O U R S T O R Y
In Afghanistan, a war-torn country, impunity for human rights violations and abuses has long prevailed. Despite the hope for a better future, since the unlawful takeover of the country in August 2021, the human rights situation has become dire and victims and survivors have been left without meaningful recourse.
As human rights crises persist and emerge around the world, the Center for Human Rights Advocacy was created to ensure victims and survivors are heard, by providing support to facilitate their access to international human rights mechanisms and international and national courts.
We believe justice is not a privilege but a right – and an essential element for building durable peace.
"People will only achieve real peace when they respect each other’s rights and justice is upheld globally. This goal is clearly prioritized at the Center for Human Rights Advocacy, where efforts are made to ensure the voices of the victims reach the world.”
- S U R V I V OR
O U R T E A M
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Christian Schalch
Executive Committee Member
Mehak Andrabi
International Human Rights Lawyer
“In the face of injustice, in the face of danger, in the face of oppression, if you don’t stand up and speak out, you’re part of the problem.”
- John Lewis
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Farzanah Mohammad
Executive
Committee Member
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Roopali
International Human Rights Lawyer
“Ad astra per aspera”
Meera
Nayak-Rattan
Director
Founding Member
“No [one] is an Island, entire of itself; [everyone] is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.”
- John Donne
International Human Rights Lawyer
"Justice and Peace."
Darryl Chan
Sugandha Sawhney
Founding Member
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
- MLK
International Human Rights Lawyer
“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”
- Malala Yousafzai
Rose Maginnis
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Umang Katoch
International Human Rights Lawyer
“Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle . . . Goats are used for sacrificial offerings and not lions.”
- Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
Sanchita Mukherjee
International Human Rights Lawyer
“They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds."
Francesco Rossi
International Human Rights Fellow
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the universe"
- Albert Einstein
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International Human Rights Fellow
"Be the change you want to see in the world."
- M.K. Gandhi
Manaswi Kedar
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International Human Rights Fellow
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”
– Elie Wiesel
Margarida Runa
International Human Rights Fellow
"Great change begins with those who refuse to do nothing."
Clara Bernadet
International Human Rights Fellow
“No Peace Without Justice"
Salma Somerville
Content Creator
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Aastha Jha
Victim and Survivor Support
Researcher
"May your voices be heard and your pain, acknowledged. May our efforts serve as a beacon of hope to amplify your voices and to shed light on the injustices you have endured."
Murren Meers
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Victim and Survivor Support
Researcher
"Human rights is not about beautiful words, but about reaching every and single person in need. They are the protagonists who cannot be on stage. Empowering communities is where the magic comes from, and where our attention should always be."
Helena Szczupak
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Victim and Survivor Support
Researcher
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. … Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Lidewij Florusbosch
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Victim and Survivor Support
Researcher
"The arc of history bends only when we bend it together."
Natasha Mittal
Translator
"Human rights begin in the heart of every home. By advocating for women's and children's rights, we ensure a world where every voice is heard and every life valued."
Yama Asrar
Translator
"If each of us uses our own agency, then we can work together in solidarity to restore international peace and secure justice for the victims of crime and violence"
Translator
"A single voice can pave the way to a better world"
Translator
"Equality is not a destination but a journey towards a harmonious world"
"The commitment of the team, their resilience, and their unwavering focus on human rights inspire hope in an environment where justice often feels elusive.”