Human Rights Research League

Human Rights Research League

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Research. Education. Advocacy. Development. (R.E.A.D.)

Mission statement

The Human Rights Research League (HRRL) is a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the United Nations (ECOSOC) aiming at protecting individuals by placing acts contrary to human rights and international humanitarian law, systemic grievances as well as humanitarian emergencies on the agenda. HRRL seeks to contribute to knowledge and research based public discussion and problem analysis without geographical, political, confessional or other limitations or alignments.

As our name suggests, we are an organization primarily focused on research from the basis of a strong academic foundation. However, we recognize that lasting impact and positive change also depend on connecting academics and practitioners, combining research on root causes of human rights challenges with implementation of projects and policies addressing those grievances.

To this end, we are engaged in four focus areas: Research. Education. Advocacy. Development. (R.E.A.D.), all with a view to bridging the gap between academic and practical approaches to human rights, and between problem analysis and implementation of solutions.

News & reports

‹ Back

On 19 September 2025, at the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Human Rights Research League delivered an oral statement on Afghanistan during the General Debate on Item 3. In his intervention, HRRL Chairman Tom Syring underlined that more than four years after the Taliban's seizure of power, the humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan remains dire. Hunger is widespread, with more than a third of the population facing acute food insecurity, a situation further exacerbated by mass deportations conducted by Iran and Pakistan, often in violation of the fundamental legal principle of non-refoulement.

The exclusion of women from work and public life, and of girls from education beyond 6th grade further contributes to this precarious situation and will have a lasting, negative effect not only on the mental health of those deprived of opportunities for personal growth, but on the development of the country.

Meanwhile, revenge killings in Afghanistan continue to this day. Against this backdrop, Human Rights Research League strongly supported an extension of the Special Rapporteur's mandate. For the full statement, please see the video of the Oral Statement on UN Web TV.

Conferences & calls

HRRL Statements on Afghanistan at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

2024-03-04 00:07 On the occasion of the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Human Rights Research League delivered an oral statement on Afghanistan during the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Specia...

HRRL at Rule of Law Summit in Lviv, Ukraine

2023-12-11 15:03 From 7-10 December 2023, the American Society of International Law and the Ukrainian Association of International Law convened a summit of experts in Lviv, Ukraine, to commemorate the 75th anniversari...

New HRRL Report on Revenge Killings in Afghanistan

2023-11-16 02:17 Over the past year and a half, Human Rights Research League (HRRL) has been conducting a research project documenting Revenge Killings and Other Serious Human Rights Violations in Afghanistan in the A...

HRRL-ONUC Seminar on Dealing with the Taliban, October 18, 2023

2023-10-19 00:20 On 18 October 2023, Human Rights Research League and Oslo New University College (ONUC) co-organized a seminar at ONUC on 'Dealing with the Taliban? Two Years of Atrocities after Regime Breakdown in A...

HRRL-NUPI Conference on Human Rights Violations in Afghanistan, October 11, 2023

2023-10-13 23:30 On 11 October 2023, Human Rights Research League (HRRL) and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) co-organized a conference on 'Human Rights Violations in the Taliban's Afghanistan'....

HRRL-CMI Conference on the Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan, October 10, 2023