Human Rights Beyond the Headlines: Voting, Elections, and Why They Matter

Created to support educators in helping young people navigate the current events that impact their lives, Human Rights Beyond the Headlines provides background information about key current events and strategies for discussing them with young people, including how to understand them through the wider lens of justice and human rights.

We are excited to share our latest edition of Human Rights Beyond the Headlines. This month’s topic: Voting, Elections, and Why They Matter.

Created to support educators in helping young people navigate the current events that impact their lives, Human Rights Beyond the Headlines provides background information about key current events and strategies for discussing them with young people, including how to understand them through the wider lens of justice and human rights.

Voting, Elections, and Why They Matter

Have you ever voted for something? Whether it was a presidential election, a student council vote, or an online poll, do you think your vote mattered? Did it make a difference?

We often hear, “your vote is your voice.” But what does this actually mean?

Download

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

HRE USA & Partners Retreat Sessions

Date: October 24, 2026
Session times and session registration links listed below!

8:30am-10am (ET) HRE USA & Partners Retreat: Welcome and Looking Back/Looking Forward Panel

>>Register for the Welcome and Looking Back/Looking Forward Session

Agenda:
8:30 am-8:40 am: Welcome and Opening Remarks, Kristi Rudelius Palmer and Jake Skrzypiec, HRE USA Co-Chairs

8:40 am-9:30 am: Plenary Panel: Looking Back: 15 Years of HRE USA and the HRE Movement
Panelists: Nancy Flowers, David Shiman, Kristi Rudelius Palmer. Moderated by Bill Fernekes

9:30 am-9:50 am: HRE USA 15 Year Impacts, Madison Plemons-Schunk

10:30am-11:45am (ET) Voices For Hope: Confronting Turbulent Times Through Human Rights Education Podcasting

>> Register for the Voices for Hope Session

Voices For Hope: Confronting Turbulent Times Through Human Rights Education Podcasting
Panelists: Caitlyn Krueger, Elizabeth Schwab, Yvonne Vissing. Moderated by Marcy Sutherland and Jake SkrzypiecThis panel presentation will center on the importance and impact of the Human Rights Education Now! podcast as a mechanism for educational change, intergenerational dialogue, resilience and hope in challenging times. Panelists will discuss the development of this unique podcast, the collaborative work of volunteers to sustain it as a program, and how critical adult and youth voices engaged in human rights education, advocacy and leadership have been amplified. Panelists will share their insights on how podcasting as a practice can enable deeper narrative truth telling, empathy building, and democratic and civic engagement. In addition, this panel presentation will engage audience members in dialogue around best practices and strategies on using podcasting as a transformative educational tool.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

World Food Day: Online Screening Event

Join us for the Film Screening of “Abundance” and a Live Dialogue Session with panelists!

Amid the largest food crisis in a century, a group of college students launches a grassroots effort to fight hunger, inspiring more than 600 students to mobilize and help feed millions of families. As their initiative rapidly grows into a nationwide movement, the film explores the power of youth leadership, collective action, and innovative solutions to food insecurity.

Join us for this inspiring film and a conversation exploring food justice, community resilience, and the power of young changemakers to tackle global challenges. The screening will be followed by a live dialogue with director Owen Dubeck.

Date/Time: Friday, 16 October 2026, 10:30 – 12:00 (KST)

Schedule:

  • 10:30 – 11:00: Introduction & Film Screening
  • 11:00 – 12:00: Dialogue session with the Film Director & Panelists

Your email address is required in order for us to send you a reminder a few days before the event. Please be sure to check your email.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

NOIWE Academy, a new international learning initiative

We are pleased to announce the launch of NOIWE Academy, a new international learning initiative that brings Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP) into practice through live online courses, collaborative learning spaces and programmes for institutions.

The Academy builds on fourteen years of research and the open-access book, Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP) to Reimagine Education: Tackling Controversies in Diverse Settings (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025), now with over 13,000 downloads. TEP integrates critical, humanistic, transformative and decolonial approaches to education, with particular attention to human rights, racism, inclusion, and teaching sensitive and controversial issues.

Read the book for free: https://noiwe.com/book/

You can also hear an introduction to TEP in Episode 75 of Human Rights Education Now!: https://humanrightseducationnow.buzzsprout.com/2134087/episodes/19124428-episode-75-dr-teresa-m-cappiali

Join a one-hour online introduction to TEP and NOIWE Academy. You will experience TEP in practice, hear insights from recent research and classroom experimentation in high schools in Morocco, and discover our new learning opportunities.

Our first course, Introduction to TEP: Reimagine your teaching, welcomes university teachers, school educators, doctoral researchers, trainers and facilitators across disciplines and levels of experience. Through seven live online sessions in small international groups, participants learn how to implement TEP in their own courses using a scientific approach to pedagogy.

The English cohort begins on 27 October, followed by French in November and Italian and Spanish in 2027. Accessible founding cohort rates are available. Other opportunities include Teaching Sensitive and Controversial Issues for doctoral researchers and university teachers (five live sessions from 10 November), the weekly TEP Lab, and tailored programmes for institutions.

Interested in our courses, TEP Labs or institutional collaborations?

Express your interest here: https://noiwe.com/express-your-interest/

Explore our other initiatives: https://noiwe.com/

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Course: The United Nations in the World

Understand how global diplomacy works and navigate the politics of the United Nations.

The Global Diplomacy: The United Nations in the World course provides a comprehensive introduction to the role of the United Nations in global governance and international diplomacy. It explores how the UN was established, how it has evolved over time, and how it functions today as a central actor in addressing global challenges.

A key focus of the course is the structure and decision-making processes within the UN system, including the role of major bodies such as the Security Council and the General Assembly. Learners examine how political interests, power dynamics, and institutional constraints influence outcomes, shaping the UN’s ability to respond to crises and implement its mandates.

Through thematic modules, the course offers insights into core areas of UN activity, including peace and security, human rights, development, and humanitarian response. It also highlights the practical realities of diplomacy, emphasizing negotiation, policy analysis, and critical thinking skills.

Overall, the course equips learners with a solid understanding of how the United Nations operates and how global diplomacy is conducted in practice, enabling them to critically assess the organization’s impact and limitations.

Enroll Now

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

4th International Conference IAHRE 2027: Call for Papers

Interdisciplinarity in Human Rights Education

14-15 June 2027 OsloMet University, Oslo, Norway

Conference Announcement and Call for Papers  

The International Association for Human Rights Education (IAHRE) was established in 2023 at the 15th International Conference for Education and Democratic Citizenship (ICEDC) hosted by Sutherland School of Law at University College Dublin, Ireland. IAHRE exists to support the development of human rights education research, scholarship and practice. It has been awarded charitable status in recognition of its efforts to promote the public good. IAHRE’s scholarly journal is the award-winning Human Rights Education Review (HRER) founded in 2018 and published by Taylor & Francis.

The IAHRE Conference is a meeting place for scholars, researchers, graduate students, education policymakers, and civil society activists from across Europe and internationally. It builds on the work of the WERA International Research Network on Human Rights Education, coordinated by Professors Audrey Osler and Hugh Starkey. It provides a unique opportunity to present and discuss current research and policy relating to human rights education and questions of human rights within education. There is an expectation that presenters accepted for IAHRE 2027 will submit their final revised conference papers to Human Rights Education Review shortly after the conference.

Call for papers

We invite papers for the 2027 IAHRE Conference Interdisciplinarity in Human Rights Education. IAHRE 2027 aims to build on the vast array of disciplines that contribute to human rights education, and we welcome scholars from sociology, education, law, history, politics, geography and other relevant disciplines, as well as those specialising in regional studies. Papers should review and critically reflect on human rights education policy and practice, child rights education and the wider area of education and human rights. We are interested in research that addresses HRE across formal education, from early years through to higher education, as well as community-focused and community-led initiatives designed to enhance and strengthen human rights understanding. Papers reflecting the work of those aiming to enhance human rights understanding in professional education, in diverse fields, including teacher education, medicine, nursing and social care also welcome.  

Colleagues working in NGOs and international organisations who have campaign  case studies are likewise invited. We welcome contributions from researchers at all stages of their careers.

At IAHRE 2027 we aim to build upon the contributions at IAHRE 2026 Re-imagining Human Rights Education in a Turbulent World that recognised how human rights education is taking place in an increasingly unstable world with growing authoritarianism and challenges to human rights and democratic values in all regions and where climate change, disinformation, terrorism, war and conflict, hate speech and xenophobia confront us in the starkest terms. Given these challenges we remain mindful of both the challenges and the opportunities that educators in varied contexts face.

Human rights education (HRE) supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 4. HRE has a vital role in maintaining hope and enabling people of all ages to reimagine a positive future. Children and young people experience barriers to democratic participation since they are not only excluded from formal political mechanisms and decision-making processes but have been the subject of government-led social media bans that threaten access to communication and information.

Any vision of a sustainable future necessarily includes ‘sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’ (SDG 4.7). IAHRE 2027 invites contributions that build on and extend the focus of past conferences and on the fast-expanding HRE literature, both in HRER and other journals and books.  IAHRE 2027 includes but is not limited to papers addressing:

  • Human rights curricula
  • Education for peace  
  • Global citizenship education
  • Climate, environment and sustainable development
  • Migration, citizenship and rights
  • Children’s digital worlds
  • Human rights, intercultural and language learning
  • Worldviews and religion
  • Decolonising learning
  • Professional education and training
  • Children’s rights and child friendly schools

This call for papers invites both individual papers and proposals for symposia.

Individual paper requirements

Prepare an abstract of no more than 300 words, including paper title, your name(s), institutional affiliation(s) and contact email(s). Please indicate whether you would prefer to give an oral or a poster presentation. Abstracts should be sent, no later than Monday 19 October 2026 to: Professor Hugh Starkey h.starkey@ucl.ac.uk.

More information

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Podcast promo image with the Human Rights Education Now! logo and two small instant photo style images of Dr. Almas (Ally) Merchant and Dr. Linda Woolf

Episode 80 with Dr. Almas (Ally) Merchant and Dr. Linda Woolf

Dr. Almas (Ally) Merchant is a clinical psychologist, Director and Clinical Supervisor at Stress & Trauma Evaluation and Psychological Services (STEPS), and American Psychological Association (APA) Council Representative for Division 39, the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology. She also co-chairs the Global Issues and Global Human Rights Caucus and co-hosts the Couched podcast. 

Dr. Linda Woolf is a Professor of Psychology and International Human Rights at Webster University and was elected 2027 president of the American Psychological Association. Her work addresses human rights education, peace psychology, and the psychosocial roots of genocide and torture.

Episode 80: Summary

In this episode, Linda and Ally reflect on the experiences that shaped their commitment to human rights. Linda describes how teaching about the Holocaust led her to explore other genocides and incorporate human rights into her courses. Ally shares how her upbringing in India, early mentorship, and engagement with postcolonial thought informed her understanding of justice, dignity, and the relationship between psychological distress and structural inequality.

The conversation explores how psychologists translate human rights commitments into clinical practice, education, policy, and advocacy. Linda and Ally discuss professional accountability, opposition to torture, freedom of expression, access to healthcare, and the importance of challenging systems that place some lives above others. They also reflect on influential role models, Indigenous perspectives on relationships with land and other living beings, and psychology’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Topics discussed:

  • Personal journeys into human rights
  • Psychology, social justice, and structural inequality
  • Human rights in clinical practice and education
  • Professional ethics and accountability
  • APA policy and freedom of expression
  • Healthcare access and advocacy
  • Human rights role models
  • Indigenous perspectives and the value of every life
  • Psychology and the Sustainable Development Goals

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!.

All episodes of Human Rights Education Now! are available on:

Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Deezer, PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, and the HRE USA website,

HRE USA would love to learn how listeners are using episodes in their classrooms and with their communities. Please send comments and ideas for classroom use to kristi@hreusa.org. 

The HRE USA Podcast Team 

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Deadline Extended for Youth in Action for Human Rights Nominations!

ENCOURAGE YOUNG ACTIVISTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO APPLY!

Application Deadline EXTENDED: October 19, 2026

Announcement Date: December 2026, International Human Rights Day

To encourage a new generation of human rights activists, Human Rights Educators USA has established the Youth in Action for Human Rights Awards. The Awards are made annually to one individual and one group in high school (grades 9-12) or the equivalent (e.g., older high school students, GED students, those not in formal schooling) whose work explicitly or implicitly reflects and promotes human rights values.

Winners receive a $500 cash award, a plaque, and a certificate of achievement, as well as opportunities to present their work to local and national audiences. They will be also featured on social media, local and national press, and HRE USA publications.

Learn more about the awards at bit.ly/hreusa-youthawards

Awards Website

English: hre-usa-youth-in-action-award.my.canva.site/en

En Español: hre-usa-youth-in-action-award.my.canva.site/es

Application

English: tinyurl.com/hre-youth-award-26

En Español: tinyurl.com/hre-youth-award-26-es

Human Rights Watch: Associate, Children’s Rights Division

For the full description, please visit the official website.

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
ASSOCIATE
Children’s Rights Division
New York Office
Application Deadline: October 16, 2026

The Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking an Associate to provide administrative assistance and programmatic support to the team. The Children’s Rights Division focuses on issues affecting children around the world including education, sexual and reproductive rights, right to a healthy environment, technology, armed conflict, migration, and youth justice.

This is a full-time position based in New York and will report to the executive director of the Children’s Rights Division and will support other Children’s Rights Division staff, located in multiple locations including outside the US. The successful candidate must be based within commuting distance of the New York office and will be expected to work from the office 2-3 days per week or on an as needed basis.

Responsibilities:

  1. Providing day-to-day administrative support to Children’s Rights Division staff, such as scheduling, making travel arrangements, preparing for and taking minutes at meetings, processing incoming mail, and responding to requests for information;
  2. Maintaining communication between Human Rights Watch offices, global staff, and external partners;
  3. Proofreading, formatting, and/or distributing materials such as reports, news releases, briefing papers, letters, op-eds, web content, and coordinating the publication process and translations of the different products;
  4. Coding and updating of online documents;
  5. Recording, tracking, and processing divisional finances and divisional donations;
  6. Assisting with desk research, news monitoring, press clippings, and wires;
  7. Assisting with events such as advisory committee meetings, advocacy meetings, staff meetings, and other special events virtually and in-person in New York;
  8. Assisting with the recruitment and coordination of interns and other divisional staff; and
  9. Carrying out other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree is required. Candidates with equivalent training/experience, extensive relevant administrative experience, and a passion for human rights work are also encouraged to apply.

Experience: A minimum of one (1) year of full-time relevant work experience is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

  1. Prior office/administration experience, meticulous attention to detail, flexibility and strong organizational skills are required.
  2. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French are required; fluency in other languages (particularly Spanish or Arabic) is highly desirable.
  3. Commitment to children’s rights and human rights is required.
  4. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously are required.
  5. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with job responsibilities is required.
  6. Ability to prioritize with minimal supervision and work independently as well as function as a member of a team with staff in multiple locations globally is required.
  7. Proficiency in computer packages including MS Office applications is required.

**Other:**Candidates must possess valid work authorization in the US. HRW is unable to sponsor work authorization for this role.

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is USD 60,601 – 64,928. Human Rights Watch offers comprehensive employer-paid benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, an outstanding retirement savings plan and twenty (20) days of vacation per year.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by October 16, 2026, by visiting our online job portal at careers.hrw.org and attaching a letter of interest, resume/CV, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others, including artificial intelligence), preferably in PDF format. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission, or if you require a disability-related accommodation, please email recruitment@hrw.org. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

***Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse.***We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds based anywhere to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

Human Rights Watchis an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.