American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative

Founded in 2001, the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights (CHR) supports human rights defenders (HRDs) around the world who face ongoing harassment, threats, and criminal charges in retaliation for their legitimate rights work. CHR has worked in more than 65 countries to support HRDs—just one of their several key areas of work. Follow their LinkedIn to keep up to date on their work to support the ABA's fourth goal: advance the rule of law!

Spotlight 📣 #HumanRightsDay The ABA Center for Global Programs—composed of ABA ROLI, the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights, and the ABA UN Committee—understands that the true test of a legal system is its ability to secure and protect rights and liberties for its constituents. We work to advance #humanrights by advocating for appropriate legal frameworks that protect rights, supporting human rights defenders who are often targeted because of their work, and collaborating with national and local human rights mechanisms and institutions to connect survivors with acceptable justice mechanisms. With support from our donors, examples of our #humanrights work include: ⚖️ Supporting Ukrainians to achieve #justice using transitional justice tools and other human rights-based approaches; 🚺 Addressing barriers to women's participation in #economic life in Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Guatemala, and Mexico; 💻 Expanding experts knowledge on the core values of #digitalprivacy and exploring approaches to protect and promote digital privacy in Asia and Africa; 📃 Strengthening the legal and policy framework for migrant workers’ rights in the #Maldives; 🌳 Enhancing the regional work of #EnvironmentalDefenders and civil society leaders in the Amazonian regions of Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela; and 🗣️ Bolstering the capacities of local and national authorities to develop and implement reconciliation initiatives and #transitionaljustice processes in #Tunisia; 🤝 Supporting human rights #defenders worldwide through litigation assistance, research, and advocacy campaigns; and 👷 Working globally with governments, through strategic engagement, to increase their capacity to enforce #laborlaws. Check out more about our human rights work here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e-Ge34Ps

Join ABA-CGP's dynamic team! The American Bar Association-Center for Global Programs is looking for candidates for multiple positions. Visit bit.ly/abarolicareers to learn more!

#ProgramSpotlight: Legal Reform Fund program in #Indonesia 🌏 Under our global Legal Reform Fund program funded by the U.S. Department of State - Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues, ABA ROLI and Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional RI (BRIN RI), Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, researched the handling of workplace #sexualharassment and #discrimination cases in #Indonesia. Findings reveal victims/survivors do not report most cases, and among those reported, even fewer are resolved through the judicial process. This is due to gender bias and lack of awareness among legal service providers on gender equality, workplace rights, survivor-centered care, evidence, recovery, and restitution. To address these challenges, ABA ROLI is collaborating with the Judicial Reform Team of Indonesia’s Supreme Court in preparing a policy brief for the Women and Children Working Group of the Supreme Court to raise awareness and use of Undang-undang Tindak Pidana Kekerasan Seksual (UU TPKS, i.e., the Law on Sexual Violence Crimes). UU TPKS provides victim/survivor restitution, reduces the burden of evidence on the victim/survivor, and requires investigators, public prosecutors, and judges to practice trauma-informed approaches to avoid revictimization. Within the judiciary, the policy brief recommends developing practical guidelines for judges, building the capacity of judges and relevant actors on handling these types of cases; strengthening employee conduct and supervisory regulations; establishing victim/survivor confidentiality and protection mechanisms; formalizing special investigation teams; and improving coordination with the police. ABA ROLI is planning a socialization training session to build the capacity of judges nationwide to provide restitution and effectively handle workplace sexual harassment cases that promote survivor/victim protection and recovery. Further, ABA ROLI is working with LBH APIK Jakarta to develop a specialized training for #laborunions which provide support to sexual harassment victims/survivors within various institutions. The training will cover handling workplace sexual harassment cases with a particular focus on UU TPKS. Ensuring a unified understanding and implementation standard of UU TPKS among relevant stakeholders is crucial for implementation and promoting victim/survivor protection and restitution. #GBV #16DaysofActivism Pictured: 1-3: ABA ROLI held a stakeholder validation meeting in August 2024 to validate findings of its research with BRIN on handling sexual violence and harassment cases. 4: ABA ROLI met with the Supreme Court of Indonesia in August 2024 to discuss research findings on handling sexual harassment and discrimination cases.

Join ABA-CGP's dynamic team! The American Bar Association-Center for Global Programs is looking for candidates for multiple positions. Visit bit.ly/abarolicareers to learn more!

Today we recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the United Nations #16DaysofActivism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, running from November 25th to December 10th. In support of this initiative, we join forces in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls. Over the next couple of weeks, we will share ABA ROLI's work under its Gender and Social Inclusion technical area, where we address #womenempowerment, #gbv, and #vulnerable populations, among others ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eXZjNUhr

Join ABA-CGP's dynamic team! The American Bar Association-Center for Global Programs is looking for candidates for multiple positions. Visit bit.ly/abarolicareers to learn more!

#ProgramSpotlight: Countering Trafficking in Persons in #TheGambia 🌍 In 2024, ABA ROLI launched a new program in The Gambia funded by the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat #TraffickinginPersons, with the aim to address the capacity gaps in prosecuting traffickers, protecting trafficked and vulnerable populations, and preventing trafficking across the country. We will take a foundation-building approach, focusing on #sustainability through knowledge transfer to key anti-trafficking actors, including the judiciary, police, social welfare and shelter staff, civil society organizations, the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons, and the National Human Rights Commission. Our team in The Gambia will also establish a survivor-led Review and Validation Panel, made up of participants from survivors' rights groups and local experts in countering TIP. This panel will provide feedback on program activity creation and implementation as part of our commitment to #peoplecenteredjustice. Check out more of our work in countering TIP ➡ https://lnkd.in/ezJJk--t Pictured: ABA ROLI staff Nicholas Zaremba, Mariama Jammeh Iroegbu, and Lamin Rene Loua at a stakeholder meeting in The Gambia.

Recently, our USAID-funded Human Rights for All (HRA) project in #Guatemala signed subaward agreements with core partners, Diálogos and the Protection Unit for Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala (#UDEFEGUA), as well as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Presidential Commission for Peace and Human Rights (#COPADEH). These signing ceremonies reaffirm a mutual commitment to consolidating the protection of human rights in the country. Read more about these agreements: Diálogos and UDEFEGUA ➡ https://lnkd.in/ex8WQ6dh COPADEH ➡ https://lnkd.in/eJf9AD2X

Join ABA-CGP's dynamic team! The American Bar Association-Center for Global Programs is looking for candidates for multiple positions. Visit bit.ly/abarolicareers to learn more!