Human Rights Foundation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Human Rights Foundation

Founded	2005; 20 years ago (2005)
Founder	Thor Halvorssen Mendoza
Location	Empire State Building New York City
Area served	Global
Chairman	Garry Kasparov
Website	hrf.org

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a group that works to protect and promote human rights around the world. They especially focus on countries where people don't have much freedom. HRF started in 2005. It was founded by Thor Halvorssen Mendoza, who is a film producer and human rights supporter from Venezuela.

The current chairman of HRF is Garry Kasparov, a famous chess player from Russia. The main office for the foundation is in the Empire State Building in New York City. HRF also organizes a big event called the Oslo Freedom Forum.

What HRF Believes About Human Rights

HRF believes in the rights listed in an important document called the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This document says that everyone should have certain freedoms.

These freedoms include:

• The right to speak freely.
• The right to choose how they worship.
• The right to join groups with people they agree with.
• The right to own and sell property.
• The right to leave and return to their country.
• The right to be treated fairly by the law.
• The right to be part of their country's government.
• Freedom from being held or sent away without a good reason.
• Freedom from slavery and very bad treatment.
• Freedom to think and believe what they want without being forced.

The New York Times newspaper has reported that HRF helps activists. They have helped some activists leave countries where they were in danger. They also help these activists share their stories with more people.

Oslo Freedom Forum: A Place for Freedom

The Oslo Freedom Forum is a yearly meeting organized by HRF. It takes place in Oslo, Norway. This event brings together people who fight for human rights and democracy. They share their experiences and ideas.

Many groups help support this forum. These include organizations from Scandinavia and the United States. Some of the supporters are Fritt Ord, the City of Oslo, and the Thiel Foundation. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also helps fund the event.

HRF's Work Around the World

HRF works in many different countries to help people. They focus on places where human rights are not respected. Here are some examples of their work:

Helping People in Belarus

During protests in Belarus in 2020 and 2021, many people were treated badly while held by the police. HRF sent letters to government and police officials in Belarus. They asked these officials to step down. HRF also warned them that they could be held responsible for their actions.

Supporting Freedom in China

In 2011, HRF joined a group to support Liu Xiaobo. He was a Nobel Peace Prize winner who was held in China. The group worked to help Liu Xiaobo and his wife, Liu Xia, be set free.

Fighting for Rights in Cuba

In 2012, HRF asked a clothing company to stop selling items with Che Guevara's picture. They said it was disrespectful to the many people who suffered in the Cuban revolution. The company later removed the items.

HRF has also given awards to Cuban activists. In 2013, they honored "The Ladies in White." In 2015, they gave an award to Danilo Maldonado, an artist who was arrested for his art. HRF also asked the United Nations to help a Cuban journalist who was attacked.

Exposing Unfair Work in the Dominican Republic

HRF helped make a film called The Sugar Babies in 2007. This film showed how some people were forced to work in very unfair conditions on sugar farms in the Dominican Republic. These workers were often descendants of slaves from Haiti. The film showed that their lives were like "modern day slavery."

Helping a Political Prisoner in Ecuador

In 2008, HRF asked the president of Ecuador to release Guadalupe Llori. She was a governor who HRF believed was wrongly put in prison for political reasons. HRF visited her in prison and worked to get her released. She was later freed, and she said HRF helped make that happen.

Speaking Out Against a Dictator in Equatorial Guinea

In 2012, HRF spoke out against former US President Bill Clinton. They asked him to stop supporting an event hosted by a leader from Equatorial Guinea. HRF said this leader was a "vile dictator."

Supporting Children in Haiti

After a big earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, HRF started a program to help feed children. They raised money to provide many meals for children in Port-au-Prince. This program aimed to give 160,000 meals to kids.

Bringing Information to North Korea

HRF has worked to get outside information into North Korea. In 2015, they helped send 10,000 copies of a movie into North Korea using balloons. HRF has also sent USB flash drives with movies and TV shows. These "flash drives for freedom" help North Koreans see popular culture from other countries.

In 2014, HRF also held a "hackathon" in San Francisco. This event brought together tech experts and North Korean defectors. They worked on new ways to get information into North Korea.

Helping a Lawyer in Swaziland

In 2014, HRF invited Thulani Maseko, a human rights lawyer from Swaziland, to speak. He was later put in jail for speaking out. After a lot of international support, he was eventually freed.

HRF's Events and Gatherings

HRF organizes different events to spread awareness about human rights.

College Freedom Forum

The College Freedom Forum (CFF) is a series of one-day events. These events teach students about individual rights and democracy. Students can listen to speakers and ask them questions.

UN Human Rights Council Elections

HRF has hosted events at the United Nations in New York. These events highlight when countries with bad human rights records are elected to the UN Human Rights Council. HRF brings activists from these countries to share their stories.

San Francisco Freedom Forum

In 2012, HRF held the first San Francisco Freedom Forum. This event brought together many people who support freedom. Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, received an award there. She talked about why human rights violations happen. Other speakers included Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi woman who protested her country's ban on women driving.

Images for kids

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  College Freedom Forum in Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala City in 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Human Rights Foundation para niños