Author: The Advocates for Human Rights

Date: 2014

People in diaspora communities have an increasingly important global role to play as a bridge between individuals, governments, and international legal and political mechanisms.  Diaspora communities are a critical link in creating change – from within the country, as well as from without – in social institutions and structures to hold governments accountable and promote the full realization of human rights.

The purpose of this publication is to provide practical tools and step-by-step guidance for diaspora community groups and individuals who want to use human rights monitoring, documentation, and advocacy in their work to change policy and improve human rights conditions in their countries of origin. The contents of this manual have been shaped by the requests for assistance and guidance that The Advocates routinely receives from diaspora communities, as well as by input from human rights defenders in the Global South.  The manual is designed to aid advocates of all backgrounds and experiences.  With background information, key questions to consider, case examples, templates, and practitioners’ tips, this manual provides tools to combat human rights abuses and promote the full realization of human rights.

Paving Pathways for Justice & Accountability: Human Rights Tools for Diaspora Communities provides a full menu of useful resources that are grounded in the daily work of human rights defenders like The Advocates for Human Rights. While this manual was created to facilitate the inclusion of diaspora voices in efforts to hold governments accountable for human rights, we hope that it will also benefit and be used by human rights defenders and civil society organizations throughout the world.

Click here to download the full report (free). 

 Cover and Front Matter

 Quick Reference Guide

 Table of Contents

 Chapter 1: Introduction

 Chapter 2: Human Rights Background

 Chapter 3: Monitoring

 Chapter 4: Additional Monitoring Tools

 Chapter 5: Remote Monitoring

 Chapter 6: Documentation: Writing the Report

 Chapter 7: Advocacy

 Chapter 8: Accountability

 Chapter 9: Advocacy at the United Nations

 Chapter 10: Advocacy at Regional Human Rights Mechanisms

 Chapter 11: Building Capacity to Be Effective Human Rights Advocates

 Appendix A: Document Storage

 Appendix B: Report Layout

 Appendix C: Best Practices: Using Popular Social Media Platforms for Effective Human Rights Advocacy

 Appendix D: Tips for Navigating Social Media Platforms

 Appendix E: Sample Press Release

 Appendix F: Diaspora Ministries

 Appendix G: Resources for Advocacy on Business Practices and Human Rights

 Appendix H: National Human Rights Institutions

 Appendix I: Complaint Mechanisms

 Appendix J: Human Rights Council Complaint Procedure Form

 Appendix K: UN and Regional Special Procedures

 Appendix L: Checklist for Shadow Reporting to the UN and Regional Human Rights Mechanisms

 Appendix M: 10 Steps to Writing a Shadow Report

 Appendix N: OHCHR Fact Sheet on CEDAW Communications

 Appendix O: CEDAW Communication Template

 Appendix P: African Commission Shadow Report Template

 Appendix Q: Resources for Human Rights Defenders

 Photograph and Image Credits and Back Cover