A practical contact information, complaint submission guidance, and template language you can use to contact key human-rights organisations — UK, Europe, global UN mechanisms.
A. United Kingdom / England — National Bodies & NGOs
1. Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
Primary role: UK statutory body to enforce equality and human rights law.
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0161 829 8100
Postal:
Correspondence Unit
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Arndale House, The Arndale Centre
Manchester M4 3AQ, UKEquality Advisory Support Service (for public enquiries & advice): 0808 800 0082 Equality and Human Rights Commission
How to submit a complaint to EHRC (human rights issue)
Explain clearly what rights you believe were violated (e.g., discrimination, unlawful detention, unlawful search).
Include dates, location, persons/organisations involved, supporting documentation (photos, emails, official correspondence).
Sign your complaint and provide contact details.
Send by email or post to the addresses above.
If EHRC itself mishandles an enquiry
Email complaints to [email protected] with “Complaint about EHRC handling” in the subject line. Equality and Human Rights Commission
2. Liberty (Civil liberties & human rights NGO)
Contact details
General contact form: via website page
If you want a fast start: include legal information request in your form submission. Liberty
Guidance: Liberty does not guarantee direct case representation for every individual; use the contact form to request legal information or pre-litigation advice.
3. Amnesty International UK
Contact details
London office: 1 Easton Street, London WC1X 0DW, UK
Phone: +44 20 7413 5500
Feedback/complaint email: feedback@amnesty.org.uk
Supporter Care Team (Stage 1 complaint): see email above Amnesty International+1
How to complain about their handling of a case
Amnesty UK has a three-stage complaint procedure: initial feedback to Supporter Care; escalation to the Feedback Oversight Panel; and finally appeal to the Chief Executive if unresolved. Amnesty International UK
B. Europe — Regional Organisations
4. European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
Contact details
Address: Zossener Straße 55–58, Aufgang D, D-10961 Berlin, Germany
Email: info@ecchr.eu
Phone: +49 30 400 485 90 ECCHR
Guidance: ECCHR reviews selected cases that align with strategic litigation (often involving cross-border legal action or serious abuses). In your initial contact email, summarise the legal basis of the violation and relevant evidence; ask whether they can consider representation or refer you to partners. ECCHR
C. Global — United Nations & International NGOs
5. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) & Special Procedures
Complaint mechanisms:
The UN handles human rights complaints through Special Procedures (mandated independent experts) and Human Rights Council complaint procedure. OHCHR
Online submission:
Use the OHCHR complaints submission portal:
https://complaints.ohchr.org — fastest way to lodge a complaint. OHCHR Submission Portal
Postal filing:
Complaint Procedure Unit
Human Rights Council Branch
OHCHR – Palais Wilson
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland OHCHR
Information typically needed:
What happened (facts)
Which rights were violated (with reference to international law)
Dates, locations
Evidence
Which domestic remedies have been attempted and the outcomes OHCHR
Special Rapporteur submissions:
Use secure form: https://spsubmission.ohchr.org/ to provide detailed info on violations relative to specific mandates (e.g., freedom of expression, indigenous rights, or arbitrary detention). UN SR Human Rights Defenders
6. Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Contact details (Global)
Main HQ (New York): 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Phone: +1 212-290-4700UK office (UK region): Audrey House, 16-20 Ely Place, London EC1N 6SN
Phone: +44 20 7618 4700Other regional offices: Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, etc. Human Rights Watch
How to alert HRW of a violation:
Write to the most relevant regional office email or fill out the contact form on HRW’s website. In your communication:
Clearly describe the alleged violation.
Provide evidence links/documents.
State how it fits HRW’s thematic priorities (e.g., unlawful detention, freedom of association).
HRW uses submissions for reporting, publications, and advocacy, but does not function as a legal court. Human Rights Watch
D. Africa-Focused Organisations
7. Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA)
Contact details
Address: 949 Brusubi Layout, AU Summit Highway, P.O. Box 1896, Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: +220 44 10 413/4 | Cell: +220 77 51 200
Email: ihrda@ihrda.org IHRDA
How to submit a case:
Send a signed letter/email with a clear factual summary, evidence, and which African human rights instrument applies; ask whether they can assist with legal representation or referral to African regional mechanisms. Wikipedia
8. AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network)
Note: This network supports human rights defenders (HRDs) at risk. African Defenders
Contact: Often via the DefendDefenders portal or network partners; review guidance on their “get help” application process. African Defenders
Application submission:
Complete their online application form specifying the nature of the threat and documentation; a local partner often assists with verification. African Defenders
E. Sample Complaint Template (Adaptable)
Use the following structure when emailing/posting to any organisation:
Subject: Urgent Human Rights Violation Submission — [Your Name / Organisation]
1. Introduction
I am writing to report a serious infringement of my / our human rights that occurred on [Date(s)] at [Location]. I believe this constitutes a violation of [list relevant rights e.g., arbitrary detention, discrimination, freedom of expression].
2. Description of Incident
Provide a clear chronological description of what happened, who was involved, and how. Include specific factual details (times, places, attachments).
3. Legal Basis
Reference applicable rights under domestic law, European Convention, Universal Declaration, or African Charter as relevant.
4. Evidence
List attachments (photos, audio/video links, official documents, statements) supporting your claims.
5. Remedies Sought
State what you want the organisation to do (investigate, advocate, refer, intervene, publish a report).
6. Contact and Confidentiality
Provide your full name, phone, email, address (if comfortable), and state whether you request confidentiality.
Signature
[Your Name]
[Date]
Human rights organisations directory by region
Below is a cleaned, structured version of your list with clear categories, what each body does, and practical next steps for contacting or using them.
England United Kingdom — National and UK-based bodies
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) — Public regulator enforcing equality and human-rights law across England, Scotland, Wales; handles complaints, guidance, and legal oversight. When to contact: discrimination, systemic public-sector rights breaches; use complaint and guidance pages.
Amnesty International UK — Documents abuses, runs campaigns, and refers or supports cases through its UK office. When to contact: documented abuses needing advocacy, public campaigning, or referral.
Liberty — Legal challenges to civil liberties infringements and strategic litigation. When to contact: civil liberties cases needing legal challenge or public-interest litigation.
International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) — UK-headquartered group focused on freedom of religion and belief and related advocacy. When to contact: religion or belief discrimination and advocacy needs.
British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) — Education, training, and support for groups and organisations to uphold human rights. When to contact: capacity building, training, rights-awareness projects.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (UK office) — Monitors corporate conduct and helps direct complaints against companies. When to contact: corporate human-rights abuses, supply-chain complaints.
Anti-Slavery International — Specialist on modern slavery and trafficking with global reach from the UK. When to contact: suspected trafficking, forced labour, exploitation.
AFRUCA (Africans Unite Against Child Abuse) — UK charity focused on child protection and advocacy for African children. When to contact: child-abuse concerns within African communities or culturally specific cases.
Europe — Regional organisations and mechanisms
European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) — Strategic litigation and legal advocacy across Europe. When to contact: cross-border or transnational legal cases; strategic litigation support.
EuroMed Rights — Network defending rights across Europe and the Mediterranean. When to contact: regional advocacy, coalition-building, MENA-Europe issues.
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor — Monitoring and campaigning on Europe–MENA human-rights issues. When to contact: documentation and reporting on regional violations.
Amnesty International Europe — Regional offices supporting investigations, advocacy, and referrals. When to contact: Europe-wide campaigns or country-specific investigations.
Human Rights Without Frontiers International — Brussels-based advocacy and lobbying on European human-rights policy. When to contact: EU policy, lobbying, or parliamentary advocacy needs.
European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) — Legal and advocacy support for Roma rights across Europe. When to contact: discrimination, eviction, or rights violations affecting Roma communities.
Fair Trials International — Protects the right to a fair trial across jurisdictions. When to contact: unfair criminal justice processes, cross-border legal defence issues.
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) — Judicial body for individual complaints under the European Convention on Human Rights. When to contact: after domestic remedies are exhausted for Convention rights violations.
Global — International organisations and UN mechanisms
Amnesty International (Global) — Investigations, reporting, and global advocacy. When to contact: documented abuses requiring international attention or campaign support.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) — Independent documentation and pressure on governments and actors. When to contact: well-documented violations needing international reporting.
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) — Network supporting national groups and litigation. When to contact: cross-border coordination, litigation support, or network referrals.
Front Line Defenders — Protection and emergency support for human-rights defenders at risk. When to contact: immediate threats to activists, urgent protection needs.
Open Society Foundations — Funding, legal support, and emergency response for rights crises. When to contact: funding or legal-support requests for civil-society initiatives.
Freedom House — Monitoring and support for defenders in repressive environments. When to contact: country freedom assessments and defender support.
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) — Capacity building and systemic support for defenders. When to contact: training, advocacy strategy, or defender capacity needs.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) — UN monitoring, reporting, and complaint mechanisms. When to contact: systemic abuses requiring UN attention or reporting.
UN Human Rights Council and Special Procedures — Mechanisms for complaints, country reviews, and special rapporteur interventions. When to contact: thematic or country-specific complaints, requests for special-procedure attention.
Africa — Pan-African and national organisations
AfricanDefenders — Network protecting human-rights defenders across Africa. When to contact: protection, relocation, or capacity support for defenders.
Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) — Legal advocacy and litigation support at continental level. When to contact: strategic litigation before African human-rights mechanisms.
African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) — Humanitarian support and advocacy for displaced or persecuted communities. When to contact: humanitarian protection and advocacy needs.
Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) — Documentation and advocacy (example: Cameroon focus). When to contact: country-specific documentation and advocacy.
Legal Assistance Centre (Namibia) — National legal support and public-interest litigation example. When to contact: national legal aid and public-interest cases.
Legal Resources Centre (South Africa) — Litigation and rights advocacy in South Africa. When to contact: public-interest litigation and rights enforcement.
PASSOP (South Africa) — Grassroots support for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants. When to contact: refugee/asylum legal support and advocacy.
Country-specific defenders networks — Many countries have national human-rights defenders groups offering training and protection. When to contact: localised protection, training, or advocacy.
How to use this directory effectively
Choose the right entry point — Start with national bodies for domestic law issues (e.g., EHRC in the UK), regional courts for treaty-based claims (e.g., ECHR), and international NGOs or UN mechanisms for systemic or cross-border abuses.
Document thoroughly — Collect dates, witness statements, photos, official correspondence, and any domestic remedies attempted. Most organisations require clear evidence.
Follow escalation steps
Domestic remedies — pursue available national complaints and appeals.
Regional mechanisms — apply to regional courts or commissions once domestic options are exhausted.
International advocacy — engage NGOs, UN special procedures, or international litigation where appropriate.
Emergency protection — If an individual or defender is at immediate risk, contact specialist protection groups (e.g., Front Line Defenders) and local emergency services first.
Quick checklist before contacting an organisation
What happened — short factual timeline.
Who was involved — names, roles, and contact details if safe to share.
Evidence available — documents, photos, recordings, medical reports.
Domestic steps taken — complaints filed, case numbers, outcomes.
Desired outcome — remedy, protection, policy change, compensation.
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