Does Human Rights Watch pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Human Rights Watch employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Human Rights Watch. This rating has decreased by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Human Rights Watch?

62% of Human Rights Watch employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Human Rights Watch 3.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.3 for culture and values and 2.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Human Rights Watch?

Intern (38) , Associate (23) , Researcher (14) , Coordinator (12) , Internship (7) , Senior Researcher (7) , Manager (5) , Associate Director (4) , Development and Outreach (4) , Managing Director (4) , Research Assistant (4) , Summer Intern (4) , Deputy Director (3) , Development Intern (3) , Director (3)

What are the pros of working at Human Rights Watch according to real employee reviews?

"Great colleagues" ((in 22 reviews)); "Great people to work with!" ((in 19 reviews)); "The benefits are good" ((in 15 reviews)); "Loved working there and learned a lot" ((in 8 reviews)); "Work environment is positive and supportive." ((in 7 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Human Rights Watch according to real employee reviews?

"It is an unpaid internship and living in New York City is very expensive so you have to find means to support yourself" ((in 16 reviews)); "bad management" ((in 8 reviews)); "Monotonous work, few opportunities for engagement with the advocacy work or research that HRW does" ((in 7 reviews)); "There is little substantive work and support staff are made to feel guilty if they need to take overtime." ((in 6 reviews)); "Excessive workloads, poor managers and chaotic culture" ((in 5 reviews))

What are employees saying about Human Rights Watch layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Human Rights Watch layoffs and their outlook for job security at Human Rights Watch in 2026.

Human Rights Watch reviews

3.2

62% would recommend to a friend

(179 total reviews)

Kenneth Roth

57% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Human Rights Watch has an employee rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars, based on 179 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Human Rights Watch employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the ONG y Organizaciones sin fines de lucro industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

179 reviews

1.0

Apr 14, 2022

terrible, toxic organization

Associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- well-known organization - brings awareness to serious human rights violations worldwide

Cons

- toxic culture, bullying, sexual harassment - mistreatment of entry to mid-level staff swept under the rug, if not condoned - practice of hiring overqualified individuals and severely underpaying them

4.0

Nov 8, 2015

Fellow

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great training ground for future human rights work-you learn from the best in the field. Incredibly smart and dedicated co-workers. Lots of autonomy and independence for researchers.

Cons

While some managers are supportive, others can be very difficult. Your experience will depend on your division, which will in turn depend on your manager.

4.0

May 20, 2015

Intern

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- small office, great staff, positive environment - various tasks allowed lots of learning experiences - very positive response to initiatives taken by intern

Cons

- unpaid - no room for career advancement within the organisation

Viewing 19 - 21 of 179 Reviews