# 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.
## Contact us
- [cahr-admin@york.ac.uk](mailto:cahr-admin@york.ac.uk)
- [+44 (0)1904 325830](tel:+441904 325830 )
- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CentreForAppliedHumanRights/)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-applied-human-rights-university-of-york/)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/uoycahr)
## Study with us
CAHR presents an opportunity to join a friendly community of ambitious and critical thinkers striving to bring about change.
### Explore more:
[Masters programmes](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/studywithus/master-level-studies/)
[PhD studies](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/studywithus/phd/)
[What our alumni do](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/studywithus/alumni/)
### [Students in action](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/studywithus/studentsinaction/)
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](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/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.
[Find out more](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/human-rights-defenders/)
## Signature programmes of knowledge exchange
### [UNESCO Human Rights Defenders Hub](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/unesco-hub/)
### [The Generating Respect Hub](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/generating-respect/)
### [Human Rights Cities Hub](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/human-rights-city/)
## Research and innovation themes
### [Sustaining activism and political space](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/activism-and-political-space/)
### [Rethinking state and local power](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/rethinking-state-local-power/)
### [Conflict and crisis: actors, norms, transformation](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/conflict-and-crisis/)
### [Art and the activist imagination](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/art-activist-imagination/)
### [Global health rights and justice](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/global-health-rights-and-justice/)
### [Environment, nature and people](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/environment-nature-people/)
## Publications
- [View our publications](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/publications/)
## Latest news
News
### [Statement of Support for Ms. Nolasco and the Talaingod 13](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/news/2026/support-for-ms-nolasco-talaingod/)
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](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/news/2025/un-special-rapporteur/)
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](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/news/2025/yhrcn-statement-flags-york/)
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?
[Upcoming events](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/events/)
## Discover more
Facebook
Get all of the latest CAHR updates via Facebook.
[Follow us](https://www.facebook.com/CentreForAppliedHumanRights/)
Twitter
Keep up-to-date with our news and events.
[Follow us](https://twitter.com/CAHRyork)
Videos
Visit our YouTube channel to explore our work.
[Watch our videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/cahruoy/videos)
People
Find out more about the team and explore our expertise.
[Meet the team](https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/people/)
## Contact us
- [cahr-admin@york.ac.uk](mailto:cahr-admin@york.ac.uk)
- [+44 (0)1904 325830](tel:+441904 325830 )
- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CentreForAppliedHumanRights/)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-applied-human-rights-university-of-york/)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/uoycahr)