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 […]
Arbeitsort: Heidelberg (hauptsächlich vor Ort) Stundenzahl: 10 Stunden pro Woche Vertragsart: Unbefristet Bruttolohn: 1.000€/Monat (+ 13. Monat) Bewerbungsfrist: 6. Dezember 2024 Über uns Just Access setzt sich mit ganzem Herzen und voller Leidenschaft für das Recht eines jeden Menschen auf Zugang zur Justiz ein, und zwar durch Aufklärung und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Interessenvertretung […]
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 […]
Are you passionate about education, human rights, and making a meaningful impact? Just Access, a registered German charity (gemeinnützigen Verein) dedicated to supporting human rights and access to justice worldwide, is seeking a Volunteer Pedagogical Advisor to join our team. About the Role: As a Pedagogical Advisor, you will play a crucial role in shaping […]
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 […]
By Leyan AlMaqousi Just Access Gaza is not merely a label on a map; it’s an integral part of Palestine, the capital of which is Jerusalem. It’s also my homeland, the very essence of my beginnings. Despite enduring blockades and wars, it remains our beacon of hope. Its beauty is unparalleled, its sea distinctive, its […]
Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Bosnian society was divided between ethnic Muslim Bosniaks, ethnic Orthodox Serbs, and Croats of Catholic origins. In a violent surge of Serbian nationalism, the Serbian high officials claimed that, in fact, the south Bosnian region, which had Bosnian Muslims as the majority ethnic group, belonged to them and had […]
The foundation of our justice system lies in its ability to deliver timely and appropriate verdicts. For the public, the sentencing hearing is a culmination of this process – it represents the system’s judgment and its promise of retribution and rehabilitation. But what happens when offenders choose to skip their own sentencing hearings? The recent […]
The issue of recidivism – or the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend – has long been a challenge for many countries. The cycle of crime, imprisonment, release, and re-offending has proven difficult to break. But what if the key to breaking this cycle isn’t just in the rehabilitation techniques employed but in the […]
Seventy-six years after World War II (WWII), the world is still trying to soothe the wounds of those affected by the tragic manifestations of evil that the world witnessed during that time. While justice delayed does not always imply justice denied,[1] sexual violence during the war has, to this day, not been adequately addressed. One […]
Just Access Director, Professor Mark Somos, is proud to have joined Scholars Without Borders (SWB), a new programme at Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. SWB aims to support scholars from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus affected by the war, both those directly impacted by the destruction in Ukraine, and those who’ve had […]
In the last sixty years, there has been a remarkable increase in international courts and tribunals established by states through international or supranational bodies.[1] These institutions have been entrusted with the task of adjudicating cross-border matters, resulting in what has been called the “legalization of world politics”.[2] These various courts and tribunals have not only […]
On July 17th, we commemorate a significant milestone that symbolizes our commitment to justice and the protection of human rights worldwide. It is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998, the foundational treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). This treaty holds immense importance in safeguarding individuals from the most […]
During the 8th Asia-Pacific Victims of Corruption (VoC) meeting, Piseth Duch, the founder of the business and human rights law group, presented the legal standing of VoCs with regard to Cambodia. While his presentation initially provided a robust legal framework for facing corruption at the national level in Cambodia, two case studies proved otherwise. For […]
By a kind invitation from Sabina Grigore member of Just Access and The League of Romanian Students Abroad, Just Access joins the conference “Future of European Law and Society”. The conference is organised with the support of the Department for Romanians Everywhere and held in the European Parliament in Brussels on 23 June 2023. Our […]
Just Access welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Call for input of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism for her Report to the 78th session of General Assembly. Just Access would like to inform the Special Rapporteur about the recent developments regarding the establishment of organisations in North Macedonia that carry […]
Food security exists when “all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life”1. Today, nearly 800 million people lack adequate access to food, more than 2 billion people suffer from deficiencies of essential micronutrients, and […]
Sanctions are a powerful foreign policy tool. However, when it comes to matters of corruption, the European Union (EU) still lacks a consistent policy in order to deter individuals and larger entities from abusing their power. Nevertheless, the EU is currently working on a directive meant to strengthen its anti-corruption practices, both within Europe and beyond, […]
This article critically analyzes the activity of the International Criminal Court (ICC), highlighting several areas which are in need of improvement, among which one can count the outreach to civil society and victims, the transparency of the Court’s activities and, or the case prioritization strategies. It emphasizes the need for the ICC to address these […]
The war in Ukraine began one year ago when Russia launched a massive invasion of Ukraine, marking the biggest conflict in Europe since WWII. The war has had a devastating impact on Ukraine, with thousands killed and over 8 million Ukrainians fleeing abroad. The economic consequences have been significant, affecting energy supplies in Europe and […]
‘If humanitarian intervention is indeed an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica – to gross and systematic violations of human rights that offend every precept of our common humanity?’ -Kofi Annan, UN General Assembly 2000 Following a grim decade of global powerlessness in which the international community […]
Our legal fellow, Marija Chekredji, writes about grand corruption as a problem which has devastating effects on democracy, the rule of law, and human rights globally. Even though there is an ongoing debate among the international community regarding the best way to tackle this problem, there is an agreement that grand corruption is a serious […]
The problem of domestic violence is a global concern and a gross violation of human rights and freedoms. As this issue affects society as a whole, with a major impact on women and children, it is necessary for all nations to take steps to prevent family violence, prosecute perpetrators, and protect the victims. The Republic […]
Between 5 and 10 December 2022, the Just Access Representative to the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Zinovia Verikokidi, had the pleasure of participating in the 21st annual session of the Assembly of States Parties (the Assembly/ASP21) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), held at the World Forum Convention Center […]
The Just Access legal internship programme offers law students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain experience of work in a human rights-focussed NGO. If you’d like to learn more about our work and to get a head-start in the world of human rights advocacy, we want to hear from you! Legal Internships Just […]
Victims of corruption often struggle to claim reparation for the harm they have suffered and legal requirements make it difficult for victims to be represented and recognised in enforcement proceedings. The UNCAC Coalition for Victims of Corruption Working Group seeks to facilitate discussions, the exchange of information and joint advocacy among civil society experts around […]
Food security exists when “all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life”1. Today, nearly 800 million people lack adequate access to food, more than 2 billion people suffer from deficiencies of essential micronutrients, and […]
1. Introduction Many thanks to the Centre for Religion, Human Values, and International Relations; the Irish Council of Churches; CREATE; and PACE for convening this important event, for inviting Just Access, and for the thoughtful and clear discussion paper and concept note on multilateralism and methodology. 2. Human rights and responsibilities Faith and […]
Our legal intern, Luca Brocca, discusses the importance of youth activism events and organisations and how they contribute to improve access to justice. In this blog post, he suggests that “more attention should be paid to student-authored resolutions and documents at the national and European level. Across Europe, youth activism programmes are organised to raise awareness of […]
Our legal intern, Luca Brocca, writes about #corruption and some modern tools used to tackle it, reflecting on two meetings with the #UNCAC Coalition Victims of Corruption working group. Victims of corruption often struggle to claim reparation for the harm they have suffered and legal requirements make it difficult for victims to be represented and […]
Our Legal Intern, Luca Brocca, writes about e-Justice and how technology both improves and hampers access to justice by investigating legal precedents at both national and EU level Technology can increase the efficiency and transparency of the justice system and make it easier for individuals to access justice. However, it also risks undermining access to […]
Our legal intern Luca Brocca writes about access to justice in environmental matters, the main legal instruments that protect it, and the obstacles to its implementation, through the analysis of concrete cases that illustrate the state of affairs in this area. According to international and European human rights law, the concept of access to justice […]
The concept of access to justice has many different elements, mostly connected to the right to a fair trial. However, perhaps the main right through which it materializes is the right to an effective remedy. This right is commonly included in international human rights instruments, but perhaps where it has become more important is […]
Abstract Has there already been a Grotian Moment for corruption? If not, what would it take for new legal rules and doctrines on corruption to crystallise? This article seeks to answer these two questions by reviewing the relevant history of international legal scholarship, the current public international law framework for anticorruption, and recent […]
Currently available positions: 1. Legal Internships Just Access is seeking applications from excellent undergraduates and graduates in the early stages of their careers with a strong background in international human rights law to contribute to its work. We seek to provide our interns with the experience of working in an NGO, so each Just […]
Today we are happy and proud to have become а voting member of the CIVICUS Alliance. CIVICUS is a worldwide community of informed, inspired, committed citizens engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity with mission to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world. We are looking forward to our joint action towards a […]
On May 18th Just Access and MAAT for Peace, Development and Human Rights co-organised a side event to the 31st session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on Improving Access to Justice – Gender Based Violence: Good Practices and Challenges. The event was moderated by Wessam Farid who welcomed and introduced the […]
Just Access e.V. offers free legal representation before UN bodies for victims of human rights violations fleeing the war in Ukraine. Contact us at contact@dev.just-access.de We will arrange an online interview and explain how we can help If you agree, our experienced legal team will draft and submit communications to UN bodies in search […]
Our Director’s keynote speech at the side event of the 49th Human Rights Council Session organised by Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights on 24 March 2022. Thank you very much for the invitation to discuss the human rights situation in Qatar. To keep things simple, I’d like to describe three reasons for optimism […]
A year ago, Just Access published an analysis1 pointing to the abuse of EU’s accession procedural rules committed by Bulgaria’s blocking of the opening of the negotiations for North Macedonia’s EU membership. It argued that: 1) by de facto and arbitrarily vetoing North Macedonia’s bid to access the EU, Bulgaria violated the bilateral “Treaty of […]
Read our Director’s comments to the Deutsche Welle on 7 April 2022 on how Russia could get away with attacks on Ukraine hospitals: https://www.dw.com/en/how-russia-could-get-away-with-attacks-on-ukraine-hospitals/a-61383117 His full statement to the Deutsche Welle read: “International law has evolved over the past decades. It is no longer possible to misuse the incoherence between laws for combatants and […]
– The speech of our Director Dr. Mark Somos on the side event at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regional Forum on Sustainable Development: Promoting the SDG4 and its Role in Combating Extremism in Europe – Thank you very much for this opportunity to listen and speak to you. When I […]
Our legal fellow Sara Masetti, a volunteer in Avvocato di Strada, writes about the housing problem in Italy and the legislative that shapes it, the specific Italian context and the emerging creative solutions to it. She introduces the organisation and talks about her experience there as well as her motivation behind it. Italy, alongside with other 170 […]
In 2020 Maat for Peace and Development and Human Rights and Just Access submitted UN comments on Yemen’s ICCPR review, innovatively proposing that it applied to Houthis, non-State actors recognised as ‘de facto authorities’ with functional responsibilities, including for indiscriminate drone attacks. Read it here: https://bit.ly/35pPEVK Maat’s landmark new study confirms and greatly expands this […]
Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights and Just Access e.V. submit jointly the following comments for the consideration of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR) in relation to its Concluding Observations concerning Qatar’s Initial Report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Qatar ratified the ICCPR in 2018, […]
This post focuses on the issue of regular encounters with law enforcement authorities that lead to police stops, arrests and police custody, during which the fundamental human rights of the detainees are increasingly being violated. It highlights that specific categories of population are especially more frequently exposed to coercive treatment. Although there is a global […]
This post focuses on the issue of regular encounters with law enforcement authorities that lead to police stops, arrests and police custody, during which the fundamental human rights of the detainees are increasingly being violated. It highlights that specific categories of population are especially more frequently exposed to coercive treatment. Although there is a global […]
After a violent internal conflict, or in the context of transitioning from an authoritarian regime to democracy, one of the main hurdles that victims of violence face in order to have access to justice is the existence of amnesty laws. These can be either ‘self-amnesty laws’, adopted by an incumbent regime in order to avoid […]
The United Nations Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law held its third session on “Equal Access to Justice for All: a Necessary Element of Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights Protection” on the 16-17 November in Geneva. Just Access co-organised a side event to the session, together with Maat for […]
An introduction to ESG through investor/shareholder activism For giant corporations and businesses around the globe, climate justice goals have often reflected less of a conscious accountability towards the larger issue of environmental rights and more of a strategic matter of regulatory compliance at best. Although concerns on sustainable investment practices and carbon output by […]
On 18-22 October 2021 in Geneva the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will hold its 69th Pre-Sessional Working Group to start the process of reviewing States’ compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (“ICESCR”), one of the most important core human rights treaties.[1] The forthcoming ICESCR compliance […]
Myanmar is the largest provider of narcotics in Asia, and probably the whole world. Since the military junta’s coup d’état in February 2021, the country has aslo been suffering from ferocious oppression and civil war. Given the persistence of broad-based civilian protests and multiple well-organised ethnic armed groups, the situation in Myanmar may escalate to […]
Brief journey of the Aarhus Convention Environmental rights and climate justice under the international law regime cannot be discussed without referring to the 1998 Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision–Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, more popularly known as the Aarhus Convention (the ‘Convention’). Negotiated and adopted under the […]
As the national judicial systems in Iraq and Syria are unable to respond to demands for justice from victims of ISIL, the international community has to fulfill its responsibility in promoting accountability for crimes committed by the jihadist group. This is particularly the case for states whose nationals have been implicated in some of […]
Efforts to hold ISIL accountable for the heinous crimes committed that may amount to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, and to attain justice for its victims are stalling due to Iraq’s inadequate constitutional framework and overwhelmed judicial system. Confirming long-held fears, the United Nations established, on 10 May 2021, that there is […]
Later this year, in the second session of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (‘GANHRI’), the Qatar National Human Rights Committee ( ‘QNHRC’) will be assessed for re-accreditation.1 This is an opportunity to reflect on Qatar’s influence on GANHRI and the UN at large, and on the loopholes, poor institutional design, and misaligned […]
Today we were excited to accept the invitation to the webinar “From Rule-Taker to Rule-Shaper? China’s Changing Global Role and its Implications for the Western Balkans” organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Office in North Macedonia. The webinar was named after the title of the Policy Brief issued by the KA Foundation and the Association […]
This initiative of the European Commission “Hate speech & hate crime – inclusion on list of EU crimes” aims to expand the list of EU crimes to include hate speech and hate crime. Here is our feedback to the roadmap: Just Access e.V., a German NGO focused on access to justice, welcomes the initiative to […]
Using the opportunity to influence the shaping of laws and policies of the European Commission, today we submitted our feedback on the roadmap for 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. We are conveying our feedback integrally: Just Access, a registered German NGO focused on access to justice, applauds the EU Justice Scoreboard, including its section 3.2.1 specifically […]
Our previous blogpost1 made a pointed enquiry into the extent to which international law provides an infrastructure of access to justice for individuals and communities harmed by corruption across multiple sectors of society. It took into account how it has proven difficult to have an exhaustive and universal definition of corruption given its intrinsic link […]
Our blog article Access to the EU and justice denied: How Bulgaria’s actions against North Macedonia amount to abuse of the EU’s accession procedural rules: How Bulgaria’s actions against North Macedonia amount to abuse of the EU’s accession procedural rules echoed in the media of North Macedonia after Deutsche Welle informed about our work. More […]
Read our Director’s comments to the BBC on 24 February 2021, the day that the Koblenz Court delivers its first verdict under universal jurisdiction on Syrian state torture. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56160486 His full statement to the BBC read, “Tomorrow’s decision will enter the history books. Critics say that the accused, Eyad A., was a low-ranking intelligence officer who acted […]
Coronavirus may be sweeping the globe, but over the past three decades the contagion of corruption has done much to harm public trust in democracy throughout the world. As western states channel money towards struggling sections of their populations and economies, literal and metaphoric contagions look set to collide. In both Europe and the Americas, […]
At the occasion of the 130th Session of the Human Rights Council (12 October 2020 – 6 November 2020), Just Access together with the Maat Foundation for Peace, and Development and Human Rights Association (MAAT), filed a submission in August 2020 in the context of the review of Yemen under the International Covenant on […]
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