Defending Rights Worldwide

Players of People's Postcode Lottery have enabled Human Rights Watch to bolster its efforts to protect those in need, including women, children, displaced people and people with disabilities in Sudan, South Sudan and Burundi.

With player support, the charity also prioritises research issues that are relevant for more people, including the right to food in the United Kingdom and access to healthcare and education across Europe. Through the Human Rights Watch Film Festival they bring powerful stories to the UK public, putting a human face on complex issues.

A Leading Defender

Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch is a leading defender of fundamental freedoms and human rights worldwide. The charity investigates human rights abuses, exposing them to the media and millions of social media followers, offering concrete solutions and generating momentum for change. It works alongside many partners to promote justice, dignity and equality for all.

The organisation covers some 100 countries across 6 continents and a range of issues, including women's rights, environmental rights, children's rights, business and human rights and migrant rights. Human Rights Watch seeks to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and works to bring greater justice and security to people around the world.

Over 40 years, the organisation has helped spur important milestones. Human Rights Watch and partners earned a Nobel Peace Prize for their successful work to ban landmines. The organisation helped establish the International Criminal Court to ensure the world's worst warlords have their day in court. They helped raise global standards to improve the lives of women, children, workers, and people living with chronic illness.

Economic Challenges

As the world faces the unprecedented health and economic challenges of COVID-19, Human Rights Watch continues to defend basic freedoms and protect the rights of people who face the greatest risks during the pandemic - women, children, the poor, people with disabilities, older people and others. From remote workspaces, staff are forging ahead addressing today's greatest human rights challenges, including authoritarian power grabs in Hungary and the Philippines, the use of surveillance technology in China and Russia and censorship of journalists in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand. Human Rights Watch promotes equal access to healthcare, adequate information from governments, and the right to privacy - aiming to ensure rights are protected now and in the future.

Fantastic Charities

Many amazing projects run by Human Rights Watch would not be possible without funding from our players. Find out more about other Charities receiving vital support from our players.