Influence
WE ADVOCATE FOR LAWS, POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT ENSURE PROTECTION FOR THE INDEPENDENCE AND SAFETY OF LAWYERS
Influence
We advocate for a free and independent legal profession at bilateral and multilateral levels. We regularly engage with the human rights bodies at the United Nations in Geneva, such as the Human Rights Council, and actively seek audiences with representatives of individual governments. In the Netherlands, we organise meetings with Dutch legal professionals to raise awareness about the difficulties their colleagues are facing.
We advocate for laws, policies and practices that provide or enhance effective protections for the independent functioning and safety of lawyers in accordance with internationally recognized laws and standards. In this work, we are guided by the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
We do so by:
- Engaging with international bodies and their mechanisms, through submissions and events, to advocate for standards, resolutions and recommendations that strengthen the independence and safety of lawyers.
- Lobbying governments to adopt, implement and enforce effective legal protections and change laws as necessary that encroach on the independence of lawyers.
- Issuing reports on thematic issues or trends to inform our campaigning and increase awareness of the difficulties faced by lawyers around the world.
Side Events
Side events, activities organized outside the formal programme of sessions at international and regional human rights mechanisms’ sessions, provide an excellent opportunity for Member States, Observer States, Observer entities and civil society to discuss issues related to the special theme or present relevant initiatives. Lawyers for Lawyers organizes multiple events each year to draw attention to the specific situation of lawyers
Reports
Lawyers for Lawyers submits reports to international and regional human rights mechanisms on the violations of the rights of lawyers. We also conduct research and thematic studies exploring certain issues related to the topics of our campaigns, and draft legal briefs based on these studies.
Fact-Finding Missions
Lawyers for Lawyers sends Fact Finding Missions to specific countries to investigate the situation of lawyers. Their task is to discover facts in an impartial, objective and comprehensive manner. The missions conduct interviews with lawyers, judges and prosecutors, embassies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders. After the mission, a report is produced and disseminated.
Fact Finding Missions are an important tool for gathering relevant information and bringing it to the attention of the public and they are a signal of our concern about a potentially explosive situation
