The Human Rights Program

We are excited to announce that the project, "Parental Incarceration & Children's Human Rights," has won the Inclusion Award for Community Building from the Association of Professional Schools in International Affairs. With the support of a Liberal Arts Engagement Hub residency, the Human Rights Program and Children of Incarcerated Caregivers collaborated to address the issue of parental incarceration in a system that doesn’t prioritize children’s rights. The project brought together Master of Human Rights students and other UMN students, NGO leaders, professionals in the criminal legal system, former elected officials, formerly incarcerated individuals, and people impacted by the incarceration of a parent or family member.

We are grateful for the support of the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub and our partners in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts for making this project possible. Congratulations to all who have contributed to this valuable project!

Read the latest Human Writes blog by Livinia Kaunda, “Rethinking Western Models of Support for Adolescent Mothers in School.”

Livinia Kaunda draws on her research on educational support and schooling of adolescent mothers in Malawi to highlight the risks of exporting Western policy and practice.

Check out the blog: humanwrites.umn.edu

Link in bio!

Interested in submitting a piece? ‘Human Writes’ accepts submissions on a rolling basis! We are looking for a range of written pieces including blogs, personal/narrative essays, short fiction, poetry, and more. Any student from any college or major can submit. Visit humanwrites.umn.edu/submission-guidelines for more information and reach out to [email protected] with questions.

Skylar Strudwick reflects on the power of collective action in the latest Human Writes blog, “If Not You."

Read the blog: humanwrites.umn.edu

Link in bio!

Interested in submitting a piece? ‘Human Writes’ accepts submissions on a rolling basis! We are looking for a range of written pieces including blogs, personal/narrative essays, short fiction, poetry, and more. Any student from any college or major can submit. Visit humanwrites.umn.edu/submission-guidelines for more information and reach out to [email protected] with questions.

Read the latest ‘Human Writes’ blog: “The Housing Crisis: Federal Issues with Local Solutions"

Samia Abdulle discusses the human rights implications of the housing crisis and the challenge of addressing it. Link in bio!

Interested in submitting a piece? ‘Human Writes’ accepts submissions on a rolling basis! We are looking for a range of written pieces including blogs, personal/narrative essays, short fiction, poetry, and more. Any student from any college or major can submit. Visit humanwrites.umn.edu/submission-guidelines for more information and reach out to [email protected] with questions.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! We recognize our graduating Master of Human Rights students as well as our graduating undergraduates who have been involved with the Human Rights Program through the Undergraduate Working Group, the Rights ColLaboratory, work with HRP, and more. Our students bring their passion for human rights to our campus and communities through local, domestic, and international human rights work. They are crucial members of our local and global human rights movement. We can’t wait to see what they do next!

Minnesota has served as a hub for human rights activists and organizations, playing an outsized role in the international human rights movement. In 2023, human rights activist and HRP Director Emerita Barbara Frey founded the Minnesota's Human Rights Stories Oral History Project (MHRO). The MHRO records interviews with Minnesota-based human rights activists who are recognized as leaders in the field of international human rights, archiving their informative and inspiring stories in the activists' own words.

These oral histories provide valuable knowledge and guidance for future generations. Read more about the MHRO and listen to the interviews! Link in bio.

The Human Rights Program is thrilled to announce the amazing students who are recipients of our Spring 2026 scholarships and fellowships! Our graduate and undergraduate award winners will be interning at leading human rights organizations, writing for human rights, and more. We are thrilled to recognize our students' outstanding contributions to human rights on campus and in our communities. Read more about our spring awardees! Link in bio.

Congratulations to Amelia Shindelar, who has received the University’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Graduate and Professional Education! Amelia manages the Master of Human Rights degree program, the Human Rights Initiative, and runs a research program that focuses on the wellbeing, protection and security of Human Rights Defenders.

She is an exceptional force behind human rights instruction, programming, research, and mentorship. Going well beyond her administrative role, Amelia has built and sustained the Master of Human Rights degree through outstanding graduate instruction, intensive mentoring, and visionary program leadership. She excels in inclusive and innovative teaching, holistic advising, student-centered research mentorship, and curriculum development.

Read more about Shindelar and the award! Link in bio.

The Master of Human Rights (MHR) program brings together students from different backgrounds who share a commitment to justice, advocacy, and public service.

For two students in the program, Mila Hellfyre Hernandez and Peter Klicker, that diversity of experience has become the foundation of a particularly meaningful mentor-mentee relationship. While Hellfyre Hernandez is a Gen Z student, and Klicker is a Baby Boomer, they both felt an immediate connection that has inspired them inside and outside of the classroom.

Read more about Hellfyre Hernandez and Klicker! Link in bio.

Read the latest ‘Human Writes’ blog: “Universities as Human Rights Actors."

Riley Stern explores how universities can be human rights advocates: https://humanwrites.umn.edu/universities-human-rights-actors

Interested in submitting a piece? ‘Human Writes’ accepts submissions on a rolling basis! We are looking for a range of written pieces including blogs, personal/narrative essays, short fiction, poetry, and more. Any student from any college or major can submit. Visit humanwrites.umn.edu/submission-guidelines for more information and reach out to [email protected] with questions.