Human Rights

Human rights and the rule of law are not synonymous, but they do overlap and function symbiotically. In the words of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, they "represent universally applicable standards adopted under the auspices of the United Nations and must therefore serve as the normative basis for all United Nations activities in support of justice and the rule of law."
To summarize, the stronger human rights, the stronger the rule of law. Together, they form a framework for decision- and policy-making that is anchored by legality, accountability and participation. In this, they create a fertile ground for development and social transformation.
CSW62 | IDLO at the Commission on the Status of Women
The 62nd session of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held at the United Nations in New York from March 12 to 23, 2018. The Commission is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.

IDLO DG champions rule of law to enable human rights
As the international community in Geneva marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, IDLO’s Director-General Irene Khan has called for increased recognition of the “rule of law as a pathway to making human rights real”.

CSW62 | Legal Frameworks for the Empowerment of Rural Women
HIGH LEVEL SIDE EVENT Legal Frameworks for the Empowerment of Rural Women: Case Studies From Across the SDGs

CSW62 | Achieving Gender Parity in UN Human Rights Bodies
HIGH LEVEL SIDE EVENT Closing the Gender Gap: Achieving Gender Parity in UN Human Rights Bodies

HRC37 | High level segment
37th Session of the Human Rights Council: High level segment
February 28, 2018
Room XX, Palais des Nations
Geneva
Delivered by Irene Khan, Director-General, IDLO
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Partnership connects African law schools to AIDS response
Stigma and discrimination, especially against women and girls and key populations, is a major barrier to people using HIV services. Up to 60% of countries report having laws, regulations or policies that deter people in key populations from being able to protect themselves from, or get treatment for, HIV.
Pixeles de Vida: Reducción de la violencia a través de la fotografía
Una historia de violencia ha dejado profundas cicatrices en el tejido social del sector Chamelecón, Honduras. A través de un curso de fotografía, IDLO ha capacitado a un grupo de jóvenes de la zona para ayudarlos a descubrir su potencial y superar un legado de discriminación y exclusión.

Jóvenes de Chamelecón: talento fotográfico que promueve el acceso a la justicia
San Pedro Sula, 15 de febrero de 2018 – En 35 fotografías, que integran la exposición fotográfica “Pixeles de Vida”, un grupo de jóvenes del sector de Chamelecón en San Pedro Sula, Honduras, capturaron la realidad de su comunidad, mostrando una población dinámica y perseverante, que lucha contra un historial de violencia.
Exposición fotográfica: Pixeles de Vida
La Organización Internacional de Derecho para el Desarrollo (IDLO) invita el público de San Pedro Sula a una exposición fotográfica que muestra la belleza y la realidad del sector de Chamelecón a través de los ojos de los jóvenes de la comunidad.

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Key Initiatives
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As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Mid-Term Evaluation Brief for the project, “Reducing Violence and Homicide through Access to Justice in Chamelecon, Satelite and Rivera Hernandez Neighborhoods of San Pedro Sula, Honduras”. The evaluation has been conducted by independent evaluation experts, supervised by IDLO’s Evaluation Unit.
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Strengthening prevention and accountability for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) through the rule of law and access to justice has been a priority for the Government of Myanmar since 2011, when it embarked on an unprecedented transition towards democracy. SGBV cases are rarely reported and, when they are, the justice sector fails to provide adequate remedies. Therefore, there is a widely recognized need to increase prevention of and accountability for SGBV.
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Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, has been devastated by armed conflict since September 2014. The conflict has received limited international coverage and human rights violations and violations under international humanitarian law suffered by the civilian population have been grossly underreported. All parties to the conflict have been linked to serious violations of international law, with inadequate accountability mechanisms in place to ensure justice for victims.
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In Somalia, alternative justice mechanisms remain the main providers of justice services for lack of formal justice institutions. However, these justice mechanisms can be discriminatory particularly against women, youth and minority clans.
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Lack of access to a fair and equitable justice system is one of the most pressing problems confronting modern Somalia on its path towards stability and reconstruction. Informal justice systems, offering alternative dispute resolution are often much better placed to respond to the immediate justice needs of many Somalis seeking justice, as they have more legitimacy and are more easily accessible. To enhance access to justice in Somalia, it is therefore essential to engage with the alternative dispute resolution systems.
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As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Evaluati
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