Human Rights in Practice seeks to support the developing field of strategic human rights litigation in various ways. Apart from conducting SHRL, several consultancies have assisted other organisations to consider and plan for the more strategic and effective use of litigation in their own human rights work.
UNDERSTANDING STRATEGIC LITIGATION IN ARMED CONFLICT
A research project is underway (together with Philip Leach and on behalf of the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund International Human Rights Program) to explore ‘the impact and role of strategic litigation and prosecutions in ensuring accountability for war and other serious crimes and justice for victims, survivors and affected communities’. With this in mind, we conducted research and interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders during 2023. The overall purpose of this consultancy is to seek to better understand the proliferating forms of litigation that are being used in relation to serious violations in situations of armed conflict (and post-conflict), their impacts and the unique challenges to justice that arise in diverse conflicts situations. The concept note is here. It is hoped that it will lead to an expert roundtable event and a forward-looking report in 2024.
strategic advice on climate litigation
In recent years a significant part of HRiP’s work has involved supporting strategic approaches to the burgeoning practice of climate litigation. Working with leading environmental organisations and partners around the globe, the aim is to ensure that lessons from human rights litigation inform more effective climate litigation.
LAND RIGHTS LITIGATION IN PALESTINE
Assessing the role and impact of public interest litigation on land rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories - arising from the Wall, settlement expansion or the house demolitions and evictions that pervade life in West Bank and East Jerusalem - is challenging and contentious. HRiP conducted a consultancy with a leading NGO in Palestine to facilitate discussions around the goals and impact of litigation and the development of legal strategy in a context in which direct success on these issues before Israeli courts is generally elusive.
comparative study on the impact of Litigation of torture in custody
The Open Society Justice Initiative has conducted an important series of detailed case studies that examine the impact of litigation in particular thematic areas and specific states. Helen Duffy is the Author and Lead Researcher on one such area, concerning the litigation of torture in Argentina, Turkey and Kenya. The report is available here.
identifying STRATEGIC LITIGATION across organisations: INCLO
A consultancy project with the International Network of Civil Liberties Organisations sought to facilitate the identification and development of strategic litigation opportunities across member organisations.