Assessing the impact of human rights work: Challenges and Choices (2012)

The growth of human rights interventions by NGOs has brought to the fore questions of assessing and measuring their effectiveness and impacts. How can human rights work be ‘measured’ and are dominant evaluation practices distorting the priorities and practices of human rights work?

Sexuality, health and human rights: A knowledge-resource of jurisprudence and law (2012)

In collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), this project aims to foster the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights related to sexuality and sexual health by mapping relevant laws, policies and jurisprudence from around the world.

Information-gathering technologies, privacy and human rights (2011)

The immense diffusion of data-gathering technologies has significant implications for human rights. These are not yet well understood and are evolving rapidly, contributing to widespread anxiety.

Climate change: technology policy and human rights (2011)

Actions and decisions on technology transfer will have significant human rights implications. This project provides guidance to policy-makers on how human rights principles and practices should guide technology policies.

Penalising poverty (2011)

Across the world, people living in poverty are disproportionately subject to stigmatisation, segregation, surveillance and criminalisation.

Migration: human rights protection of smuggled persons (2010)

At a time when increasing numbers of people seek to leave their country for a wide variety of reasons, it is vital to assert the rights of those who are least protected.

Social control policies (2010)

How do laws and policies construct and respond to people, behaviour or status defined as “undesirable”, “dangerous”, criminal or socially problematic?

Colloquium on Human Rights in the Global Economy (2010)

The widespread impacts of the financial and economic crisis have underlined the importance of going beyond dominant disciplinary wisdom as well as established policy prescriptions and institutional practices in economic policy-making.

Corruption and human rights: Integrating human rights in the anti-corruption agenda (2010)

A taboo subject until the early 1990s, corruption is now under the spotlight. This project aims to provide an operational framework and a practical tool for applying human rights principles and methods to local and national anti-corruption programmes.

Corruption and human rights: making the connection (2009)

In recent years, governments and international organisations have taken many initiatives to reduce corruption. However, the issue has rarely been analysed from the point of view of human rights.

Legal pluralism and human rights (2009)

Drawing on examples of plural legal orders from around the world, we propose principles and a framework to guide human rights practitioners and policy-makers.

Sexuality and human rights - Discussion Paper (2009)

The aim is to clarify the essential elements of a policy discussion of sexuality and sexual rights from a human rights perspective, and by doing so to enable discussion on this vast and controversial theme to progress.

Terrorism and human rights (2008)

Have human rights organisations responded adequately to the threat of international terrorism and official responses to that threat?

Climate change and human rights (2008)

What are the human rights implications of climate change? From new health risks to mass migration to threatened food and water supplies, climate change creates human rights concerns at every turn.

Trends in human rights: tenth anniversary report (2007)

We review major trends in society and human rights since the International Council on Human Rights Policy was first conceived in the early 1990s and look forward to some of the new challenges that will require human rights attention in coming years.

Standard-setting: lessons learned for the future (2006)

The unpredictable history of standard-setting and the options available to those who advocate new standards in the future make it important to consider when new standards are needed, the forms they take, where they can be negotiated, and who is involved.

Peace agreements: the role of human rights in negotiations (2006)

Are peace agreements negotiated more easily if they include references to human rights? If so, is peace more durable as a result?

Armed groups: approaches to influencing their behaviour (2000)

Armed groups are active in numerous civil conflicts. Considered “terrorists” by some and “liberation fighters” by others, such groups have been responsible for serious abuses of human rights.

Local government: delivering public services (2005)

The services that local governments deliver determine our quality of life. Human rights principles and methods can strengthen public accountability and participation and assist officials to plan, implement and evaluate services.

National human rights institutions: measuring effectiveness (2005)

Based on research in three countries, we provide practical recommendations for creating and strengthening NHRIs.

Rights and responsibilities of human rights organisations (2004)

What benefits will human rights NGOs obtain by demonstrating clearly that they are accountable and legitimate – and what risks might they face?

Access to human rights: improving access for groups at high risk (2004)

Why are many individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable because of exclusion, poverty and discrimination, unable to obtain benefits and rights to which they are entitled in law?

National human rights institutions: effectiveness and legitimacy (2000)

Based on research in three countries, we provide practical recommendations for strengthening NHRIs.

Transnational obligations and economic and social rights (2003)

When do wealthier societies have a duty to help much poorer ones? What are the limits of a government’s obligations to people in other countries? To what extent do a government’s duties abroad take priority over responsibilities to its own citizens?

Crime: managing public order in countries in transition (2003)

What problems arise for civil society when surges in criminality occur, or when crime is perceived to intensify in periods of change? What responses and strategies can be identified?

Media: reporting human rights issues (2002)

How do journalists select and cover human rights stories? This project examines the difficulties of communicating complex human rights issues accurately and ways in which coverage of human rights could be improved.

Business: obligations under international human rights law (2002)

In recent years many companies have introduced codes of conduct and other forms of voluntary initiatives. But do private companies have a legal responsibility to respect human rights?

Military intervention: NGO responses to human rights crises (2002)

International military forces have intervened in several recent conflicts to protect civilians caught up in human rights crises. In others, they have failed to do so. Does military force help? When is it appropriate? Who should approve its use?

Local government: links with human rights (2002)

The impact of devolution or decentralistaion on human rights has received little attention. What happens when local authorities assume responsibility for education, policing or land use?

September 2001: impacts on human rights work (2002)

Examining threats to civil liberties, discrimination and the polarisation of public opinion, United States exceptionalism, and other human rights challenges after the September 2001 attacks.

Racism: economic roots of discrimination (2001)

Co-ordinated action across a range of policy areas is required to end entrenched economic and racial exclusion.

Foreign aid to the justice sector (2000)

The project examines the factors that make aid programmes successful or not, based on interviews with justice sector beneficiaries. The recommendations may be useful to both donors and beneficiaries looking for ways to strengthen human rights assistance.