Human Rights Watch
student task force
MISSION
Implementing HRW’s mission to defend human rights, STF helps youth build a foundation for human rights, raises awareness about children’s rights violations, and develops young leaders and advocates to become instrumental voices for social justice around the world.
VISION
To equip the next generation of decision-makers with the human rights knowledge, advocacy experience, and communication skills needed to make the future of our world more just.
How We Work
STF staff guide and mentor participants to implement a shared human rights advocacy action plan across campuses. Through these action plans, STF members learn how to evaluate problems and independently discover ways to address them, harnessing the leadership skills they work on each week. STF leaders enter the program with varying levels of public speaking, project coordination, and presentation experience. The ongoing leadership training provides students with the skills and confidence needed to lead their classmates.
Watch this video from October 2022 explaining how the STF program works with students across the United States and beyond.
(Click to watch, 3:17)
Impact
Since 1999, STF has provided opportunities for students to raise their voices for human rights, educate their communities, and engage in meaningful advocacy. Many alumni have reported that their participation in STF compelled them to prioritize human rights in their careers, including in the public, private and government sectors.
Students Reached During STF Events
Participating Schools Over the Years
Cities Around the World With STF Chapters
Human Rights Advocacy Action Plans
Recent Blog Posts
Advocacy in Action: Students Vote for Human Rights
October 16 – October 24, 2024: In the final stretch of the 2024 presidential election season, STF chapters hosted a variety of impactful events aimed at raising awareness and engaging students in human rights. From mock elections at schools like Alain Leroy Locke, Animo Venice, and New Roads to a mental health initiative at Carson High School, STF members educated their peers on key human rights issues and the importance of civic participation. These events fostered a sense of community and empowerment among students, encouraging them to take an active role in shaping their future…
8 Million Teens Are Eligible to Vote in 2024
Congratulations Harvard-Westlake and Sierra Canyon STFers for hosting the first pre-registration events of our Vote for Human Rights action plan!
August 2024, NBC News: In the 2022 midterm elections, 12% of ballots were cast by young adults ages 18-29, even though they make up approximately 18% of the electorate…
Uplifting Our Communities: Protect the Unhoused Toolkit
Check out STF’s Protect the Unhoused Toolkit, filled with resources for our 2024 Fall Action Plan! Click to Explore Vote for Human Rights Toolkit! We’re excited to share STF’s 2024 Protect the Unhoused Toolkit! As the housing crisis worsens, it’s more critical than ever to stand up for unhoused people. Our toolkit equips you with materials needed to create meaningful …
It’s Time to Vote for Human Rights
On National Voter Registration Day, we are officially launching STF’s Fall 2024 Vote for Human Rights Toolkit! This Fall, STFers are committed to making sure we get every eligible voter participating in the November election…
Protecting Our Human Rights
Photos by Caroline Andrews and Kristin GhazariansSeptember 7, 2024: Guest speaker and former STFer, Linda Gordon,...
Working With Congress on Immigration
August 6, 2024: STF leaders from Harvard-Westlake and Palisades Charter HS met with Congressman Brad Sherman’s policy advisor, John Alford. Delivering more than 600 petition signatures, STFers discussed the need for Congressman Sherman to do more to protect the human rights of asylum seekers and end the use of deadly deterrence policies…
WHAT OUR ALUMNI SAY
“STF changes the world, one outspoken/headstrong student at a time. STF was a cause worth skipping lunch and lying in the grass for; a cause worth the ridicule; a cause worth losing points on a test for, because I spent time strategizing instead of studying. A cause worth anything I could give.”
“The Student Task Force taught me how to be an effective activist while remaining passionate and unafraid. STF taught me to be persistent, even when people didn’t hear us the first, second, or third time. We persevere through our campaigns.”
“STF pushed me to become a more comfortable public speaker and activist. I went from being an introverted and shy freshman to being an outspoken and confident advocate for human rights and environmental justice by the end of my senior year, in large part due to the leadership of the the STF community.”
GET INVOLVED
Empower yourself and make a difference by joining our community of passionate advocates. Click below to learn how you can contribute to advancing human rights and become a voice for justice.