Description
The goal of the project is to improve the protection of rights of vulnerable groups in the area of equal treatment (incl. cases of discrimination, hate crime and incitement to hatred) and migration (incl. family reunification, residence permits) using strategic litigation as an advocacy tool in Estonia. The Strategic litigation involves taking civil, criminal and administrative cases to judicial and extrajudicial bodies in order to impact the quality of relevant laws and their implementation. As a result of the project, specific goals have been set for strategic litigation and required competency and human resource has been developed in order to achieve those goals.
Summary of project results
The project has created a basis to achieve wider societal impacts using strategic litigation. The aim of the project was to create this basis, to create knowledge and improve skills of both the staff of Estonian Human Rights Centre (EHRC) and interested lawyers. This has been achieved: there have been a number of trainings and workshops covering different aspects of strategic litigation work that involve both national and international dimensions, but taking into consideration the specific legal and social context of Estonia. Several strategic cases have been initiated during the last months of the project. As a result of the project, awareness of EHRC staff, volunteers and lawyers of strategic litigation has been increased and also of specfic legal problems in the area of equal treatment and migration. There is also enhanced awareness of legal remedies and institutions to which to turn to to find help. During the year, it was not expected that there would be an increase of notifications, but specific channels have been created (web-based form and booklet). As a result of the project strategic litigation as a tool for advocacy has been entrenched in the different advocacy methods that EHRC uses to advance its goals in the areas of minorities and refugees.
Summary of bilateral results
The contribution to the project was the participation of the organisation at experience sharing workshop in Tallinn. The participation by two experienced persons from the organisation helped to understand the challenges faced and strategies used by OMOD in their work to fight racism and promote non-discrimination. We have agreed to explore opportunities for common activities in the future, specifically in the framework of Horizon 2020 programme to engage in research-based advocacy.