Human Rights Watch
student task force
Founded in 1999, the Human Rights Watch Student Task Force (STF) is a youth leadership and human rights advocacy training program that empowers students to advocate for human rights issues, especially the rights of children.
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)
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.
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
Turning Empathy into Action
March 31 – April 29, 2025: In the final weeks of on-campus advocacy, STFers from Canyon, Carson, Da Vinci, Hamilton, Palisades Charter, and Wauwatosa East high schools have been busy hosting events advocating for STF’s Protect the Unhoused and Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month Action Plans…
Stronger Together
April 10, 2024: For the first time ever, STFers participated in this year’s Chicago Voices for Justice dinner, coming together in solidarity to learn how HRW and its supporters are actively protecting human rights and defending democracy in the U.S. and beyond…
From Classrooms to Communities
March 21 – April 2, 2025: STFers from Carson and Van Nuys HS combined education, creativity, and action to deepen their community’s understanding of human rights issues…
STF Leader Spotlight: Geneva H.
Please meet Geneva H., President at Mira Costa HS. Geneva has combined her passion for journalism with STF by using storytelling to advocate for human rights and writing impactful pieces for STF’s newsletters. Continue reading to learn how Geneva’s experience with STF has shaped her leadership…
Learning As We Go
Santa Monica HS became the most recent STF Chapter to host a screening of “Swept” and Q&A discussion with Human Rights Watch’s John Raphling…
Building a Movement
March 6 – March 11, 2025: STFers from Ánimo Venice, Wildwood, and New Roads schools mobilized their communities through events, including film screenings, panel discussions with housing activists, and myth-busting trivia…
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.