World Watchdogs: Top 50 Human Rights Blogs

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Written By CriminalJustice.com Staff


Watching the news isn’t always the best way to stay on top of human rights cases and the politics, economics and social conflicts that affect living conditions around the world. To study up on human rights campaigns, civil liberties groups and the legislation and movements that spread awareness, check out these blogs.

Civil Liberties

Here you can read about civil liberties infringements, including large cases and campaigns promoted by agencies like the ACLU.

  1. ACLU Blog of Rights: The American Civil Liberties Union posts about legislation, issues and campaigns that protect, influence and threaten civil liberties and freedom.
  2. Committee to Protect Journalists Blog: This blog is all about the freedom of speech, from the U.S. to Zimbabwe to West Africa.
  3. Ella Baker Blog: California’s Ella Baker Center for Human Rights is dedicated to turning around the racism, poverty and injustices of American urban communities. Read this blog for commentary about youth violence and more.
  4. Harm Reduction and Human Rights: Read this blog to read news and updates from the International Harm Reduction Association, which aims to end the “harms from all psychoactive substances.”
  5. abyss2hope: This blogger was date raped at the age of 15 and now writes about the legal, security, and cultural issues surrounding sexual violence.
  6. Progressive Liberty Blog: Michael Anthony Lawrence writes about the U.S. Constitution, educating Americans about how current events, culture and politics affect our rights and freedoms.
  7. Labor is not a Commodity: This international labor rights blog covers child labor, underpaid workers and more.

Capital Punishment

For different perspectives on capital punishment and the death penalty, read these blogs.

  1. Capital Defense Weekly: This blog follows high profile cases and reports on state rules for the death penalty and punishment.
  2. For Victims, Against the Death Penalty: This is “the web log of murder victims’ families for human rights.” Read the arguments against the death penalty from a different perspective here.

Child-Focused

These blogs focus on children’s issues, including poverty and hunger.

  1. Children: The Foreign Policy Association’s blog discusses child hunger, fundraising, children in war-torn countries and more.
  2. Field Notes: UNICEF’s blog features photos, campaign news, fundraising information and other information about child hunger around the world.
  3. The ARCH Blog: The Action on Rights for Children blog comments on government reforms and human rights issues affecting children around the world.

International Outreach

From Darfur to China to Burma, learn about human rights violations around the world.

  1. Global Issues: Global Issues contains articles about “social, political, economic and environmental issues that affect us all.” Check back often for updates on poverty, racism, military spending and more.
  2. Business and Human Rights in Vancouver: This blog takes a look at the special events and projects of the Amnesty International Business and Human Rights chapter in Vancouver.
  3. Truly Equal: This blog is no longer active, but you’ll find a great archive of commentary about AIDS, forced prostitution, slavery, Darfur and more.
  4. This is Zimbabwe: Better understand the abductions and human rights issues going on in Zimbabwe when you read this blog.
  5. Human Rights Now: The Amnesty International USA blog reports on global and regional conflicts, torture, progressive legislation and a lot more.
  6. AlterNet: AlterNet’s Rights and Liberties blog covers everything from current political events to everyday human rights violations in lesser known areas.
  7. Save Darfur: Learn about the latest campaigns to save Darfur here.
  8. Red Cross Blog: Learn how the Red Cross responds to natural disasters, human rights and refugee situations, and more.
  9. World Bridge: World Bridge is primarily devoted to spreading awareness about refugees around the world, including Central Africa, Burma and elsewhere.
  10. Rights Watchers: The Washington Post‘s blog keeps an eye on human rights violations and escalating crises from Russia to the U.S.
  11. Amnesty International Livewire: Check this blog for posts from a range of international activists and staff.
  12. Global Voices: From Egypt to South America to the Gaza Strip, find out what issues are most important to human rights activists and campaigns around the world.

General Ideology

Take a look at these blogs for a general approach to human rights cases and ideology.

  1. The Human Rights Blog: Read about human rights groups in other countries, as well as political and social movements that influence human rights.
  2. Talking Rights: Robin Kirk shares news stories and gives commentary on all kinds of human rights issues, from the Congo to Latin America. She has been featured in Glamour and has written three books about Peru and Colombia.
  3. Amnesty International UK: Multiple bloggers write about human rights events and issues here.
  4. Duke Human Rights Center: Duke University’s Human Rights Center features blogs about local issues, international campaigns and more.
  5. Human Rights Blog: Check this human rights blog for news and announcements about human rights movements around the world.

Religion

From specific religious groups spreading awareness to blogs that pinpoint religious persecution, turn to this list.

  1. Baha’i Faith in Egypt and Iran: This blog considers the religious persecution inflicted upon the Baha’is of Egypt and Iran.
  2. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee: The UUSC blog shares news and spreads awareness about gender protection issues, Darfur and more.
  3. Religion News Blog: Besides being a great resource for learning about different religions, this blog reports on the latest issues and conflicts relating to religious culture and ethnic groups.
  4. Persecution Blog: Persecution Blog uncovers cases of Christian persecution around the world.
  5. The Liberty Blog: The North American Religious Liberty Association writes about religious bigotry, same sex marriage and more.
  6. Christian Persecution India: This blogger is passionate about investigating and publicizing Christian persecution in India.

Whistleblowers

Here you can find tip-offs and first-hand looks at human rights violations.

  1. This is Not My Country: Discover a depressed town behind the historic landmarks and tourist attractions of Greece when you read this blog.
  2. The Hub: The Hub is a social blogging site that allows anyone to spotlight human rights issues and violations and spread awareness.
  3. Blogactiv: Here, Europeans connect to spread the word about human rights violations, social justice issues, politics, environmental issues and more.
  4. Early Warning: The Washington Post’s William M. Arkin gives Americans a heads-up on homeland security issues that affect their privacy and civil liberties.

Politics

These political-oriented blogs consider how politics affects human rights.

  1. Wronging Rights: Read Wronging Rights for irreverent commentary on human rights issues, politics and more.
  2. Susan Loone’s Blog: Susan Loone is a passionate activist who writes about petitioning, Parliament and the media.
  3. Invictus: Read about the U.S. military interrogation scandals here.
  4. Dipnote: Discover the U.S. government’s positions on human rights and foreign policy campaigns on the U.S. Department of State official blog.
  5. America.gov: America.gov actually shares news stories about America’s involvement with global health issues, politics, child hunger and human rights campaigns.

Miscellaneous

Here are even more human rights blogs, dealing with antiwar movements, virtual world campaigns and more.

  1. SL Festival of Human Rights: Get information on the Second Life human rights festival here.
  2. PHR Student Blog: Medical students have started this branch of the Physicians for Human Rights, and they blog about upcoming conferences and conventions and human rights issues.
  3. Stop Genocide: Stop Genocide is a well-organized resource that shares news stories, tips for teaching about genocide, commentary and predictions about the state of human rights.
  4. PhD Studies in Human Rights: This blog is designed for PhD students but is a great resource for anyone wanting to find news and reference material related to human rights issues.
  5. Antiwar.blog: This antiwar blog analyzes current events and news stories from around the world.