scholarly journals PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION IN THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: THE PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE GAP BETWEEN LEGAL VICTORIES AND SOCIAL CHANGE

2015 ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvador Herencia Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Change ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Public Interest Litigation

Pandemic and PILs: A Study on the Approach of the High Courts in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-77
Author(s):  
Uday Shankar ◽  
Sourya Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Supreme Court ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Public Interest Litigation ◽  
High Court ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
High Courts ◽  
The Supreme Court

Studies in Public interest Litigation (PIL) in India are predominantly about the Supreme Court's approach in meeting the ends of justice through indigenously evolved jurisdiction. The High Courts as important constitutional bodies are more often than not remain out of detailed discussion. As the High Courts enjoy concurrent jurisdiction with the Supreme Court with regard to PILs, this paper aims to study the pattern of invocation of the jurisdiction at the regional level. It surveys the variety of pleas and consequent action under PIL jurisdiction (or inaction, as the case may be) of different High Courts in India relating to covid crisis and consequential matters. To that end, it undertakes a survey of High Court orders or judgments from April to July, 2020. It seeks to lay bare the extent of demands that are made before the Courts through PIL. What kinds of action were expected from the High Courts during the pandemic? How did different Courts respond to such pleas? Were the directions and level of response homogenous or varied? The paper pursues these questions, and describes the pandemic though the lens of PIL in Indian High Courts. It goes on to argue that the High Courts in India need to take greater cognizance of their orders inter-se especially in PIL matters, as human rights protection through PIL cannot have contradictory voices.

Allies or Subversives? Adjudication and Democracy

2018 ◽  
pp. 79-114
Author(s):  
Sandra Fredman
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Democratic Accountability ◽  
Public Interest Litigation

This chapter addresses the argument that human rights should be not be the responsibility of courts, but of the legislature. Instead of regarding courts and the legislature as mutually exclusive, however, it asks whether we can create a role for justiciable human rights which reinforces democracy. Section II considers democratic objections to justiciable human rights, and canvasses potential responses. Section III examines three ways to reconcile the role of courts with democracy: representation-reinforcing, dialogic, and deliberative theories. It concludes that courts should enhance the democratic accountability of decision-makers by insisting on a deliberative justification for the interpretation or limitation of rights. Section IV turns to objections based on lack of judicial competence to address complex, polycentric issues raised by human rights. Using the example of India’s public interest litigation, it examines ways in which the court structure might be adapted to address these concerns. Section V considers remedies and implementation.

Social Transformative Learning in Human Rights Delegations: Critical Research on the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network

2021 ◽  
pp. 154134462110503
Author(s):  
Lisa Rankin ◽  
Leona M. English
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Change ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Human Rights Education ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Critical Research

This article examines the experience of six participants in the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) delegation program. Human rights education is central to this program that operates between Canada and Guatemala. Key findings from this research include participants’ rethinking of their own power and privilege upon returning to Canada and making connections with the struggle of Indigenous peoples in both countries. Another finding concerns how specific communal aspects of the BTS delegation (communitas) lead to social transformation and the development of solidarity relationships that are transformative to all. The research affirms the need for experiential learning experiences which use transformative learning approaches to support human rights and social change.

HUMAN RIGHTS, INEQUALITY AND PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION: A CASE STUDY ON SANITATION FROM BRAZIL

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 149-171
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Barcellos ◽  
Ricardo Moura ◽  
Marcia Castro
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Public Interest Litigation

Strategische Prozessführung

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Hahn
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Public Interest Litigation

Zusammenfassung Gerichtsverfahren werden nicht nur zur Lösung individueller Rechtskonflikte, sondern auch für politische Zwecke genutzt. In der rechtspolitischen Diskussion in Deutschland wird ein solches Vorgehen neuerdings mit dem Begriff „strategische Prozessführung“ bezeichnet. Allerdings ist weitgehend ungeklärt, was genau ein Verfahren „strategisch“ macht. Dieser Frage geht der Beitrag nach. Es wird argumentiert, dass sich aus den bislang in Deutschland entwickelten Begriffsverständnissen und der heterogenen Rechtspraxis, die als „strategische Prozessführung“ beschrieben wird, nicht ohne Weiteres analytisch tragfähige Kriterien ergeben. Ein wissenschaftliches Konzept strategischer Prozessführung sollte vielmehr dem Umstand Rechnung tragen, dass Gerichtsverfahren nicht nur progressive Instrumente sind, sondern auch zur Perpetuierung gesellschaftlicher Machtverhältnisse eingesetzt werden. Eine Spurensuche nach zusätzlichen Begriffsmerkmalen führt in die internationale und US-amerikanische Rechtspraxis und -forschung, die als Ursprünge des Phänomens der strategischen Prozessführung gelten. In Konzepten wie public interest litigation (PIL) und strategic (human rights) litigation sind Verfahren dann strategisch, wenn sie dem Gemeinwohl oder dem Menschenrechtsschutz dienen. Doch bleiben auch diese Konzepte zu unbestimmt. Die Einbettung exemplarischer Fälle in rechtssoziologische Forschung hingegen führt zu weiteren Merkmalen jenseits normativer Ziele: die Beteiligung organisierter Akteure sowie der Einsatz von Prozessführung als Methode des kontinuierlichen Monitorings. Darin liegt ein Perspektivwechsel von den Zielen zur Form. Der Beitrag schlägt daher vor, strategische Prozessführung als Modus der Mobilisierung von Recht durch Klagekollektive zu verstehen.

scholarly journals Rights education and children’s collective self-advocacy through public interest litigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Grover
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
The United States ◽  
Class Action ◽  
Human Rights Education ◽  
Educational Tool ◽  
Self Advocacy ◽  
Public Interest Litigation ◽  
Legal Standing ◽  
Raising Awareness

If human rights education of schoolchildren addresses advocacy at all, it is mostly or exclusively in terms of civic participation, which perhaps includes civil protest. This approach implicitly discourages young people from considering engaging with the courts as an additional or alternative vehicle in seeking a remedy for violations of their fundamental human rights. Human rights education is incomplete when it fails to address the child’s right to legal standing in the effort to seek justice; for instance, as part of a child collective that is significantly adversely and directly impacted by particular government actions. Exemplars of children acquiring legal standing and pursuing their rights through the courts can serve as a useful educational tool in raising awareness of the potential for child public interest advocacy through the courts. One such exemplar, the youth-led class action environmental protection case Juliana et al. v the United States et al., is discussed.  

scholarly journals HUMAN RIGHTS, INEQUALITY AND PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION: A CASE STUDY ON SANITATION FROM BRAZIL

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 149-171
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Barcellos ◽  
Marcia Castro ◽  
Ricardo Moura
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Public Law ◽  
Regional Inequality ◽  
Public Interest Litigation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Disaggregated Data ◽  
Public Law Litigation

Disaggregated data on the relative success of the UN millennium goals made clear that the progress achieved in many countries, Brazil included, was not equitable, positioning the question “How to address inequalities?” as the next pressing challenge in human rights. Public law litigation could be regarded as a tool to reduce inequality, particularly in Brazil, given a unique institution of its legal system, the Public Prosecutors Office. This paper uses public interest litigation discussing access to sanitation services to test this hypothesis. In 2013, only 58.2% of the households had access to sanitation, with significant regional inequality in coverage. Boolean analysis was applied to assess court orders (2003-2013) and results showed a disconnect between litigation and demand for sanitation, indicating that areas that were better off in various social and economic indicators were the ones receiving attention. The paper suggests reflections on how public interest litigation could target those most in need.

Action Research in Law

2020 ◽  
pp. 531-555
Author(s):  
P. Ishwara Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Democratic Process ◽  
Investigative Journalism ◽  
Public Interest Litigation ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
International Instruments

Being action-oriented and having competence to bring specific consequence, law’s course of action can be part of research. A legal researcher need not be a dumb spectator to violation of rights and occurrence of injustice. By collaborating with the affected community or civil society the researcher assists in getting remedy to the affected. It involves democratic process, inter-disciplinary approach, and judicial activism. Designing for action research envisages gathering of diverse experiences of participants, discussion about the future, projection of collective vision, contemplation of alternative approaches, and initiation of action. There are varieties of participatory models and tools for action research ranging from interactive dramas, investigative journalism, and cafe conversations. Analysing how action research in law helps in protection of human rights, the chapter highlights the application of action-oriented research for protection of human rights in international instruments, public interest litigation, actions of human rights commissions, and NGOs for human rights.

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