The MDGs, Capabilities and Human Rights: The power of numbers to shape agendas

Sakiko Fukuda-Parr (Editor) and Alicia Ely Yamin (Editor) (2015)

London: Routledge (192 pages)

Heralded as opening a new chapter in international development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have led to the use of global goals and quantitative targets as a central instrument for defining global priorities. This book by Sakiko Fukuda-Parr (Editor) and Alicia Ely Yamin (Editor) explores the implications of this new approach. How does target setting influence policy priorities of national […]

Now also in Spanish: Gender Justice & Legal Pluralities

Rachel Sieder y John-Andrew McNeish (2014)

Mexico City: Publicaciones de la Casa Chata 292 p.

Gender Justice and Legal Pluralities: Latin American and African Perspectives examines the relationship between legal pluralities and the prospects for greater gender justice in developing countries. Rather than asking whether legal pluralities are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for women, the starting point of this volume is that legal pluralities are a social fact. Adopting a more […]

Access denied. Abortion rights in Latin America

Camila Gianella-Malca, Siri Gloppen (2014)

Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Brief vol. 13 no. 1) 4 p.

Millions of Latin American women face serious barriers to their sexual and reproductive rights, and they suffer serious consequences as a result. Latin American countries maintain restrictive abortion laws in spite of social developments like economic growth, democratically elected governments, formal adoption of liberal constitutions and ideologies.

Dealing with a violent past: The impact of transitional justice

Elin Skaar, Åse Johanne Roti Dahl (2014)

Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI Brief vol. 11 no. 5) 4 p.

This brief assesses the impact of transitional justice mechanisms on peace and democracy. Based on four case studies from Africa and Latin America, it argues that the expected positive effects of transitional justice may be too high. Transitional justice processes are complex and dynamic and may change substantially over time. The distinction between short term […]

Roads to Reconciliation

Elin Skaar, Siri Gloppen and Astri Suhrke, eds. (2014)

Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books 318 p.

The past two decades have witnessed the end of several civil wars and authoritarian regimes. In a period shaped by the ideal of democratisation, in which more countries are emerging from deep-rooted conflicts, international attention is turning to the question of how societies with a grievous past face issues of accountability and reconciliation. Using an […]

Drivers of Corruption: A Brief Review

Tina Søreide, Professor, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway Corruption is motivated by the possibility of securing something of value for oneself and one s allies. The desire to secure benefits is a human trait and generally positive for development; various forms of rewards drive humans to get up in the morning, do a good […]

Courts, Corruption and Judicial Independence

Siri Gloppen (2014)

in Tina Søreide, Aled Williams: Corruption, Grabbing and Development: Real World Challenges . Cheltenham and Northampton (MA), Edward Elgar Publishing

A well-functioning justice system is crucial to address corruption effectively, which in turn is important for development. But judicial institutions are themselves corruptible. Surveys show that experiences with and perceptions of corruption in the courts are widespread (Afrobarometer, 2010; Latinobarometer, 2010; Eurobarometer, 2011; TI, 2011; GCR, 2012: 303; World Justice Project, 2012). In its 2011 […]

Giving Effect to Children’s Right to Health in Colombia? Analysing the Implementation of Court Decisions Ordering Health System Reform

Camila Gianella, Siri Gloppen and Elisabeth Fosse (2013)

in Journal of Human Rights Practice vol. 5 no. 1 pp. 153-176

Despite major developments to provide conceptual clarity to the legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights, research analysing the processes of implementing court rulings and their actual impact is scarce, and there is a lack of consensus on the impacts of this kind of intervention on public policies, the plaintiffs, society, or on […]