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New Tactics in Human Rights: A Resource for Practitioners

Tricia Cornell, Kate Kelsch and Nicole Palasz

A workbook created by The New Tactics in Human Rights Project — a project of the Center for Victims of Torture
March 2004
ISBN: 0-9759789-0-X

Download the Workbook (PDF, 1.7 MB)

This resource is also available in the following languages:

  • Arabic
  • Armenian
  • Bangla
  • Chinese
  • Croatian
  • Farsi
  • French
  • Hebrew
  • Indonesian
  • Mayan
  • Mongolian
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Swahili
  • Ukrainian
  • Urdu

Description

All around the world and at all levels, in small villages and in national governments as well as at the highest levels of international justice, people are creating and using innovative tactics to make their work more effective. The New Tactics in Human Rights Project captures these tactical innovations and shares them with others striving to advance human rights. I invite you to join me in celebrating this work and in making use of the valuable resource you now hold in your hands.

Ten years ago legal experts would have laughed at the prospect of indicting and extraditing a powerful former dictator like Augusto Pinochet. This was not a tactic that seemed available to us. Perpetrators at that level, no matter how barbarous their crimes, moved about the world with impunity. Pinochet’s arrest and extradition changed the way we think about what is possible in international justice. It added a tactic to the human rights arsenal, one that is sure to be used again and again in the future.

I applaud efforts by human rights advocates to use national and international courts and other public forums to call attention to crimes against humanity, wherever they occur, and to call loudly and boldly for justice. But these are just a few among the many new and innovative tactics being used by people around the world, in spheres and regions as diverse as human experience itself, to promote and protect basic human dignity.

I am proud to join the New Tactics in Human Rights Project in presenting this resource. While it could never claim to be an exhaustive catalogue, it is a rich compendium of this fresh and innovative thinking, one which we hope will be valuable to you in your work.

— Justice Richard J. Goldstone, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, retired Chief Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda Chairperson of the International Independent Inquiry on Kosovo Chairperson of the International Task Force on Terrorism established by the International Bar Association

  • Table of Contents

Introduction

Introduction, by Justice Richard J. Goldstone [512 KB pdf]

The Need for New Tactics, by Douglas A. Johnson [111 KB pdf]

Using the Workbook as a Resource [89 KB pdf]

Prevention Tactics

Physical Protection
Tactics that prevent harm through physical presence.

Sharing critical information [139 KB pdf]
Tactics that get critical information into the hands of people who can prevent abuse.

Removing opportunities for abuse [103 KB pdf]
Tactics that anticipate abuse and create obstacles to stop it.
Resistance [168 KB pdf]
Tactics that demonstrate opposition to abuse.

Disruption [116 KB pdf]
Tactics that use direct action to influence a perpetrator to end the abuse.

Persuasion [133 KB pdf]
Tactics that use respected leaders or nonconfrontational institutional mechanisms to negotiate an end to violations.

Incentive [97 KB pdf]
Tactics that provide alternatives to human rights abuse.

Restorative Tactics

Remembering abuses [157 KB pdf]
Tactics that bring to light the nature and extent of abuses, or the identities of the perpetrators or victims.

Strengthening individuals and communities [142 KB pdf]
Tactics that employ mental health interventions, rehabilitation and other techniques to heal individuals and communities.

Seeking redress [155 KB pdf]
Tactics that seek justice through litigation, sanctions, reparations or other means.

Building Human Rights Cultures and Institutions

Building constituencies [144 KB pdf]
Tactics involve new groups in human rights advocacy.

Collaboration [129 KB pdf]
Tactics that are used to develop new and effective partnerships for change.

Building capacity [167 KB pdf]
Tactics that create institutions and training systems to promote human rights.

Building awareness [132 KB pdf]
Tactics that are used to educate about human rights.
Tools [125 KB pdf]
including: Developing creative tactics and strategies, Adapting tactics, Sharing your tactic: A sample tactic presentation, Self-care: Caring for your most valuable resource
Further resources [142 KB pdf]
Print and electronic resources on tactical and strategic thinking and on particular tactics.
Index of Tactics [497 KB pdf]

Share a Tactic

Table of Contents

Introduction

Introduction, by Justice Richard J. Goldstone [512 KB pdf]

The Need for New Tactics, by Douglas A. Johnson [111 KB pdf]

Using the Workbook as a Resource [89 KB pdf]

Prevention Tactics

Physical Protection
Tactics that prevent harm through physical presence.

Sharing critical information [139 KB pdf]
Tactics that get critical information into the hands of people who can prevent abuse.

Removing opportunities for abuse [103 KB pdf]
Tactics that anticipate abuse and create obstacles to stop it.
Resistance [168 KB pdf]
Tactics that demonstrate opposition to abuse.

Disruption [116 KB pdf]
Tactics that use direct action to influence a perpetrator to end the abuse.

Persuasion [133 KB pdf]
Tactics that use respected leaders or nonconfrontational institutional mechanisms to negotiate an end to violations.

Incentive [97 KB pdf]
Tactics that provide alternatives to human rights abuse.

Restorative Tactics

Remembering abuses [157 KB pdf]
Tactics that bring to light the nature and extent of abuses, or the identities of the perpetrators or victims.

Strengthening individuals and communities [142 KB pdf]
Tactics that employ mental health interventions, rehabilitation and other techniques to heal individuals and communities.

Seeking redress [155 KB pdf]
Tactics that seek justice through litigation, sanctions, reparations or other means.

Building Human Rights Cultures and Institutions

Building constituencies [144 KB pdf]
Tactics involve new groups in human rights advocacy.

Collaboration [129 KB pdf]
Tactics that are used to develop new and effective partnerships for change.

Building capacity [167 KB pdf]
Tactics that create institutions and training systems to promote human rights.

Building awareness [132 KB pdf]
Tactics that are used to educate about human rights.
Tools [125 KB pdf]
including: Developing creative tactics and strategies, Adapting tactics, Sharing your tactic: A sample tactic presentation, Self-care: Caring for your most valuable resource
Further resources [142 KB pdf]
Print and electronic resources on tactical and strategic thinking and on particular tactics.
Index of Tactics [497 KB pdf]

Share a Tactic

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