About
The Human Rights Center works to promote human rights and international justice worldwide and to train the next generation of human rights researchers and advocates. We believe that sustainable peace and development can be achieved only through efforts to prevent human rights abuses and hold those responsible for such crimes accountable. We use empirical research methods to investigate and expose serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In our studies and reports, we recommend specific policy measures that should be taken by governments and international organizations to protect vulnerable populations in times of war and political and social upheaval.
Human Rights Center
Conferences (1)
Kenya Sexual Offences Act Implementation Workshop Report
This report presents the objectives, discussion, and findings of the Sexual Offences Act Implementation Workshop, held in Naivasha, Kenya, 25–27 May, 2011. It serves as the full record of three days of discussion and provides a background to Workshop participants’ final recommendations for improved implementation of Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act.
The idea of such a convening was first conceptualized by the University of California’s Human Rights Center, in the context of research conducted by its Sexual Violence and Accountability Project. The Workshop was then brought to fruition in conjunction with Kenya’s Task Force on the Implementation of the Sexual Offences Act and the Workshop Steering Committee. Along with the Task Force, the Steering Committee included representatives from Liverpool VCT Care and Treatment (LVCT), Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya (FIDA-K), International Commission of Jurists -Kenya (ICJ-K), Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW), Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), AIDS Free World, and the Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley (HRC).
The overarching objective of the convening was to improve implementation of Kenya’s 2006 Sexual Offences Act (SOA) by bringing together more than eighty six participants drawn from a cross-section of government and civil society organizations. They came from around the country to discuss sectoral capacity challenges and explore ways to improve the overall process of protection envisioned by the Act.
Reports (31)
The Victims Court: A Study of 622 Victim Participants at the International Criminal Court
This multi-country study interviews 622 survivors of war crimes and crimes against humanity is an independent study written at the request of the International Criminal Court and released at the Assembly of States Parties meeting in The Hague on Nov. 20, 2015. The study finds that meaningful victim participation at the International Criminal Court (ICC) hinges on greater investment by member states in outreach and educational programs, so that victims can more fully understand their rights under the Rome Statute.