An overview of Human Rights Watch (HRW) that discusses its Cold War-era origins, its organizational development and agenda, and the specific challenges it faces today, especially in light of globalization, the “war on terrorism,” and the US treatment of detainees. Particular attention is directed to HRW’s advocacy work for economic, social, and cultural rights; for international justice and the International Criminal Court; for post-September 11, 2001, enforcement of international humanitarian law and refugee protection; and for corporate accountability for labor and human rights abuses worldwide.
