS TO LEVERAGE THEIR EXPERTISE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE.

REPORTS, DOCUMENTATION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: IN 2023, TOGETHER WITH OUR COURAGEOUS PARTNERS, OUR TEAM HAS ACHIEVED IMPORTANT BREAKTHROUGHS. WE HELPED ENSURE THE SETTLEMENT OF A LANDMARK LAWSUIT AGAINST BOLIVIA'S EX-PRESIDENT AND DEFENSE MINISTER FOR THEIR ROLE IN OCTOBER 2003 MASSACRES, ON BEHALF OF EIGHT REPRESENTATIVE AYMARA FAMILIES; PUBLISHED A COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNT OF RIGHTS ABUSES SINCE THE 2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR; ASSISTED VICTIMS OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION IN PERU TO SCORE A MAJOR VICTORY IN THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT; ADVOCATED FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AMIDST THE CLIMATE CATASTROPHE TO THE SAME TRIBUNAL; AMPLIFIED THE STORIES OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES IN MEXICO; AND PRESSED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ABUSES BY THE UNITED STATES DURING THE CONFLICT IN THE KOREAS. THESE IMPACTS AND OTHERS ARE DESCRIBED IN FURTHER DETAIL IN THIS REPORT. DURING 2023, WE: ENGAGED IN 17 ACTIVE PROJECTS; FILED 6 SUBMISSIONS WITH UN BODIES AND COURTS; WORKED IN 10 COUNTRIES; WORKED WITH THREE DOZEN PARTNER COMMUNITIES; PUBLISHED SEVERAL, BOOK-LENGTH REPORTS; OVERSAW 10 ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH TRIPS.

UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS: IN 2023, WE INTENSIFIED OUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS. WE HAVE BUILT ON PARTNERSHIPS AND CREATED NEW ONES WITH INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE, AND LATIN AMERICA. AT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, THE HOME OF OUR PHYSICAL OFFICES, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OVERSEE THE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY MINOR. ADDITIONALLY, OUR NEW ADVOCACY & COMMUNITY-BASED TRAINING SEMINAR (ACTS) PROGRAM IS BRINGING UNDERGRADUATES FROM SCHOOLS IN THE NORTHEAST TO STUDY AT WESLEYAN BEFORE THEY PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES IN ARMENIA, BOLIVIA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, PANAMA, SOUTH KOREA, THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS. WE HAVE ALSO WORKED TO EXPAND OUR GLOBAL NETWORK, LAUNCHING A GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM IN HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AT NOVA SCHOOL OF LAW IN LISBON (TO BEGIN IN FALL 2025).