Newsroom
The Open Society Justice Initiative pursues strategic litigation and engages in policy advocacy in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Read our News Releases and Advocacy Updates on our work.
One-Third of EU Countries Have National or Local Bans on Muslim Women’s Dress
A new survey details dress restrictions enacted by both local and national governments, and by businesses and other institutions across the European Union.
April 24, 2018Africa’s Human Rights Court Strengthens Protections for the Right to Nationality
The African Court ruled in favor of a Tanzanian man who found himself forced to live in the no-man’s land between Kenya and Tanzania because of a dispute over his status.
March 28, 2018European Rights Court Seeks Responses from Spain on Police Ethnic Profiling
A young foreign resident of Spain filed a complaint before the court over a racially-biased police identity check.
January 12, 2018After Long Struggle, Kenya’s Nubian Minority Secures Land Rights
The Kenyan government has granted security of land tenure to the country's Nubian minority in Nairobi's Kibera neighborhood—following a campaign that included both human rights litigation and community activism.
June 05, 2017Discriminatory Police Stops Brought before European Court of Human Rights
The Open Society Justice Initiative has filed two separate applications this month before the European Court of Human Rights that challenge racially-discriminatory police stops in France and Spain.
May 23, 2017European Union Must Address Widespread Ethnic Profiling by Police
Heightened concerns over both migration and the threat of terrorism are fueling discriminatory policing practices in Europe.
December 06, 2016Dutch Nationality Laws Leave Six-Year Old in Legal Limbo
More than 13,000 children in the Netherlands are classed as being of "unknown" nationality. One of them is taking his case to the UN Human Rights Committee.
November 29, 2016French Court Victory Calls Police to Account over Racially-Biased Stops
France’s top civil court ruled today that police stops which disproportionately target young people of African and Arab origin are illegal, in a judgment that clears the way for fundamental changes in French police practices.
November 09, 2016