The Human Rights Watch Council is an international membership organization that works to increase public support for Human Rights Watch and the human rights cause.
Members meet regularly to develop timely outreach, advocacy and fundraising initiatives.
With four regional committees based in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London, the Council seeks new members in these regions and looks to launch new committees elsewhere in the United States and abroad. Using the materials, reports, and expertise of Human Rights Watch, Council members work to educate the public about pressing human rights concerns. They engage local leaders, organize local editorial board meetings, and host a wide range of public events, such as lectures, roundtables, briefings for professional associations, open dialogue sessions with policy makers, and issue-focused receptions, as well as public film and video screenings. In January 2000, the Council organized an open public dialogue to discuss a range of human rights issues with Richard Holbrooke, United States ambassador to the United Nations. Council members also use their personal resources and influence to help Human Rights Watch advance its ideas and objectives.