About the IHRN

The International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN) is an international consortium of honorary societies in the sciences, engineering, and medicine with a shared interest in human rights.

The IHRN advocates in support of professional colleagues suffering human rights abuses, promotes the free exchange of ideas and opinions among scientists and scholars, and supports the independence and autonomy of national academies and scholarly societies worldwide. It also raises global awareness of the connections between human rights and science, engineering, and medicine.​

Learn More

IHRN Executive Committee member Ida Nicolaisen discusses the history and aims of the IHRN and why she got involved.

  • United Nations flag with the UN symbol and a blurred UN helicopter on the background

    Marking Ten Years of Security Council Resolution 2286: Protecting Health Care in Armed Conflicts

    The IHRN’s Executive Committee has issued a public statement reaffirming the urgent need for protection of health care workers, patients, and facilities in conflict settings worldwide.

    View the Statement
  • 15th Biennial Meeting of the IHRN

    The Relationship between Academic Freedom and Human Rights

    ‍In September 2025, the IHRN held a symposium on escalating threats to human rights and academic freedom around the world. The event was part of the 15th biennial meeting of the IHRN, held in Oslo, Norway and hosted by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

    A brief synopsis of the meeting, along with photos and video recordings, can be found on the meeting webpage.

    Read the Symposium Summary

  • IHRN Bulletin

    The IHRN biannual bulletin contains updates from the IHRN Secretariat and highlights IHRN participating academies’ human rights events, publications, and announcements. Read past issues of the bulletin.

    To receive future issues of this bulletin and other news from the IHRN, subscribe to the IHRN mailing list.

    Subscribe
PARTICIPANTS

National academies and scholarly societies with an interest in human rights are invited to participate in the IHRN

STATEMENTS

The Executive Committee makes occasional public statements on pressing issues related to the mandate of the IHRN

RESOURCES

Learn more about the ways national academies around the world are integrating human rights activities into their work​

“No words are enough to express my recognition to the efforts of the members of your Institutions and those of the International Network on my behalf…I am convinced that I owe my release in a great extent to all of you.”
— Oscar Espinosa Chepe