Access to Justice
Below are some general resources on Access to Justice including on Human Rights,
Human Rights Instruments and Jusice and Legal Reform.
General References
United Nations Development Programme. "Promoting Democracy Through Justice Sector Reform - Access to Justice."
http://www.undp.org/governance/justice.htm
"This is UNDP's site for its work on access to justice. It includes presentations, papers and reports on UNDP's work on access to justice."
Fukuda-Parr, S., C. Lopes and K. Malik, Ed. 2002."Capacity for Development: New Solutions to Old Problems." United Nations Development Programme.
http://www.undp.org/dpa/publications/capacity.html
"This book discusses new approaches to capacity development by focusing on areas of ownership, civic engagement and knowledge."
United Nations Development Programme. December 2004. "Access to Justice Practice Note."
http://www.undp.org/governance/docs/A2J%20PN%20Final.doc
"This practice note suggests strategies for UNDP support for access to justice, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged, including women, children, minorities, and persons living with HIV/AIDS and disabilities. "
Governance Resource Center (GRC) Exchange. Safety, Security and Access to Justice.
http://www.gsdrc.org/docs/open/SSAJ23.pdf
Links and resources on access to justice including overview of the topic and references to relevant articles and publications.
Foreign Policy Association, "Global Forum."
http://www.fpa.org/homepage2411/index.htm
"This site contains discussion groups on various topics, ranging from humanitarian aid to conflict resolution. It serves as a forum to exchanges of ideas and share information. Although not particularly to human rights, it is nonetheless a useful site. "
Institute for Development Studies
http://www.ids.ac.uk/IDS/law/lawnetinfo.html
"Currently under construction, however IDS' Resource exchange will contain bibliographic information and news of research-in-progress. The Resource Exchange will be an excellent forum for knowledge sharing to the mutual benefit of academic researchers and individual practitioners and groups working to implement a rights-based approach in diverse contexts."
Laws of Nepal
http://www.lawsofnepal.com
"This website contains information on Nepalese constitutional law, sectoral legal regimes and human rights. It targets law-related professionals and aims to be a ready reference for the Nepalese laws, and rules and regulations. "
The Asia Foundation
http://www.asiafoundation.org/programs/prog-asia.html
The Asia Foundation addresses issues of effective governance and law at both the country and regional level. It provides a forum for exchanges of ideas and discussion and conducts research as well. Is a good general website on law and governance. Includes brief descriptions of projects it funds on the Rule of Law within its governance and law theme.
The Ford Foundation
http://www.fordfound.org
"The Ford Foundation promotes collaboration among the nonprofit, government and business sectors and works mainly by making grants or loans that build knowledge and strengthen organizations and networks. The organization focuses on a limited number of problem areas and program strategies within their broad goals. The Ford Foundation also supports the work of the Public Interest Law Initiative."
UNDP - Millennium Development Goals
http://undp.org/mdg
Includes information on UNDP and its work on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Center for Democracy and Governance. 1998. "Appendix A: Criteria for Developing and Adapting Performance Indicators." Handbook of Democracy and Governance Program Indicators. USAID
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/publications/pdfs/pnacr211.pdf
"The appendix of the USAID Handbook of Democracy and Governance Program Indicators focuses on listing and explaining the various criteria for designing good indicators that monitor and evaluate the outcomes. Further, it is user-friendly and provides both examples of weak and better indicators and explains how baseline data and targets are established. "
Center for Democracy and Governance. 1998. "Appendix A: Criteria for Developing and Adapting Performance Indicators." Handbook of Democracy and Governance Program Indicators. USAID
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/publications/pdfs/pnacr211.pdf
"The handbook explains indicators in the context of strategic planning and performance monitoring. It provides guidance on developing indicators that are useful for management decisions and performance monitoring. However, as the handbook is geared towards strategic objective teams, it is rather exhaustive and technical. "
United Nations Development Program, Evaluation Office.
http://www.undp.org/eo/
UNDP's Evaluation Office contains a number of tools for monitoring and evaluation as well as links to external agencies.
"United Nations Development Programme. 2002. ""Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluating for Results."" UNDP Evaluation Office. UNDP."
http://stone.undp.org/undpweb/eo/evalnet/docstore3/yellowbook/documents/full_draft.pdf
"The handbook focuses on results-oriented monitoring and evaluation. It is meant as a tool to improve UNDP's ability to monitor and evaluate its programmes and policies in order to make them more accountable. In particular, Chapter 6 (Preformance Measurement) introduces methods, e.g., indicators, baseline data, data collection systems, quantitative and qualitative analysis, used in measuring progress towards results and performance. The chapter also contains a detailed and useful discussion on the selection and use of indicators for monitoring and evaluating UNDP-supported assistance."
"Vera Institute of Justice. November 2003. ""Measuring Progress toward Safety and Justice: A Global Guide to the Design of Performance Indicators across the Justice Sector."" New York. "
http://www.vera.org/indicators
"The guide provides an in-depth discussion on the role of indicators, the different levels of indicators, and their design process. It also includes examples of policy goals that require different indicators and a description of the strengths and weaknesses of these suggested indicators. The guide covers indicators that cut across the safety and justice sector."
Human Rights
International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP).
http://www.ichrp.org/
The ICHRP is a research institution that focuses on human rights issues. It works to issue tools and studies on human rights policy.
Human Strategies for Human Rights. Human Rights Approach to Poverty Reduction Strategies.
http://www.hshr.org/hrpovertyresources.htm
List of online resources on the human rights approach to poverty reduction.
"United Nations Development Programme. June 2003. ""Human Rights and Poverty Reduction: A Practice Note."" "
http://www.undp.org/governance/docshurist/030610PracticeNote_Poverty.doc
This practice note outlines UNDP's approach to human rights and poverty reduction. It argues that poverty is a denial of human rights and proposes a framework for human rights integration in poverty reduction strategies.
"United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. September 2002. ""Draft Guidelines: A Human Rights Approach to Poverty Reduction Strategies."" "
http://www.unhchr.ch/development/povertyfinal.html#preface
The objective of these guidelines is to provide practitioners involved in the design and implementation of poverty reduction strategies with operational guidelines for the adoption of a human rights approach to poverty reduction.
"International Council on Human Rights Policy. 2004 ""Enhancing Access to Human Rights."" ICHRP, Versoix, Switzerland."
http://www.ichrp.org/ac/excerpts/150.doc
"This report examines the steps beyond law and legal reform to ensure that rights and entitlements are available and accessible to all. The report considers internalized inhibitions and external factors contributing to the systematic vulnerability of the poor andDisadvantaged Groups. The paper further explores the responses of institutions, civil society, and informal systems and further identifies remedies that would provide access."
Global Human Rights Education
http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-education/markup/maillist.php
"This site contains reports and articles on project reports, theoretical as well as practical aspects on mainstreaming human rights in all spheres. Those interested can also subscribe to this forum and submit relevant materials "
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)
http://www.hrea.org/erc/forums/index.html
"HREA hosts various on-line discussion forums (or listservs) to support human rights education and learning. There are theme-specific discussion forums; the Global Human Rights Education Listserv seems especially relevant as it is a forum on which activists and educators exchange information on upcoming trainings and conferences; studies and ""lessons learned""; human rights education resources etc. "
Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org
"This international website provides a wealth of information on most countries in the region, and has a plethora of news releases, and publications which provide useful information on the human rights situations facing the various countries, which in turn can be useful in identifying entry points for programs and projects. This is available throughhttp://www.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/reports, while information on specific countries can be found onhttp://www.amnesty.org/ailib/index.html. "
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
http://www.forumasia.org
"This forum facilitates collaboration among human rights organizations in Asia in order to develop a regional response for the promotion of human rights and democracy in the region. While the site is currently under renovation, there are links to seminar papers, organization publications, training materials, which could prove to be very relevant. "
Asian Human Rights Commission
http://www.ahrchk.net
"This website contains links to discussion groups, current issues, newsletters as well as articles. Their projects and programs touch on many issues of particular relevance to the region, such as caste based discrimination, poverty as a human rights violation etc."
Bangladesh Human Rights Network
http://www.banglarights.net
"Actively promotes human rights reforms within and outside Bangladesh. It is an independent platform for activists and other professionals seeking to promote human rights. A very good portal on the human rights situation in Bangladesh, with monthly newsletter available on line and provides links to other useful websites as well."
Cooperation Center for Afghanistan
http://www.ccamata.com/hrprog.html
Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA) is an Afghan non-governmental organization working to promote and protect human rights as well as to alleviate poverty among the Afghan people through long term development. The organization is based in Pakistan which placesemphasis on an integrated approach to human rights and human development.
Human Rights Watch World Report
http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/asia1.html
"This is an informative website that has specific links to 4 countries in the South Asia region. Through this, there are descriptions of the current human rights situations in those countries and further focuses on a few themes that are especially relevant in their national contexts. Links to most other country information can also be found on www.hrw.org/countries.html. "
Informal Sector Service Center
http://www.insec.org.np
"INSEC aims to promote human rights through advocacy, lobbying, education and undertaking projects at the national levels. A very informative website on the current human rights situation in Nepal, supplemented by its quarterly human rights magazine, Informal and a yearly Human Rights yearbook, both available online."
International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights
http://www.interights.org/about/regional.asp
"INTERIGHTS, the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights, is an international human rights law centre established to support and promote the development of legal protection for human rights and freedoms worldwide through the effective use of international and comparative human rights law. Its programme in South Asia focuses on the use of human rights law at the domestic level. The issue of access to justice emerged as of primary importance from a major Judicial Colloquium that was held, and will be a focus of INTERIGHTS' work over the next few years, as well as support for public interest litigation on certain key issues such as prisoners' rights. The website provides a description of its regional programmes. "
International Council on Human Rights Policy
http://www.ichrp.org/
"The International Council on Human Rights Policy conducts applied policy research on issues that face organisations working in the field of human rights. The approach is international, multidisciplinary and consultative. The aim is to produce work of practical relevance. It also has a very useful list of working papers that can be downloaded from the site. "
"International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development"
http://www.inhured.org
"Aims to advance the notion of human rights through documentation, dissemination of information, research, provides legal assistance, and is involved in advocacy work as well. Contains articles written by leading Nepali human rights activists. "
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
http://www.unhchr.ch
"This official website of the United Nations offers a wealth of information and is a great starting point to study the global dimension of human rights. It has links to thematic areas in human rights, and is also a gateway to information on international human rights documents and covenants. It also contains information on countries that have ongoing human rights related programmes. *** "
Organizations for Defending Victims of Violence
http://www.odvv.org
"This organization, as the name suggests, is involved in monitoring human rights violations in Iran. It is however also involved in conducting research and undertaking projects on human rights, and the website is an excellent source of information in the general human rights situation in Iran."
South Asia Forum for Human Rights
http://www.safhr.org
"This regional public forum, based in Kathmandu promotes the respect for human rights, and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. One of its current objective is to work towards creating a regional standard for human rights."
The Human Right to Freedom from Poverty
http://www.pdhre.org/rights/poverty.html
"This site links human rights to all aspects of poverty, looking at social and economic factors. This is a good tool to illustrate the links between human rights and development. "
Human Rights Instruments
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 1984.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_cat39.htm
"This convention prevents the states from engaging in any form of torture under their criminal law. The Convention also affords offenders protection against unfair treatment through the states' legal system and impartial investigations. However, the principles in the Convention remain ineffective unless they are ratified and signed by states."
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. 1985.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp49.htm
"The Declaration defines the victims of crime and describes the facilitation of judicial and administrative mechanisms that enable victims to seek redress. The Declaration also focuses on prescribing the states' responsibilities in incorporating protective measures into national laws and providing assistance, financial compensation, and fair retribution to the victims."
Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. 1992.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/A.RES.47.133.En?OpenDocument
"The Declaration states the role and duties of states in preventing and punishing acts of enforced disappearance. Furthermore, it prohibits acts of enforced disappearance under any circumstances and highlights the right of individuals who have been deprived of liberty to prompt appearance before judicial authority."
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 1966.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_ccpr.htm
"In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 49, this covenant went into force in 1976. The Covenant recognizes that every individual has the right of self-determination. People could freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development without prejudice."
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). 1966.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_cescr.htm
"The Covenant was established in line with the principles in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It recognizes the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of each individual and realizes that every person has the responsibility to observe the promotion of economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights of other individuals in the global community."
Model Treaty on the Transfer of Supervision of Offenders Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released. 1990.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/52.htm
"This is a sample treaty instituting the requirements and conditions for the transfer of supervision of offenders. Other issues covered in the treaty include grounds for refusal of the transfer of supervision, certification and authentication, review, pardon, and amnesty, etc."
Principles of Medical Ethics Relevant to the Role of Health Personnel, Particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 1982.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp40.htm
"The Principles reaffirm the right of prisoners and detainees to quality health services. According to the Principles, it is a contravention of medical ethics for health personnel to engage in any form of torture or punishment of prisoners and to present hazard to prisoners' physical or mental health during their detention or restraint."
Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 2000.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp51.htm
"The Principles seek to identify measures needed to prevent recurrence of torture and other inhuman treatment of individuals. They attempt to help states establish responsible proceedings and make full reparation to the victims. The Principles also guarantee the rights of all alleged victims of torture to medical services, legal representation, and communications."
Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions. 1989.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/54.htm
"The Principles articulate the circumstances under which no extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution shall be carried out. Aside from preventing cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions, governments should cooperate fully in international investigations on this subject and establish proper investigative procedures to safeguard the basic freedoms of the accused."
Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty. 1984.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp41.htm
"Adopted in 1984 by the Economic and Social Council, this document recognizes the severity and prevalence of capital punishment in countries that have not abolished the death penalty. The document sets the standard for imposing capital punishment and the circumstances under which capital punishment is improper. Moreover, it states the rights to appeal and to seek pardon by individuals who have been sentenced to death."
United Nations Convention against Corruption. 2000.
http://www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/convention_corruption/signing/Convention-e.pdf
"In 2003, the United Nations entered into force this convention, which intends to promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently and effectively. The Convention also seeks to promote integrity, accountability, and proper management of public affairs and public property. It includes sections on 1) preventive anti-corruption measures in the public sector and private sector; 2) criminalization and law enforcement of offenses related to bribery and corruption; 3) the role of international cooperation; and 4) measures for recovering assets."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). 1948.
http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm
"This act was adopted in 1948 for all member states to recognize the inherent dignity and inalienable rights of every individual. It ensures that member states have reached a common understanding in the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Article 10, in particular, entitles every person to a fair and public hearing by an independent tribunal. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a landmark act in protecting human rights through the rule of law."
Justice and Legal Reform
LAWNET Sri Lanka
http://www.lawnet.lk
"Currently under construction, however, LAWNET will be a comprehensive legal website. It will provide a Legal Information Network, a depository of laws encompassing legislative enactments, law reports, legal and related information in Sri Lanka. "
The India Centre
http://www.altindia.net/indiacentre/index.htm
"The India Centre was started by a group of High Court Lawyers and human rights activists to be a comprehensive resource centre where documentation, education, publication, investigation and campaigns on issues related to human rights and law are the focus. The Centre looks at human rights in the widest possible way and includes the wide range of economic, social, and cultural rights."
The Law & Society Trust
http://www.lawandsocietytrust.org/
"The Law & Society Trust in Sri Lanka is a non-profit making body committed to improving public awareness on civil and political rights and social, economic and cultural rights, and equal access to justice. Also contains short descriptions of the projects that are currently being undertaken, as well as a selected bibliography of relevant publications."
Asian Development Bank Law and Policy Reform
http://www.adb.org/Law/default.asp
The Asian Development Bank's Law and Policy Reform page provides a bibliography of academic literature on law and development in Asia and the Pacific and its Bulletin on Law and Policy Reform gives summary information about law-related technical assistance projects in the region funded or administered by ADB and other development assistance institutions.
Asian Development Bank Law and Policy Reform Internet Forum
http://www.adb.org/Law/netforum.asp
"The Asian Development Bank's Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Internet Forum has created a law and development electronic mailing list service to address legal and policy reform issues. This LPR Internet facility provides an international forum for discussion and exchange of information on issues to promote economic growth and equitable social development in the global emerging markets of Asia, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. "
UNDP Oslo Governance Centre: Access to Justice Resources.
http://www.undp.org/oslocentre/access.htm
"A list of resources, mainly UNDP, on the Democratic Governance sub-practice area of Access to Justice. The site includes links to more resources in other areas of Democratic Governance as well."
World Bank Legal and Judicial Reform
http://www4.worldbank.org/legal/leglr/index_english.html
The World Bank's Legal and Judicial Reform website focuses on both legal and judicial reform including Access to Justice. Its objective is to share legal knowledge for development and information about the World Bank's legal reform and judicial reform activities and projects. The overall Law and Justice site may also be useful to look athttp://www4.worldbank.org/legal.
World Bank Legal Institutions of the Market Economy
http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/legal/index.htm
"This website focuses on providing information about legal reforms that aim to improve the performance of legal institutions. It includes brief summaries related to law in development, courts and judicial institutions, alternatives and non-legal mechanisms, and strategies for reform. These topic briefs provide an introductory, critical look at some of the issues under debate in the emerging field of legal and judicial reform. They also direct users to relevant sources in the extensive annotated bibliography on this site, which provides abstracts from the academic literature and from donor agency and non-governmental organizations' research and projects on the role of legal institutions and their reform. "
World Bank's Legal and Judicial E-Forum
http://www4.worldbank.org/legal/leglr/E-Forum.html
"This E-Forum examines themes selected by the Legal and Judicial Reform Practice Group. To maintain focus in the exchanges, the selected themes will change every two weeks."
"Cyan, M., D. Porter and H. Sharif. 2005. ""Access to Justice Reforms Revisited."" Paper to International Conference on Peace Justice and Reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific Region, University of Queensland, 1-3 April 2005."
filename - Access to Justice Reforms Revisited (2005)
"There has been an unprecedented resurgence in the ‘law and development’ movement. The scope, breadth and consensus entailed in the shift from ‘legal and judicial reforms’ to ‘access to justice reforms’ rest on a new economic doctrine, and new confidence about its links with democracy and pro-poor outcomes. Part 1 charts some of the precepts and features of access to justice reforms, and examines some ‘systemic’ and ‘substantial’ constraints they face. Part 2 speculates about the consequences for these reforms of major shifts in settlements and economies in developing countries, and corresponding changes in governance, both associated with neo-liberal development policies. The paper reaffirms the case for access to justice reforms, but illustrates the issues of political justice that must become more central if these reforms are to realize their expansive promises."
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