MindMatters 2024

Harnessing Neuroscience for Human Rights Advocacy

For decades, Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) have sought answers to the world’s most grievous human rights abuses by seeking to implement structural adjustment policies or advocating for political transitions. Others have opted for media-based forms of engagement, reporting on human rights abuses and focusing attention on “naming and shaming” forms of human rights advocacy.

While each genre of human rights work has its place, we are often missing one crucial element: the human brain.

To change hearts and minds, we must first learn how to access them.

Transforming and catalyzing the field of human rights into a new era means moving beyond traditional forms of engagement to access the deep, underlying neural and psychological mechanisms ultimately driving behavior. By understanding how the human brain works, HRDs gain critical insight into disrupting the unconscious drivers of underlying bias, hate, and violence while unlocking the potential for unity and hope. 

Course Overview

MindMatters is a 6-week interactive seminar series designed to cross the threshold between neuroscience, psychology, and human rights. Throughout this course, HRDs will:

• Learn the fundamental mechanisms underlying human behavior, providing insight as to how programming and media can be reimagined using neuropsychological applied science

• Engage in hands-on exercises designed to allow participants to integrate key insights directly into their work

• Receive the MindMatters Workbook containing a summary of all modules and a collection of exercises and handouts to share with your organization.

• Become a MindMatters Fellow and access the MindMatters Community Group - a community platform providing ongoing support and resources following completion of the course.