In the period 2010 – 2012 HRA will focus on key challenges to the long-standing principles above-mentioned, issues relating to current and emerging global trends which have, and will continue to have, an influence on local and international human rights advocacy:
Issues dealing with the changing character of international governance: Transnational accountability
Issues dealing with the changing nature of state systems in times of crisis and conflict: Transforming collapsing systems
Issues dealing with the changing fabric of human communities: Mobility and health
Issues affecting the future of people’s human security: Climate change
TRANSNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY Charting debates on the expanding nature of accountability and its impact on international human rights mechanisms; broadening analysis on the transnational responsibilities of state and non-state actors; hosting events to analyze cross-regional accountability developments. Priority issues are accountability trends in international cooperation and financial governance; and states’ extraterritorial obligations in counter-terrorism strategies.
TRANSFORMING COLLAPSING SYSTEMS Convening cross-field dialogue and generating analysis for transformative, long-term human rights and human security strategies in transitional states; translating analysis into tools for effective inclusion of gender, race and economic and social rights in post-conflict law and justice reforms; furthering analysis on long-term challenges to the rule of law system, and other systemic weaknesses challenging nation-states.
MOBILITY AND HEALTH Producing analysis on the implications of the gendered nature of human movement (voluntary and forced) in the development of transnational health protection systems; providing a forum for interdisciplinary exchange to advance health rights advocacy in the context of uprooted communities; implementing case studies to identify and disseminate cutting-edge health policy targeting these communities.
CLIMATE JUSTICE Producing analysis and facilitating dialogue on inequalities and vulnerabilities that exacerbate people’s exposure to the effects of climate change; mapping long-term strategies to reduce or eradicate these factors; raising awareness on the conceptual and practical implications of the ‘intergenerational equity and justice’ principle; documenting accountability initiatives for human-induced climate change.
AN AGENDA FOR PREVENTION Cutting across the four thematic areas, HRA will highlight an agenda for prevention of human rights violations. Through an interdisciplinary forum, meetings, and with the contribution of critical thinkers from the human rights and related fields, this line of work will offer theoretical and practical tools to incorporate preventive approaches into human rights NGO advocacy. Innovative advocates and scholars will discuss preventive approaches in the context of climate change, mobility and health, collapsing systems and transnational accountability.
