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Engaging local level monitors to document cases of slavery to be used as legal documentation in courts

The National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedom (HOOD) trained local monitoring teams in communities to document cases of slavery in Yemen in order to be used by the victims as a legal document in the courts. Utilizing a documentation form that is signed by the interviewer and three additional witnesses who expressed their willingness to testify in the court at a later stage, HOOD was able to document more than 100 cases of slavery in three Yemenite governorates. As a result, the issue of slavery was brought up into public awareness, facilitating a breakthrough in overcoming the cycle of fear. In addition, one “slave” was able to get a sentence in his favor setting him free. However, the other members of his family are still captured as slaves by other individuals.

Informing potential victims of their rights when there is a time limit on protecting those rights

Sometimes laws themselves impose arbitrary and brief windows of opportunity for individuals to act to protect their rights.

Using international monitoring bodies to pressure government to address violations and establish mechanisms for protection

The Committee on the Administration of Justice succeeded in raising the issue of human rights abuses in Northern Ireland at the international level and, by doing so, brought about significant improvements in human rights conditions.

Using dialogue to build strong alliances for effective sharing of information between organizations

The Ligue des Droits de la Personne dans la Region des Grands Lacs (Human Rights League of the Great Lakes Region or LDGL) has used the tactic of dialogue to build strong alliances among organizations that share information and collaborate effectively in a region deeply affected by civil conflict. When divisions within the LDGL emerge, leaders of the group try to understand the underlying problems creating the dispute.   When an understanding of this has been gained, the LDGL maps out potential allies, and identifies the approach to dialogue that has the most potential for expanding support and maintaining productive relationships.  By using methods of dialogue, the League has succeeded in building and maintaining confidence from different organizations to monitor human rights abuses within the region and disseminate information quickly.

Using a volunteer-based mobile phone network to prevent street violence

In the seemingly intractable conflict in Northern Ireland, finding common ground between politicized Catholic and Protestant factions has often proven nearly impossible. And yet there are people on both sides who want to prevent outbreaks of violence. This tactic involves identifying leaders in each community who want to prevent violence and arming them with needed information.

Promoting discussions on disability to generate a holistic and inclusive human rights dialogue

The International Center for Bioethics, Culture and Disability proposes a holistic approach that views the human rights movement as a united coalition of groups seeking a shared-rights outcome.   Currently many groups working in the disability rights movement, and even the broader human rights movement, compete among each other in political debates and institutions in order to gain recognition, funding and policy changes.  Instead of recognizing their common goals and challenges, human rights groups often isolate themselves along victim hierarchies where, for example, someone living in poverty may be better off than someone who is physically disabled, experiences politically-motivated torture or lacks access to clean water.  In order for groups to identify their common experiences, the Center emphasizes an inclusive, social justice approach to disability.

Compiling human rights education success stories to learn from the experiences of others

The Asia-Pacific Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (ARRC) compiles human rights education success stories to benefit the field of human rights education and to serve as an inspiration to disadvantaged groups.

Using participatory research to understand the effects of trade agreements on small producers and advocate for change

Members of the South East Asian Council for Food Security and Fair Trade (SEACON) from eight countries carried out participatory research to gather data about the situation of small scale producers in the Southeast Asia region. It has been reported that the majority of the population in the ASEAN region are poor and reside in rural areas.

Sharing stories of political prisoners and their relatives to pressure for their release

The Center for Human Rights & Development (CHRD) is a Sri Lankan NGO founded by a group of human rights lawyers and activists. It has facilitated the release of approximately 400 political prisoners by widely sharing stories of political prisoners and their relatives.