Island Rights Initiative conducts research and advocacy on human rights issues facing small islands. We aim to bring together perspectives from different contexts to provide innovative thinking on the ways small islands can contribute to the global debates on human rights issues and provide leadership on the issues that affect them.
Our activities include seminars, research papers and parliamentary briefings and we work with academic and legal experts who specialise in small state issues including Doughty Street Chambers and Queen Mary University London Centre for Small States.
Some of the issues we have been working on recently include:
- Human Rights Implications of Brexit for UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories
- Rights, Climate Change and Small State International Financial Centres
- Human Rights, Oversight and Surveillance
- Human Rights, the Environment and Climate Change
Consultancy
Our intimate understanding of small communities and their needs combined with a thorough knowledge of international human rights frameworks and practice allows us to tailor our approach to support human rights and small islands in a truly practical way.
Our Services
- Human rights impact assessments and reporting
- Legal horizon-scanning for international human rights and related legal developments
- Strategic policy advice on human rights at home and internationally
- Technical advice on implementation of international human rights and good governance standards
- Legislative review and technical assistance
- Training and awareness raising on human rights and good governance
- Representation and advocacy on human rights
- Scoping of international developments relevant to human rights, good governance and islands
- Networking and connecting communities and groups with common issues
- Organisation of seminars and workshops on human rights and good governance for islands
We Can
- help to ensure legal and policy frameworks are up to date and human rights compliant
- give guidance on good governance and accountability frameworks to protect human rights
- provide strategic legal policy guidance on human rights at home and internationally
- support the work of island NHRIs and Ombudsmen institutions
- support civil society, lawyers and individuals with concerns about human rights
- connect communities, groups and administrations with common human rights issues and interests