Sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals requires compliance to human rights, as well as judicial systems that protect vulnerable groups. For this reason four Dutch organisations have combined forces. They are matching many years of experience and extensive networks with partners in poorer parts of the world. The Access to Justice Alliance will among others train non-governmental organisations in human rights legislation, advocacy and documenting human rights violations.
Members of the Alliance
- Aim for human rights
- CILC (Center for International Legal Cooperation)
- Justitia et Pax Nederland
- Nederlands Helsinki Comité (NHC)
Justice in three areas
By cooperating in the Access to Justice Alliance, the organisations expect to be more effective in three areas: economic justice, social justice and transitional justice(transition to democracy and rule of law). The focus will be on marginalised groups and women.
Integrated approach
The Access to Justice Alliance cooperates with NGOs, governments and companies in Europe and in the South. The Alliance will help NGOs to promote and protect social and economic rights, while supporting judicial powers and governments to create the required conditions. In addition, the Alliance will stimulate businesses to combine economic growth with compliance to human rights norms.
Activities
The Access to Justice Alliance is working on:
- Capacity building: training organisations and governments to strengthen their efforts on human rights and the rule of law;
- Human rights assessment: development and dissemination of methods to assess human rights compliance of legislation and policies;
- Lobby: international lobby and policy influencing of governments and companies, to increase human rights implementation;
- Awareness raising: increasing awareness and expertise on human rights and the rule of law for legislative professionals, and representatives from governments, NGOs and business.
More information
Aim for human rights coordinates the Access to Justice Alliance. For more information please contact Marike Radstaake, manager External Affairs by phone (+31 (0)30 233 40 27) or e-mail (m.radstaake@aimforhumanrights.nl)
CILC will not participate in MFS II
Despite the development of a substantial and innovative concept in bridging the gap between rights holders and duty bearers to support human rights and the rule of law, the Access to Justice Alliance (Aim for Human Rights, Justitia et Pax, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee) did not make it to the first round of MFS II. Luckily for CILC there are no organizational consequences but CILC is worried and disappointed that the theme of the human rights-based approach will not be integrated into the Dutch foreign policies on civil society in the coming five years.