About Home for Human Rights (HHR)

Home for Human Rights strives to preserve and protect economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights.  It seeks to protect the fundamental freedoms of the people in Sri Lanka and prevent the violation of their rights as embodied in the Sri Lanka constitution, international covenants, conventions, treaties, institutions, and organizations.  HHR documents human rights violations and provides legal and medical aid to victims of abuse resulting from the civil conflict.

Since its inception, HHR has derived its mission and its vision from the global human rights movement. It believes UN instruments on human rights operate on two levels: the global and the local. HHR works on both levels, providing legal advocacy and representation in Sri Lankan courts.

Additionally, HHR works with victims suffering displacement and discrimination due to caste, gender, war and the Tsunami. Its programs for women, lower-caste workers, fishermen and widows seek to help groups regain their livelihoods and provide them with long-term self-reliance.

HHR was created in 1977 by three attorneys wishing to document the widespread human rights violations related to an increasingly violent conflict between the Sri Lankan government and various rebel groups.

Since its inception, the breadth of HHR’s focus has gradually grown to include the documentation and dissemination of information; the provision of assistance for survivors; the encouragement of legal intervention as well as active defense for those lacking the resources to defend themselves; and the utilization of existing laws and the human rights regime to address a wide variety of human rights violations.