The Advocates for Human Rights helps individuals fully realize their human rights in the United States and around the world. For over 30 years, The Advocates' innovative programming has touched the lives of refugees and immigrants, women, ethnic and religious minorities, children, and other marginalized communities whose rights are at risk. The Advocates strengthens accountability mechanisms, raises awareness, and fosters tolerance. Adapting traditional human rights methodologies to conduct cutting-edge research, The Advocates has produced 75 reports documenting human rights practices in 25 countries.

The Advocates has provided visionary leadership on contemporary human rights issues throughout its history. For example, the organization monitored country conditions in places such as Chiapas, Mexico before other NGOs were present; advocated for women's rights as human rights before many organizations accepted this platform; produced educational resources on human rights issues, such as economic and social rights, that are used by educators, foundations, policymakers, and other NGOs in the United States and around the world; and established what one national foundation called "the best volunteer model" they had ever seen.

The Advocates understands that changing the world means not only recognizing our shared humanity, but also raising awareness about human rights abuses in other communities. Through Special Consultative Status with the United Nations, The Advocates brings the "local to the global" by participating in human rights mechanisms that focus international attention on the human rights concerns in the communities in which we work. Conversely, The Advocates brings the "global to the local" by making human rights education a priority and engaging U.S. audiences in advocacy for people experiencing human rights abuses all over the world.

In addition, The Advocates allows individuals to actively participate in promoting the human rights of others through direct, hands-on volunteer work. The Advocates' accomplishments are the result of thousands of people coming together to make a difference and advance the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

At its annual Attorneys of the Year awards dinner on Feb. 24, 2008, Minnesota Lawyer honored The Advocates for its outstanding service to the legal profession. In this video, staff and Board Members of The Advocates discuss some of the things it has done to serve the legal profession and the people the profession serves.