CEHRI is a non-profit organisation building on three thematic pillars:
- Accountability for International Crimes
Despite being internationally condemned and affecting humankind as a whole, international crimes continue to be committed throughout the world. State agencies are often responsible for some of the most grave human rights violations, committing atrocities such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide. However, due to the geopolitical and economic interests of the international community, they are repeatedly shielded from accountability.
Such gross violations of international law typically result in mass victimisation and the fragmentation of the affected societies, which are torn apart by conflict and trauma. Without recognition, justice, or support, communities cannot begin to heal from the horrors of the past nor begin to consider a better future.
Mindful of the individual and wider, long-lasting impact of atrocity crimes, CEHRI adopts an interdisciplinary approach in its pursuit of justice. With a team of lawyers, experienced academics, psychiatrists and psychologists, CEHRI seeks to fight impunity in a victim-centred, holistic manner that prioritises the well-being of survivors and prevents the re-traumatisation that is often reported in the context of criminal trials for severe human rights violations. Moreover, CEHRI works with the Open Society Justice Initiative and the European Center of Constitutional Rights a.o. to be able to support and contribute to a variety of cases.
- Environmental Human Rights Protection
With the aim of furthering environmental protection through human rights litigation, we uphold the universal right to live in a sustainable, healthy environment – as recognised in the landmark United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution of 8 October 2021.
While the aforementioned resolution is non-binding, international legal standards developed in instruments such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats have provided a sound basis upon which to enhance environmental protection and safeguard the individual rights they affect. These include the right to life, the right to health, and the right to family life. We see great potential in this area and believe in the lasting impact of the authoritative body of case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which has now dealt with over 300 environment-related cases.
Starting on the Austrian sub-regional level by supporting citizens’ initiatives before domestic courts, CEHRI contributes to both national proceedings and third party interventions before the ECtHR and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on cases that have a link to the either environment or the changing climate. In so doing, it hopes to positively influence developments in Austria and the wider region through the binding legal decisions issued.
More broadly, CEHRI strives to actively contribute to international developments relating to issues such as abusive practices of corporations, as well as the Oslo Principles on Global Climate Change Obligations.
- Anti-poverty Litigation
We focus on the right not to live in poverty. CEHRI aims to show that poverty is linked to breaches of fundamental rights on an individual and structural level. As expressed by the United Nations, poverty is both a cause and consequence of human rights violations. Those living in poverty are often deprived of the most essential rights, such as the right to health, non-discrimination, or education.
However, despite poverty permeating every aspect of an individual’s existence and being a decisive factor in one’s ability to exercise their inherent right to self-determination, it is an injustice that continues to be ignored by governments throughout the world.
Austria is ranked in the top 25 richest countries in the world, yet over 200,000 people experience poverty and social exclusion.Furthermore, national practices in Austria maintain structures which make it almost impossible for victims to access justice, be it via the criminal law, civil law, or administrative law avenues, for past harms that can be directly linked to the poverty they now face.
Aware that poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, CEHRI adopts a holistic approach in its examination of contextual factors and root causes of poverty and supports victims in their attempts to obtain recognition for past injustices that continue to adversely impact their lives today.
CEHRI is a pro-bono organisation. We rely on donations to fund our quest
for the enforcement of human rights, so please don’t be afraid to contribute.