Changes

===Leadership===  

===Leadership===  

Human Rights Watch consists of a Board of Directors and chairmen from five continents, and three 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 consist of over forty members. Although the organization consists of 190 full time employees’, they also hire part time employee’s, bringing the number to 255 working employee's working  for the organization

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”  

<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>  

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>  

<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions”  

<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions”  

http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref>  

http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref>  

HRW is a non-governmentally organization ([[NGO]]), which receives its funding from private donors and foundations. The organization claims that they do not accept money from government institutions. Its annual budget is 22 million, ten million behind [[Amnesty International]], another human rights monitoring group.  In January of 2005, the Oakland-based Golden West Financial Corporation gave a grant of 15 million dollars over a five years period to the organization.<ref> Foundation Center, 2005, http://foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/gitn/sf_gitn_010105.html</ref> This was the largest contribution to the organization in its twenty-seven year history. Other contributors to the organization include; Ahmanson Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Columbia Foundation, William and Floea Hewlett Foundation, John D. & Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation, Nathan Cummings foundation, Joyce Foundation, JEHT Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, the Open Society Institute, the Davie and Lucile Packard Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fud, Scherman Foundation, and the Rockefellers Foundation<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> . HRW financial statements are made public on the organizations website<ref> Financial Statements for Human Rights Watch,  2004- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2004.pdf, 2005- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2005.pdf, 2006- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2006.pdf </ref>.  

HRW is a non-governmentally organization ([[NGO]]), which receives its funding from private donors and foundations. The organization claims that they do not accept money from government institutions. Its annual budget is 22 million, ten million behind [[Amnesty International]], another human rights monitoring group.  In January of 2005, the Oakland-based Golden West Financial Corporation gave a grant of 15 million dollars over a five years period to the organization.<ref> Foundation Center, 2005, http://foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/gitn/sf_gitn_010105.html</ref>, this was the largest contribution to the organization in its twenty-seven year history. Other contributors to the organization include; Ahmanson Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Columbia Foundation, William and Floea Hewlett Foundation, John D. & Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation, Nathan Cummings foundation, Joyce Foundation, JEHT Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, the Open Society Institute, the Davie and Lucile Packard Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fud, Scherman Foundation, and the Rockefellers Foundation<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> . HRW financial statements are made public on the organizations website<ref> Financial Statements for Human Rights Watch,  2004- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2004.pdf, 2005- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2005.pdf, 2006- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2006.pdf </ref>.  

===Website===

===Website===

The main tool used by the Human Rights organization is their website (hrw.org).  The organization has been critical in achieving its goal of publishing human rights abuses. The organization receives an estimated average of 48 thousand visitors a day in 2006, which led to an average 118,642 daily page views<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions”  

The main tool used by the human rights organization is their website (hrw.org), this cyber-tool has been critical in achieving HRW goal of publishing human rights abuses. The website receives an estimated average of 48 thousand visitors a day in 2006, which led to an average 118,642 daily page views<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions”  

http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref>  

http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref>  

. The site also gives HRW the ability to report up to the minute happenings when the situation calls for it. HRW has been criticized for having most of its reports and website in English only <ref> “Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref>.

. The site also gives HRW the ability to report up to the minute happenings when the situation calls for it. HRW has been criticized for having most of its reports and website in English only <ref> “Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref>.

   

   

===Hypocrisy===

===Hypocrisy===

Human Rights Watch has called on the [[United States]] to stop workplace discrimination on nationality and class inside the United States and other countries.  Critics claim that the organization does not even follow the standard they set. HRW hires nearly all of its employers from American and English nationalities, and its Committee members include only decisions makers from the upper class, none from the middle-income class. Nearly all of the organizations articles and reports are produced in English, HRW claims that they are not produced in more languages because of the cost of translation. They have asked for volunteers to translate reports and documents.  The organization has also been criticized as having a double standard in its dealing in the [[Middle East]].  President of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, stated, "For Human Rights Watch to call on Israel and Jews not to live in Judea and Samaria is simply racist. Why is it that Arabs can live in Israel, and Arabs can live in the West Bank, and Jews cannot live in the West Bank?” <ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref>.

Human Rights Watch has called on the [[United States]] to stop workplace discrimination on nationality and class inside the United States and other countries.  Critics claim that the organization does not even follow the standard they set because they hire nearly all of their employee's from American and English nationalities. The Committee members for HRW also include only decisions makers from the upper-class, none from the middle-income class. Nearly all of the organizations articles and reports are produced in English, HRW claims that they are not produced in more languages because of the cost of translation. They have asked for volunteers to translate reports and documents.  The organization has also been criticized as having a double standard in its dealing in the [[Middle East]].  President of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, stated, "For Human Rights Watch to call on Israel and Jews not to live in Judea and Samaria is simply racist. Why is it that Arabs can live in Israel, and Arabs can live in the West Bank, and Jews cannot live in the West Bank?” <ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref>.

===Political Position===  

===Political Position===  

[[Image:HumanRightsWatch1.jpg‎ |thumb|200px|Members of Human Rights Watch with Speaker of the House, [[Nancy Pelosi]]]]

[[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 the left. They believe that [[abortion]] is the “first and foremost a human right<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>  

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 the “first and foremost a human right<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>  

." HRW also support gay marriage. The organization is 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>  

." HRW also support gay marriage. The organization is 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>  

."  Critics claim that the human rights organization has a liberal approach of blaming America first.

."  Critics claim that the human rights organization has a liberal approach of blaming America first.

===Anti-Israel===  

===Anti-Israel===  

The Israeli conflict with the Palestinians and Hezbollah has brought about serious question of HRW objectivity. During the span of four years, from October 2000 to April 2004, HWR has written 103 reports, the vast majority of these reports condemned Israe<ref>“NGOs Make War on Israel” Gerald M. Steinberg

The Israeli conflict with the Palestinians and Hezbollah has brought about serious question of HRW objectivity. During the span of four years, from October 2000 to April 2004, HWR has written 103 reports, the vast majority of these reports condemned Israe

Middle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</ref>. During the same time the organization only wrote thirty highlighting the Palestinian terror attack. According to [[Gerald M. Steinberg]], a research associate at the BESA Center for Strategic Studies, HRW has ignored the terrorist suicide attacks designed to  kill innocent civilians, while criticizing Israel for a, “policy of targeted killing of terrorist leaders, such as [[Hamas]] leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ar-Rantisi<ref>“NGOs Make War on Israel” Gerald M. Steinberg

Middle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</ref>

Middle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</ref>

l. During the same time the organization only wrote thirty highlighting the Palestinian terror attack. According to [[Gerald M. Steinberg]], a research associate at the BESA Center for Strategic Studies, HRW has ignored the terrorist suicide attacks designed to  kill innocent civilians, while criticizing Israel for a, “policy of targeted killing of terrorist leaders, such as [[Hamas]] leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ar-Rantisi<ref>“NGOs Make War on Israel” Gerald M. Steinberg

.”  He goes on to state in his article that, “The political bias of non-governmentally organizations on the Middle East, coupled with their lack of public accountability and transparency, is beginning to chip away at their credibility<ref>“NGOs Make War on Israel” Gerald M. Steinberg

Middle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</ref>

Middle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</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>

.” 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 shield. HRW stated that there was no evidence that Hezbollah used human shields, but this notion was widely known as untrue. Well 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>

. [[David Horowitz]], professor of law at [[Harvard Law School]], stated that Human Rights Watch was a, "reflexive Israel-basher … who, in his zest to pillory Israel at every turn, is little more than an ally of the barbarians<ref> Rosa Brooks on Criticism of Human Rights Watch, Kevin Jon Heller, http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1157149379.shtml</ref>."

. [[David Horowitz]], professor of law at [[Harvard Law School]], stated that Human Rights Watch was a, "reflexive Israel-basher … who, in his zest to pillory Israel at every turn, is little more than an ally of the barbarians<ref> Rosa Brooks on Criticism of Human Rights Watch, Kevin Jon Heller, http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1157149379.shtml</ref>."