Who We Are
The International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations is an independent, international, Argentine, non-governmental and non-profit center dedicated to defending human rights, monitoring and documenting violations, and conveying the voices of victims and defenders of rights and freedoms to public opinion and international institutions.
International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations
The Observatory Is a Member of the International Organization for Human Rights and International Law
Why Was the Observatory Established?
In many parts of the world, human rights defenders have become directly targeted because of their legitimate work in defending rights and freedoms, particularly in conflict zones where unjust wars are taking place and where the most severe and horrific human rights violations occur.
This situation is compounded by the continued existence of dictatorial regimes that openly impose policies of silencing voices, restricting freedoms and the media, and imprisoning activists and opinion holders under various charges in order to suppress them arbitrarily.
In some police-state environments, human rights activists and defenders face persecution, intimidation, and threats, limiting their ability to appear publicly or carry out their human rights role freely and safely.
In response to this reality, an urgent need emerged to establish an independent, non-governmental human rights body whose role would not be limited to documenting human rights violations, but would also serve as a voice for human rights defenders across digital platforms and media outlets.
From Monitoring and Documentation to Building International Public Opinion
Who We Are?
- The Observatory’s primary reference is the Universal Charter of Human Rights, and it is committed to using lawful means in carrying out its duties.
- The Observatory’s headquarters are located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and it has the right to appoint active members, coordinators, delegates, envoys, and representatives throughout the world.
- The Observatory is an independent international non-governmental center with legal personality and an independent financial status, established in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable in the country of its headquarters.
- The Observatory may establish regional and branch offices in any country, subject to licensing under the laws and regulations of the country in which it operates.
An Independent, International, Argentine and Non-Profit Center
The International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations is an independent international Argentine center operating as a non-governmental and non-profit institution dedicated to defending human rights.
The Observatory was established on 10 December 2015, and its administration is headquartered in Argentina.
The Observatory’s team consists of individuals committed to protecting human rights in countries around the world, particularly in Arab countries where human rights defenders are exposed to the most severe campaigns of direct targeting.
How We Work
The Observatory relies on an integrated set of human rights, media, and institutional methods in carrying out its mission.
Monitoring
Monitoring human rights conditions worldwide and following violations wherever they occur.
Documentation
Collecting information and documenting violations in a manner that supports their exposure, preservation, and presentation.
Reports and Statements
Issuing reports and press statements and disseminating them widely across human rights and media platforms.
Human Rights Cooperation
Cooperating with organizations working in the field of human rights in the Arab world and internationally.
Toward a World Governed by Freedom, Justice, and Equality
The Observatory monitors human rights conditions worldwide, draws attention to violations and criticizes them, and issues, publishes, and broadly disseminates reports and press statements across human rights and media platforms in order to shed light on human rights violations wherever they occur.
The Observatory cooperates with organizations working in the field of human rights across the Arab world and throughout the world, in line with its objectives and its aspiration for a world governed by democracy, freedom, justice, and equality, and in which human rights and human dignity are respected.
A Cooperation Network in High-Risk Environments
The Observatory’s work is not limited to monitoring and documentation. It also cooperates with a broad network of human rights defenders in countries where defenders cannot appear under their legal identities for fear of arrest or targeting.
Through this cooperation, the Observatory publishes news and reports concerning documented violations through its media and human rights platform, contributing to the formation of international public opinion and exerting pressure on relevant bodies and influential states to take measures that improve humanitarian conditions and put an end to human rights violations in the region.
Combating Impunity and Supporting Victims
A Voice for Human Rights Defenders and Free People Worldwide
The International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations considers itself an extension and complement to human rights defenders worldwide and a voice for all free people and opinion activists. It operates through a strategy based on cooperation and networking with all entities defending human rights across the world.