In response to reports that the Russian Federation is attempting to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), the following quote is attributable to Sam Zarifi, JD, LLM, executive director at PHR:  “Russian forces have routinely bombed hospitals, tortured civilians, abducted children, raped women, and destroyed critical infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia’s president is a […]

Michele joins PHR as a development and fundraising expert (Interim Director of Development). Michele is a leading non-profit executive with extensive experience in planning, capacity building, board and governance support, development and fundraising. She has extensive experience with (U)HNWI and has managed multiple teams across the global. Michele led her former organization from a small […]

Toby Greenfield is the Senior Institutional Development Manager overseeing fundraising from foundation, governments, and other institutions. She is responsible for creating and stewarding relationships with these institutions to create revenue pipelines to support PHR’s work. Prior to joining PHR, Greenfield worked for PILnet as the Director for Development and Communications and the Director of New […]

Barbara Pirto heads up all finance functions at PHR as its Director of Finance.  She is responsible for all financial operations and oversees all external and internal financial reporting including audits, tax filings, financial planning, executive management reports, and donor reports accounting, budgeting, audits, and all financial policies and procedures. She comes to PHR after 30 years […]

PHR joins the call for the immediate end to ongoing administrative harassment of eminent physician Ayşe Uğurlu and all attempts to silence and punish medical professionals and professional organizations in Türkiye for their defense of human rights.

In response to today’s report by UN experts (International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, or ICHREE) on ongoing human rights violations in Ethiopia, the following statement is attributable to Erika Dailey, director of advocacy, policy and communications at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR):  “War crimes and crimes against humanity – mass killings, rape, […]

(New York, September 13, 2023) – We, the heads of over 50 human rights and humanitarian organizations are coming together to sound the alarm about Sudan, where a disaster is unfolding before our eyes. With fighting continuing across the country, brutal sexual violence rising, widespread deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, and journalists and human […]

PHR joins global coalition of civil society to call upon the UN Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (“the Commission,” or ICHREE) for a further term of one year, until September 2024. To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations […]

Research and Investigations Consultant Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to […]

Eritrean and Ethiopian armed forces and associated militias appear to have perpetrated sexual violence on a widespread and systematic basis in Tigray, Ethiopia in the months following the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) in November 2022 by some parties to the conflict, according to a report published today by Physicians for Human […]

Military actors in Tigray, Ethiopia have perpetrated brutal and widespread acts of conflict-related sexual violence, even after following the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.

Grants Manager Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document violations […]

Kimbree (she/her) is the Development Operations Coordinator at PHR. With her extensive background in admin support, donor stewardship, and engagement, Kimbree plays an integral role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the department, coordinates meetings, and acts as a liaison for cross-collaboration projects. She also submits institutional reports and proposals and crafts donor profiles. In […]

Today Ukraine marks the grim milestone of more than 1,000 attacks on health care workers and infrastructure since Russia’s full-scale invasion began 17 months ago, according to documentation and monitoring by human rights and humanitarian organizations. So far, an estimated 148 health workers have been killed in these attacks and 414 attacks on hospitals and […]

Від початку повномасштабного вторгнення Росії зафіксовано понад 1000 атак на охорону здоров’я. Такі дані наводить коаліція українських та міжнародних організацій, які відстежують та документують атаки на охорону здоров’я, —  EyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, Медійна ініціатива за права людини, Physicians for Human Rights та Український центр охорони здоров’я. Система охорони здоров’я України — медичні працівники, […]

Summary eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, Media Initiative for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center (together, the submitting organizations) jointly submit this report to inform the examination of the Russian Federation (Russia) during its Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This submission focuses on international humanitarian and human rights law concerns relating […]

AWS Terraform and React Native Developer Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific […]

Catherine Pape is the Executive Assistant and Office Manager at PHR. She works alongside Director Sam Zarifi, providing support with strategic management, new initiatives, and Board-related matters. She also assists in managing the day-to-day operations of the PHR offices in New York. A native of Greenwich Village, Catherine has nearly twenty years’ experience as an […]

Hannah Houpt (she/her) is the Asylum Program Coordinator at Physicians for Human Rights. She coordinates forensic medical evaluations for asylum seekers across the country, supports the Program’s networks of volunteer evaluators and human rights clinics, and contributes to research and advocacy efforts. Before joining PHR, Hannah provided clinical and case management services to survivors of […]

With mounting unrest across the country, Kenyan officials should immediately deescalate tensions and abide by international human rights law, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said today. PHR is gravely concerned about excessive force deployed by security forces against demonstrators over recent months as well as the potential for an increase in sexual violence.   “Under both […]

Deputy Director, Advocacy – Consultancy Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence […]

UN Human Rights Council 53rd Session, Oral Statement on Ukraine (res. 47/22) and interim report of the Secretary General on human rights in Crimea (GA res. 77/229), 12 July 2023 Speaker: Saman Zia-Zarifi, Executive Director Oral Statement as Delivered: Physicians for Human Rights wishes to echo the High Commissioner’s concerns about Russian attacks on civilian […]

In response to news that the Russian Federation today vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution to renew cross-border aid to northwest Syria for nine months, the following quote is attributable to Karen Naimer, JD, LLM, director of programs at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR): “PHR condemns the Russian Federation’s United Nations Security Council veto […]

As Senior Program Officer with the Asylum Program, Tessa Wilson supports the Program’s research and advocacy initiatives with colleagues in the asylum medicine and human rights movements, academic partners, PHR’s Asylum Network of clinicians, and medical school asylum clinics around the country. Tessa comes to PHR with significant experience in asylum systems. Prior to joining […]

Evan Klonsky applies his content writing and strategy skill set to elevate PHR’s digital communications via email, social media, video, and the website. A natural storyteller, Klonsky collaborates with colleagues to develop content and visuals that engage PHR supporters, partners, and digital audiences. He also assists in the strategic execution, measurement, and evaluation of content […]