Human Rights Watch (HRW) was founded under the name, “Helsinki Watch.” Its original goal was to monitor the [[Soviet]]'s adherence to human rights provisions in the [[Helsinki Accords]]. In 1980, the organization started to develop a number of “Watch” committees in [[America]], [[Asia]], and [[Africa]].<ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>
These committees monitored human rights compliance of government and groups inside these continents. In the 1980’s 1980s the organization heavily scrutinized the [[Region Doctrine]], they also denounced the [[United States]] aiding of anti-[[communist]] fighters in [[Latin America]].
Jeri Laber, one of the founders of HRW, stated, "Americas Watch reports … were eagerly read in the United States by people who deplored the Reagan policies." <ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>
Critics claimed that Human Rights Watch painted a bad picture of the freedom fighters in Latin America, while glossing over the abuses of their communist governments. In 1980, [[Turkey]] began a major [[military]] campaign against a [[Kurdish]] terrorist group, the [[PKK]]. HRW documented the violations caused by the Turkish forces in their efforts, highlighting the abuses in the justice system, and use of [[torture]] by the government. In 1994 HRW’s “African Watch” covered the [[genocide]] in [[Rwanda]].,<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Rawanda”,1994, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1995/WR95/AFRICA-08.htm#P397_139563</ref> Their work documenting the atrocities in the region later won them praise from Karel Kovanda, the [[Czech Republic]]'s ambassador to the [[United Nations]], who stated in 2004, “I already knew the track record of Human Rights Watch in its work in my own country. I had every reason to believe that the organization was equally meticulous and well-informed on Rwanda.”<ref>Karel Kovanda, Czech ambassador to the [[United Nations]], 2004,http://hrw.org/about/what_they_say.html</ref>
===1998-2006===
In 1998, Human Rights Watch united all of its “Watch” groups under the United States -based HRW in 1988. They led the effort of non-governmental organizations in pressuring the United States to enter [[Kosovo]] to stop the 'genocide'. When [[NATO]] and the United States began their operation, HRW was one of the most critical organizations of its handling. They frequently wrote articles on the abuses carried out by the United States in their use of [[Cluster Bombs]].<ref>HRW, “NATO's Use of Cluster Munitions in Yugoslavia”, 1999, http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/kosovo98/cluster.shtml</ref>After [[9-11|September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks on the United States, HRW called for the United States to settle the terrorist attacks as a legal matter, rather then than using military force to wipe out the [[Taliban]].<ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> HRW endorsed the [[Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004]],<ref>Summary: Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004by The Rights Working Group, http://www.bordc.org/threats/legislation/clrasummary.php</ref> a bill that would take away vital tools that the United States enacted after the September 11th attacks. HRW has been critical of both of the United States recent operations in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. A HRW report alleged that there was, “excessive use of force by U.S. troops.” They state that they were, "deeply concerned about the consistent reports we are getting about women, children and unarmed civilians being killed." Even though they admitted that they did not have complete reports from the ground in Iraq.<ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>
===2006-2007===
[[Image:HumanRightsWatch1.jpg |thumb|200px|Members of Human Rights Watch with Speaker of the House, [[Nancy Pelosi]]]]
Evan though HRW claims that it is a “non-partisan” human rights group, many of the views held by HRW reflect those of [[American]] [[liberal]]s. They believe that [[abortion]] is “first and foremost a human right<ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>
" and support gay marriage. The organization is also a an opponent "in all circumstances" of the [[death penalty]], stating that the death penalty is "a form of punishment that is unique in its barbarity and finality<ref>Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>
." The organizations work has had a liberal approach of blaming America first.
===Location===
In 1998, Human Rights Watch united the international organization in United States. They based their main organization headquarters on 350 Fifth Avenue St, New York. HRW has anchored offices in major United States cities, including, [[Chicago]], [[New York]], [[Washington D.C.]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[San Francisco]].<ref>Locations of Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/contact.html</ref>
They also created offices internationally in [[Brussels]], [[Geneva]], [[Berlin]], [[Toronto]], and [[London]]. The organization has been criticized for having a lack of [[diversity]] in headquarter locations.<ref>“Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref> When on a an assignment the "fact finding group" will, in some cases, make temporary headquarters in the conflict zone.
===Leadership===
Human Rights Watch consists of a Board of Directors and chairmen from five continents, along with three other boards which cover specific issues.<ref>Human Rights Watch Board and Committee’s, http://www.hrw.org/about/info/board.html</ref> Each board consists of chairmen and co-chairmen, with exception of the board on “Terrorism and Counterterrorism.” The smallest board, “Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” consist of eight members, while the largest board consists of over forty members. Although the organization composed of 190 full -time employees’, they also hire part -time employee’s, bringing the number to 255 working employee's working for the organization
.<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions”
http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref> HRW also has a ‘Counsel’, which can be joined by giving donations to the organization (usually $5,000), the counsel remains primarily symbolic. While this list of counsel members used to be confidential; it is now since open to the public.<ref>“Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref> The organizations main leadership role is held by the executive director. This position has been held, since 1993, by Kenneth Roth, a graduate of [[Yale Law School]], [[Brown University]], and former prosecutor.<ref>HRW website, Kenneth Roth, http://www.hrw.org/about/bios/kroth.htm</ref>[[Bill O'Reilly]] called Roth, the “stand up man” for the organization, his job includes talking to the media and overseeing the organizations operations.<ref>O’Reilly Factor, 2004, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138990,00.html</ref>
.”
In 2006, HRW released a 50 -page report, "Fatal Strikes: Israel's Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in [[Lebanon]]," which covered civilians deaths they claimed were caused by Israel in their conflict with the terrorist group [[Hezbollah]]. Israel stated that the many of the deaths were caused by Hezbollah’s use of civilian areas and human shields. HRW stated that there was no evidence that Hezbollah used human shields, but this notion was widely known as untrue. While focusing on Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing”, HRW failed to report significantly on Hezbollah’s launching of 2,000 rockets at civilian areas. HRW criticized Israel’s building of a fence in the [[West Bank]], calling it part of an "illegal" land grab.<ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref> [[Anthony Weiner]], a Democrat Congressman, was shocked at the idiosyncrasy of the charges, he stated, "Given that the security fence has inarguably reduced [[terrorism]] and death by would-be Palestinian bombers, it seems any organization truly concerned about human rights should be supporting [[Israel]]'s right to construct it”.<ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref> Even a liberal newsmagazine, [[The New Republic]], could not resist the slant of HRW coverage<ref>Rosa Brooks on Criticism of Human Rights Watch, Kevin Jon Heller, http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1157149379.shtml</ref>
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