Strategic Human Rights Litigation

Understanding and Maximising Impact
Erscheinungsjahr 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5099-2197-3
Verlag: Hart Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 328 Seiten, Hardback, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 661 g

Strategic human rights litigation (SHRL) is a growing area of international practice yet one that remains relatively under-explored. Around the globe, advocates increasingly resort to national, regional and international courts and bodies 'strategically' to protect and advance human rights. This book provides a framework for understanding SHRL and its contribution to various forms of personal, legal, social, political and cultural change, as well as the many tensions and challenges it gives rise to. It suggests a reframing of how we view the impact of SHRL in its multiple dimensions, both positive and negative. Five detailed case studies, drawn predominantly from the author's own experience, explore litigation in a broad range of contexts (genocide in Guatemala; slavery in Niger; forced disappearance in Argentina; torture and detention in the 'war on terror'; and Palestinian land rights) to reveal the complexity of the role of SHRL in the real world. Ultimately, this book considers how impact analysis might influence the development of more effective litigation strategies in the future.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Duffy, Helen

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Menschenrechte, Bürgerrechte
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationale Menschen- und Minderheitenrechte, Kinderrechte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Part I
1. Introduction

I. Introducing 'Strategic' Human Rights Litigation

II. Overview of Chapters

2. The Growing Field of 'Human Rights' Litigation in the World Today: Context, Trends, Opportunities and Challenges

I. An Expanding Panorama of Human Rights Litigation

II. Challenges and Limitations to Pursuing Human Rights Litigation

3. Understanding Impact: Bursting the Bubble on the Champagne Moment

I. Adjusting the Lenses to Capture the Impact of SHRL

II. Approaches to Impact and the Meaning of Success

III. Monitoring and (the Challenge of) Measuring Impact

IV. Classifications and Distinctions

4. Identifying Levels of Impact

I. Victim Impact

II. Legal Impact

III. Impact on Policy and Practice

IV. Institutional Impact, Including Judicial Strengthening

V. Information, Truth and the Historical Record

VI. Social or Cultural Impact

VII. Mobilisation and Empowerment

VIII. Democracy and the Rule of Law Impact

IX. Negative Impact

Part II
5. Case Study-Hadijatou Mani v Niger: Slavery before the ECOWAS Court

I. Introduction

II. Background

III. The Hadijatou Mani Case before the ECOWAS Court

IV. The Impact of the Mani Case

V. Conclusions

6. Case Study-Plan de Sánchez v Guatemala: Genocide in the Inter-American System

I. Introduction

II. Background

III. The Plan de Sánchez Case

IV. The Impact of the Plan de Sánchez Litigation

V. Conclusions

7. Case Study-Arbitrary Detention, Torture and Extraordinary Rendition: Litigating the 'War on Terror'

I. Introduction

II. Litigating Arbitrary Detention

III. Litigating Rendition and Torture

IV. Conclusions

8. Case Study-Justice for Enforced Disappearance in Argentina

I. Introduction

II. Background
III. The Nature and Cumulative Impact of Litigation on Enforced Disappearance in Argentina
IV. Conclusions

9. Case Study-Litigating Palestinian Land Rights

I. Introduction

II. Background to Land Rights Litigation in Israeli Courts

III. Impact of Litigation on Land Rights before Israeli Courts?

IV. International Litigation on Palestinian Land Rights

V. Conclusions

Part III
10. Litigating Strategically and Meeting the Challenges

I. Strategic Planning (and its Limits)

II. Identifying Goals and Realistically Assessing Risks

III. Litigating in Context: Understanding, Naming and Framing the Problem

IV. Litigating for the Long Term: Incremental Change and the Question of Timing

V. Strategic Nibbling at the Edges of Injustice v Judicial Confrontation?

VI. Exploiting Litigation Synergies: Movement Building, Legal Advocacy and Reaching beyond the Court

VII. Case Selection, Sourcing and Tactics: Is there a Right Case at the Right Time?

VIII. Strategic Use of Fora

IX. The Victim in the Human Rights Process: Whose Case is this Anyway?

X. Additional Litigation Roles: Amicus, Expert or Observer?

XI. Effecting Change in Real Time: Litigating to Stop or Prevent Violations

XII. Creative Remedies and Implementation

XIII. The Economy of Human Rights Litigation

11. Conclusion: Appreciating and Demythologising Strategic Human Rights Litigation

Über Autor(innen)

Duffy, Helen
Helen Duffy is a human rights litigator and runs 'Human Rights in Practice.' She is also Professor of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law at the University of Leiden.

Helen Duffy runs Human Rights in Practice, an international law practice based in The Hague that specialises in human rights litigation. She is also Professor of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, University of Leiden, the Netherlands. The book was written with the support of the Nuhanovic Foundation.