The Human Rights Center (HRC) protects and promotes human rights worldwide by investigating and documenting human rights abuses and training the next generation of human rights researchers, policymakers, and advocates.

HRC occupies a unique position as a human rights organization within a leading research university, bridging the work of scholars and researchers with that of practitioners and activists. The two-way exchange of information and experience strengthens both enterprises, to the benefit of the constituents they serve. The university context—paired with experience in the field—provides rich training opportunities for graduate students who can make significant contributions to human rights activities in the United States and abroad.

The Human Rights Center is a unit of International and Area Studies (IAS) at U.C. Berkeley and works closely with the International Human Rights Law Clinic, Boalt Hall School of Law and the U.C. Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center .