The destruction of educational institutions in armed conflicts is a widespread practice. Following almost ten years of armed conflict in Yemen, heavy damage to their schools forced some students to create improvised classrooms in the middle of the road. This striking scene summarises the harsh reality of an entire generation of Yemeni children struggling to […]
Enter the 2024 Just Access photo competition, and use your photography to make a real difference for human rights! A picture says a thousand words, or so they say. In human rights activism, it may be even more true! Pictures are amazingly powerful. They connect us. They help us to experience places we’ve never […]
Global migration is pivotal to human societies and increasing at an exponential rate. As of 2020, the United Nations estimated there were approximately 281 million international migrants and that women, constituting approximately 48 percent of this population, are assuming an increasingly prominent role. Referred to as the feminisation of labour migration, the increase in women […]
Do you want to make an impact and help to change the world? Want to make a real contribution to our human rights work, but don’t know where to start? Want to help us do more, and help more people? You’re in the right place! In 2024, 100% of Just Access’s funding came from donations. […]
The Paris 2024 Olympics, dubbed the “inclusive games,” boasted the motto “Games Wide Open” or in French “Ouvrons grand les Jeux.” This slogan aimed to paint a picture of inclusivity, openness, and equality, with a promise of gender parity in athlete participation. But beneath this glossy veneer lay a troubling reality that starkly contrasted these […]
Corruption networks often leave behind digital fingerprints in government datasets. Ironically, these schemes depend on legal mechanisms to secure their ill-gotten gains—think companies, land, and assets used for laundering money. All these activities are recorded in public contracts and government transactions. But when this information is kept in isolated silos, finding and fighting corruption becomes […]
What future for international justice, when major powers sanction Courts like the ICC? On the 22nd of May 2024, the U.S. House Republicans announced plans to vote on legislation to sanction International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, which materialised less than a month later. On the 4th of June, the House of Representatives voted 247-155 in […]
Sometimes, even as events unfold, you can sense history weighting the present, writing events into our collective memory as deeply as chiselled stone. That was the momentous, breathless atmosphere that held sway as Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the International Court of Justice delivered the Court’s advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences Arising from the […]
January 2012 saw the onset of the Mali War, plunging the nation into its worst human rights crisis in 50 years. Since the Ministry of Justice referred this matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in July 2012, the ongoing query remains: Can Mali see justice restored? Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag […]
Imagine waking up one day to find your home, your heritage and your livelihood ripped away, all in the name of profit. For indigenous people in Papua, this is the terrible reality as they deal with relentless land confiscation and environmental devastation. Recently, the Papuan government issued an environmental feasibility permit to PT Indo Asiana […]
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to halt its military operations in the southern Gazan city of Rafah for the third time on May 24th. The Court’s directive was clear: Israel was to stop any military actions potentially leading to the physical destruction of Palestinians and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid as […]
The EU likes to present itself as a bastion of justice, committed to protecting the fundamental rights of all its citizens. Yet, accessing the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the EU’s high court, is far from easy for groups seeking justice. A key strategy through which civil society actors can plead […]
Ever wondered how technology is reshaping the fight for justice in conflict zones? Over the past decade, technological advancements have fundamentally transformed the ways in which human rights violations and international crimes are documented. As conflicts continue to expand geographically and accessing conflict areas becomes increasingly difficult, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) emerged as key actors in […]
Concern for Lilian Virginia Laparra Rivas’ persists as her trial was delayed despite international recognition that her detention violates human rights law. The treatment of the 44-year-old lawyer from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, is a clear attack on a human rights defender and anti-corruption champion. Ms. Laparra led the Guatemala’s Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI) branch […]
Ukraine’s recent mobilization law, is a bold move to fortify the nation’s military prowess amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. This legislation, signed into effect by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the 16th of April 2024, introduces significant changes aimed at strengthening the armed forces and adapting to the evolving landscape of warfare. However, the law […]
Imagine a scenario where humanitarian aid collides head-on with military support in one of the world’s most contentious conflicts. That’s precisely what Nicaragua is claiming at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where it is accusing Germany of fuelling violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict. On Monday, the 8th of April 2024, Nicaragua brought a case […]
To read part one of this two-part blog post, click here. The ECtHR judgments in these historic climate cases will have far-reaching consequences particularly for those seeking access to justice for climate related harms. Therefore, while these complex judgments affect a lot of issues, the second part of this blogpost will focus on their implications […]
Last week a historic moment in climate and human rights litigation occurred when the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) addressed the issue of climate change and its effects on rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). On the 9th April 2024 the Strasbourg Court, delivered three widely-anticipated judgments. This post serves […]
Can strategic litigation dismantle the fortress of grand corruption? Strategic litigation is increasingly being used by Civil Society Organisations and NGOs to tackle grand corruption, that is, the abuse of high-level power that benefits the few at the expense of the many. On 7 March 2024, Just Access took part in the 6th Grand Corruption […]
Will AI destroy human civilisation? Perhaps not. The super-intelligent, genocidally misguided, and inventively destructive AI systems of Age of Ultron, Terminator, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? remain confined to the realms of science fiction. But that doesn’t mean that today’s AI is free from dangers. Although AI systems may not bring about the […]
Is gender the key to understanding wildlife crime? Wildlife crime not only threatens biodiversity, ecosystems, and communities worldwide but also intersects with complex gender dynamics, which are often overlooked in mainstream discourse. A recent panel discussion organised by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women together with the United Nations […]
Will the Afghan victims’ suffering be acknowledged in the ICC’s courtrooms? The people of Afghanistan have endured decades of conflict and atrocities with little accountability. In light of the reluctance of both Afghanistan and the United States to conduct thorough investigations, many victims have turned to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a final recourse […]
Can human rights be the antidote to corruption? On Thursday, December 14th, Just Access participated in a side event to the 10th Conference of State Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), titled “Anti-Corruption & Human Rights: Exploring Synergies”. The event shed light on the pressing need to intertwine efforts against corruption and the […]
Just Access calls on the UK Government to secure the future of criminal legal aid in England and Wales. Just Access joins the Law Society of England and Wales in calling on the Lord Chancellor, Alex Chalk, to implement the judgment of the England and Wales High Court of 31st January 2024, by: Implement, at […]
By Tom Sparks Just Access Why should we pay to defend criminals? It’s a beguiling argument that populists all over the world have used to gut legal aid budgets. On its face, the argument seems straightforward enough. The police do their job with professionalism and skill. They investigate crimes, and they wouldn’t bring charges against […]
By Luca Brocca Just Access On October 10, 2023, Just Access participated in the event at the European Parliament “EPRS Book Talk | Digital Empires: The global battle to regulate technology”. After an introduction by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the book was discussed by Anu Bradford, author and Professor of Law at Columbia Law […]
