Centre for Applied Human Rights
Source: https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/ Parent: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/
An activist centre situated in a university for public good.
The Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) places people, notably human rights defenders, at the core of our work.
Our research, knowledge exchange, teaching, protective and advocacy activities are anchored in real-world human rights and humanitarian challenges and opportunities.
As such, we think politically and use socio-legal, interdisciplinary, and participatory methodologies to protect human rights and activism.
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Study with us
CAHR presents an opportunity to join a friendly community of ambitious and critical thinkers striving to bring about change.
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Students in action
CAHR is distinctive in supporting practical student activism, which is embedded in our degrees, linked to ongoing research, and initiated by students themselves.
Researchers in action
CAHR research is applied in nature. This means that its goal is to have an impact on concrete real-world challenges and situations.
Protective Fellowships for Human Rights Defenders
100 defenders, 50 countries, 15 years - We are the first centre to involve frontline human rights defenders in every aspect of our work, through protective fellowships, teaching and research, under the umbrella of the Human Rights Defenders Hub.
Visiting human rights defenders form the core of our work in terms of providing training for defenders, conducting research and incorporating the visiting defenders as an integral part of the MA and LLM programmes.
Signature programmes of knowledge exchange
UNESCO Human Rights Defenders Hub
The Generating Respect Hub
Human Rights Cities Hub
Research and innovation themes
Sustaining activism and political space
Rethinking state and local power
Conflict and crisis: actors, norms, transformation
Art and the activist imagination
Global health rights and justice
Environment, nature and people
Publications
Latest news
News
Statement of Support for Ms. Nolasco and the Talaingod 13
9 January 2026
The Centre for Applied Human Rights have released a statement of support for the Ms. Nolasco and the Talaingod 13.
News
UN Special Rapporteur Cites Research on Apostate Asylum Claims Conducted Through University of York - Humanists UK Collaboration
9 December 2025
A new interim report by Dr Nazila Ghanea, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief has cited research undertaken through a collaborative PhD award.
News
York Human Rights City Network (YHRCN) Statement on the Flying of Flags in York, 16 October 2025
20 October 2025
This statement was written on behalf of the York Human Rights City Network (YHRCN). The Network is a civil society partnership, hosted jointly by York CVS (Centre for Voluntary Service) and the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) at the University of York.
Events
Every year we host a wide range of speaker events, symposiums and discussions. Why not join us at our next one?
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Videos
Visit our YouTube channel to explore our work.
People
Find out more about the team and explore our expertise.