The Advocates for Human Rights

The Advocates for Human Rights works to change systems and conditions that cause human rights abuses and represents individual victims of human rights violations. We fight injustice and improve laws throughout the world.  We develop partnerships and mobilize volunteers to address some of the most pressing issues of our time because we believe that everyone has the power and responsibility to advance human rights. 

Human Rights Abuses Happen Every Day

That’s why in 2021 The Advocates and our volunteers:

• Provided legal consultation to 1,546 asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, trafficking victims, detained immigrants, and Afghan refugees. 
• Monitored and fought against global violence against women in more than 20 countries.
• Supported access to transformative, free education for 375 girls and boys in the rural area of Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.
• Observed 3,726 violence against women court hearings in Ramsey, Hennepin, and Washington Counties.
• Worked with numerous partner organizations from diaspora communities to enact change in their home countries.
• Spent 920.5 hours observing 1,359 hearings at Fort Snelling Immigration Court.
• Worked with 25 partner organizations to push for the abolition of the death penalty in 15 countries.

There is more to do. This year, we are working with more than 1,500 volunteers and 50 partner organization to represent more than 3,000 victims of human rights violations and change laws and systems that perpetuate human rights abuses.

Meet Bridget Chivimbiso Chigunwe

Bridget Chivimbiso was a social worker and mother in Zimbabwe. In 2016, she was targeted by police and feared torture in prison. She escaped to Panama and began a 6-month long trek north. Each country she passed told her to move along until she finally reached the U.S. At the U.S. border, she asked for asylum. She was detained and eventually came to Minnesota. With the support of volunteer lawyers from The Advocates for Human Rights, she pursued her asylum claim. After six years of waiting for a hearing, the government dismissed her case. Not having a day in court, not being granted asylum, would have left her legal status in the U.S. in limbo. The Advocates fought the dismissal and Bridget Chivimbiso had her day in court. After thousands of miles on foot, mountains of paperwork, and years of waiting, Bridget Chivimbiso was finally granted asylum and is safe. Now, she serves on The Advocates’ Board of Directors, studies to be a nurse, and looks forward to the day when she can embrace her children again.

Join Us 

Your donation helps with: 

$25 - materials and refreshments for one client intake session.

$50 - training and debriefing immigration court observers.

$100 - interpretation for one client meeting.

$500 - conducting free immigration legal clinics throughout Minnesota.

$1,000 - training pro bono lawyers to assist clients in navigating the immigration system.

$2,500 - accompanying one unaccompanied child on their journey towards legal status in the U.S.