Making the Law Work for Everyone
The Open Society Justice Initiative uses the law to promote and defend justice and human rights.
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In fighting COVID-19, Sierra Leone Should Learn from Ebola Mistakes
As Sierra Leone works to contain the pandemic, there has not yet been a proper reckoning for the high-level corruption that tainted the country's ultimately successful battle against Ebola.
Will Banning Facial Recognition Solve Our Surveillance Problems?
Ending the police's use of racially-biased facial recognition technology temporarily or forever will not solve the full scale of the global surveillance problem around the world.
Why Airline Bailouts Must Come with Carbon Emissions Reductions
Should Congress continue to bailout airline executives and shareholders, it must do so without compounding our environmental crisis for decades to come.
Thousands of Venezuelans are Stranded at the Colombia-Venezuela Border due to COVID-19
Thousands of Venezuelan migrants attempting to return to their home country remain stranded along the Colombia-Venezuela border during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a glaring example of how States are falling short of their international obligations.
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As part of the Open Society Foundations, the Justice Initiative shares its mission of building vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens.
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Since 2003, Justice Initiative lawyers have represented scores of individuals before domestic and international courts, in cases that have sought not only to vindicate individual claims, but to establish and strengthen the law’s protection for all.
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Groups Call on a Brazilian Court to Uphold Human Rights in Prisons during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Justice Initiative, in partnership with civil society organizations Conectas and Elas Existem, submitted a joint amici brief to the Court of Justice of the State of Rio de Janeiro detailing the government’s obligations under international law to protect the human rights of incarcerated persons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justice Initiative Calls on UK Government to Address Racial Discrimination by Law Enforcement during COVID-19 Lockdown
The Justice Initiative has joined an open letter calling on the UK government to narrow the powers of police to enforce the lockdown and take immediate measures to address racial and ethnic discrimination.
African Lawyers call for Clarity on Election Rules under COVID-19
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has filed a request to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to elaborate on the rules and standards that should govern elections in Africa during the coronavirus pandemic.