for
justice
to be done

Annual Report 2021-2022

Overview

20 Years of Solidarity and Commitment

As we publish this report, Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC) celebrates its 20th anniversary. That’s right, it’s already been 20 years!

Twenty years spent fighting to help the most vulnerable realize their human rights…

Striving to increase access to justice and legal representation; 

Sharing the knowledge and expertise of legal practitioners worldwide; 

Elevating the law as an instrument of change and progress; 

Contributing to peace and reconciliation;

Working hard to establishing the truth and seek justice in emblematic legal cases of crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, gender-based violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other serious human rights violations;

Building a world in which fundamental freedoms and human rights as defined by international law are respected, enforced, and promoted, and a world in which justice is served on an independent and equitable basis;

Inspiring and training actors of change, capitalizing on the younger generations. 

 

Twenty years of combatting impunity, corruption, discrimination, and inequalities…

Of victories before national and international jurisdictions;

Of partnerships and collaborations with organizations worldwide;

Of advocacy and mobilization to affirm the rule of law and respect for judicial guarantees; 

Of sexual and gender equality, diversity, and inclusion; 

Of volunteer cooperation;

Of international solidarity;

Of commitment.

Human for Human Rights

Twenty years on, LWBC is now recognized for its tangible achievements in the field. 

These outstanding results are the fruit of the relentless work of thousands of people. On the frontline stand the most vulnerable groups and victims of human rights violations who have mustered incredible courage to seek the path to justice, and exceptional generosity to share their journey with us. 

Praise also goes to LWBC’s partner organizations with whom we have had the extraordinary privilege of working in Latin America, the Caribbean, in Africa, and here in Canada. LWBC’s expertise, best practices, theory of change, and methodology are all the product of the lessons learnt with our partners these past two decades. And that’s precisely the idea behind what we know as “international cooperation” – helping each other better defend human rights by sharing teachings and best practices.

LWBC’s success and performance are also largely due to all those who are or have been a part of our great team: staff members, our board of directors, and people at all levels of the organization; participants in our volunteer cooperation programmes; volunteers based in Canada and abroad in project countries; people who have advised us, stood by us as allies and showed us the way.

And not to forget of course our financial partners, donors, those who believe in us and in our mission, and who express their support in the form of financial or service contributions, and without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today, given that the assistance we provide to beneficiaries in the field has always been free of charge. 

We owe this 20th anniversary to them, and we owe it to you. Which is why we’re celebrating together. As a way of thanking you so very deeply, and renewing our common commitment.

Following Through in 2021-2022

Certainly one great way of celebrating is for LWBC to do what it does best – persevere in its mission, building on 20 years of achievements and well aware of the tough challenges ahead. 

This annual report covers activities from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, and demonstrates how LWBC did indeed pursue its positive momentum, leveraging the law and legal mechanisms as instruments of change to secure tangible results in favour of greater access to justice and respect for the human rights of those in vulnerable situations. 

The 18 projects we implemented in 9 countries over the past year – with a higher yearly budget amounting to $15 million – directly impacted the lives of 121,172 persons in vulnerable situations, including 4,740 victims who received legal support. Over 100 high-profile cases of human rights violations were brought before international courts and jurisdictions.

Figures aside, what counts is the difference our efforts make in the lives of the most vulnerable, the most impoverished, the most marginalized, and the most discriminated against. Those with whom and for whom we work. Those who need access to justice the most, those who need to see results in order for their human rights to be realized. 

We’ve summarized these achievements in this year’s annual report. However, our report is just that: a summary. A summary of great victories, progress, and changes against a backdrop of fascinating, moving stories. To delve deeper, and see and read more, we encourage you to head over to our numerous media platforms (including our website and our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages) and to follow us. 

We hope you enjoy reading, watching, and listening to LWBC’s success stories! One thing that’s for sure is that we’ve plenty to do together over the next 20 years before we celebrate LWBC’s 40th anniversary!   

 

Delia Cristea

Pascal Paradis

Delia Cristea, President of the Board of Directors

Pascal Paradis – Executive Director

LWBC in Figures

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18
projects

18 international cooperation projects

28
nationalities

on our team (Argentina, Austria, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, El Salvador, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and Venezuela)

100
high-profile cases

Over 100 high-profile cases of human rights violations brought before international courts and jurisdictions

105,805
vulnerable individuals

More than 105,805 vulnerable individuals directly or indirectly benefiting from our actions or our partners’ actions

17,880
victims

Over 17,881 victims supported, including through direct legal aid and judicial assistance, from LWBC or LWBC partners

7
offices

round the world (Bamako, Bogotá, Guatemala City, Quebec City, Port-au-Prince, San Salvador, and Tegucigalpa), and 3 regional offices in Colombia (Medellín, Bucaramanga, and Pasto)

9
countries

of intervention (Canada, Benin, Burkina Faso, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mali)

134
employees

and interns deployed nationally and abroad, comprising 86 women and 48 men 

135
partners

135 partners supported and empowered

18
mandates

18 volunteer cooperation mandates

18

projects

18 international cooperation projects

28

nationalities

on our team (Argentina, Austria, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, El Salvador, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and Venezuela)

100

high-profile cases

Over 100 high-profile cases of human rights violations brought before international courts and jurisdictions

105,805

vulnerable individuals

More than 105,805 vulnerable individuals directly or indirectly benefiting from our actions or our partners’ actions

17,880

victims

Over 17,881 victims supported, including through direct legal aid and judicial assistance, from LWBC or LWBC partners

7

offices

round the world (Bamako, Bogotá, Guatemala City, Quebec City, Port-au-Prince, San Salvador, and Tegucigalpa), and 3 regional offices in Colombia (Medellín, Bucaramanga, and Pasto)

9

countries

of intervention (Canada, Benin, Burkina Faso, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mali)

134

employees

and interns deployed nationally and abroad, comprising 86 women and 48 men 

135

partners

135 partners supported and empowered

18

mandates

18 volunteer cooperation mandates

ASFC Around the World

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Mali

Projects:

 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Strategic Litigation in Emblematic Cases

LWBC-supported initiatives have allowed women, girls and other vulnerable individuals to improve the effectiveness of their actions in the fight against sexist and sexual violence, discrimination, and impunity. LWBC’s support helped them take matters into their own hands and make their rights a reality, increase their autonomy over their lives, and transform power relationships.

  • A landmark victory was secured in the Kayes Court of Appeal for victims of descent-based slavery (whereby a person is considered to be a slave based on their ancestors’ status as enslaved persons). The Court of Appeal affirmed the customary property rights of descent-based slavery victims over agricultural land they had been farming for more than 30 years for their “masters”. The ruling, which was obtained thanks to the arduous work put in by peacebuilding association Temedt with the support of LWBC, constitutes a major jurisprudential reversal that will allow other victims to reclaim their property. 
  • Thanks to support provided by LWBC to the “Association des juristes maliennes”, victims were presented with the opportunity to participate in the trial of the Koulogon massacre, in which 39 people were killed on January 1, 2019. At the end of the trial, the accused were declared guilty of murder, arson, robbery, criminal conspiracy, and illegal possession of firearms. Although LWBC deplores the death penalty sentence handed down to the accused – who didn’t show up in court following an unfortunate order for provisional release – as well as the absence of reparation for the victims, the ruling is indicative of some degree of commitment to fighting impunity. The trial was also an opportunity for survivors to expose the truth by testifying about the massacre before the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), which itself is supported by LWBC.
  • In order for them to participate in the judicial process involving them, 172 victims, including 53 women, received appropriate psychological support.

Peace and Reconciliation

With the help of LWBC and several partners based in Mali, women, children and other individuals in vulnerable situations were able to participate more in decisions relating to the reconciliation process and contributed to peacebuilding efforts:

  • The policy on reparations for victims of human rights violations, supported by LWBC, the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) and its partners was adopted by the Government – a crucial stage before being adopted by the National Transition Council (legislative body). 
  • Youth who were also victims of the conflict were able to participate in the transitional justice process. Through LWBC-supported youth organizations, more than 300 participants, including 170 women, led artistic and media initiatives focused on raising awareness on issues surrounding justice, reconciliation, and peace. The youth victims also received assistance in filing their statement before the TJRC. 
  • Truth, which constitutes a basic requirement for reconciliation, was established thanks to the voices of victims of the conflict who received help in testifying at public TJRC hearings on violations of the right to freedom and life; on torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and enforced disappearances.

Young Legal Experts Defending Human Rights

A new generation of young human rights lawyers is emerging thanks to the participation of 16 students, including 6 women, in the 6th edition of the “À vous maître” moot court competition organized by the “Tribune des jeunes pour le droit au Mali” (TRIJEUD) with support from LWBC. 

 

Publications: 

News and articles

2022. Dix organisations maliennes se mobilisent pour concrétiser la justice et la paix au Mali (in French)

2022. Les jeunes déplacé-e-s internes de plus en plus impliqué-e-s dans le processus de justice transitionnelle au Mali (in French)

2021. Cour de justice de la CEDEAO :La suspension des procédures concernant le Mali et la Guinée est un frein à la justice pour les victimes de violations des droits humains (in French)

2021. Les réparations pour les survivantes de violences sexuelles liées au conflit au Mali au centre d’une table ronde (in French)

2021. La suite de la Commission vérité, justice et réconciliation actuellement discutée à Bamako (in French)

2021. La CVJR fera entendre la voix des sans-voix pour une quatrième fois (in French)

2021. Dix organisations maliennes se mobilisent pour concrétiser la justice et la paix au Mali (in French)

2021. Les victimes des multiples crises au Mali obtiendront réparation (in French)

2021. More than $16M provided to Lawyers Without Borders Canada for a project promoting peace and justice in Mali

2021. Réécrire l’histoire du Mali, une victime à la fois (in French)

2021. « J’ai besoin de savoir si mes enfants sont morts ou vivants » (in French)

2021. La CVJR prête à mettre en lumière les cas de disparitions forcées au Mali (in French)

2021. Il est urgent de mener une enquête judiciaire indépendante sur les frappes à Bounty (in French)

Partners:

Volunteer cooperation participants: 4.

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Colombia

Projects: 

  • Organizational support plan for preserving access to justice by women victims of sex-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic – 2020-2021, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, Québec International Development Program 
  • Support for LWBC’s mandate – 2021-2024, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, New Quebec Without Borders program  

 

Peace and Reconciliation

Victims of serious crimes committed in the context of the internal armed conflict, and in particular women and girls, indigenous, Afro-Columbian, and displaced communities, received better access to justice, truth, and reparation mechanisms as part of peacebuilding efforts.

  • Women reclaimed their power to participate actively in transitional justice and positively influence the peace and reconciliation process. 615 of these women and around 100 other vulnerable people received support from LWBC in leading the “Re-Tejiendo Saberes” (building new knowledge) program – a collective initiative for training, discussion of best practices, action plan development and implementation, and dialogue with State authorities. The program improved access to justice by Colombian women, and fostered heightened trust between them and national institutions to increase their participation in the peace process. Involved in the program since 2017, these women organized several workshops on their own to raise awareness among members within their community. 
  • Women contributed directly to the effective realization of the right to truth and to the preservation of collective memory regarding the armed conflict through 15 communication and awareness-raising peacebuilding projects carried out by women’s groups and organizations with the support of LWBC. 
  • Integration of the principles of justice, truth, and reconciliation in the implementation of the peace agreements according to a gender-based approach was facilitated thanks to training on gender issues, transitional justice, and peacebuilding delivered to 31 State agents, including 20 women, by LWBC in collaboration with the Industrial University of Santander. 
  • The inclusion in transitional justice mechanisms of the specific rights of vulnerable populations, including indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities and LGBTI persons, was expanded through various high-level advocacy actions. Among other things, LWBC supported the organization “Caribe Afirmativo” in producing a report presented to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace documenting the rights violations experienced by LGBTI people in the context of the armed conflict.

Combatting Human Trafficking

The actions of the Office of the Ombudsperson (Defensoría del Pueblo) and organizations involved in the fight against human trafficking have improved.

  • The support and representation provided to victims of human trafficking was strengthened through the training of 130 people (including 95 women) in charge of assisting the victims. The training focused on providing effective support to victims of human trafficking using a gender-based approach. 
  • Training provided for 25 people; including 18 women, from 12 different organizations allowed for better detection of victims of trafficking and enhanced documentation of cases of human trafficking in order to better support victims. Special attention was given to cases involving women and girls as well as members of sexual orientation and gender identity minorities. 
  • The Colombian Ombudsperson’s Office is analyzing ways to improve the national regulatory framework regarding human trafficking with legal support from LWBC.

 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Strategic Litigation in Emblematic Cases

Colombian civil society organizations have contributed to improving access to justice and fighting impunity by strengthening reporting and prosecution of crimes committed against people in vulnerable situations, particularly women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence: 

  • 14 emblematic cases brought by LWBC partners have seen significant judicial progress. Among others, the Ministry of Defence and the National Army were declared responsible in a case of enforced disappearance and homicide of a minor; in another case, the mother and sister of a victim of an extrajudicial execution were themselves recognized as victims and will be able to participate in the judicial process; and in another case a group of paramilitaries was indicted in a case involving homicides, sexual violence, threats, torture, and kidnapping.
  • Colombia’s Council of State upheld an order to compensate the Afro-Colombian community of Anchicayá for a spill of toxic sediments trapped in a dam, caused by the fault of a private company and the negligence of the government. The community’s efforts, which have received LWBC’s support since 2013, earned them Colombia’s National Human Rights Award. But the struggle is not over: LWBC has filed a petition before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights denouncing the unjustified delay in the payment of compensation.
  • The rights to justice and truth are being realized for thousands of victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity (“international crimes”) committed during the armed conflict in Colombia following a report published by LWBC documenting and analyzing 45 landmark cases of international crimes. The report also allows partners to have an integral view of the cases in order to identify those most responsible for these crimes.

Publications: 

Legal publication

2021. El delito de la trata de personas y la atención integral a víctimas, con enfoque de género (in Spanish)

News and articles 

2022.  Se clausura el diplomado “Género, justicia transicional y construcción de paz” organizado por Abogados sin Fronteras Canadá y la Universidad Industrial de Santander (in Spanish)

2022. Abogados sin fronteras Canadá reitera su preocupación por la seguridad de las personas en proceso de reincorporación a la vida civil firmantes del Acuerdo Final de Paz (in Spanish)

2022. Avocats sans frontières Canada exprime son inquiétude face aux menaces qui pèsent sur la Juridiction spéciale pour la paix en Colombie (in French)

2021. La communauté afro-descendante d’Anchicayá en Colombie reçoit le «Prix national des droits humains» (in French)

2021. Nous parions sur la paix en Colombie (in French)

2021. Des conflits qui unissent les femmes de la Colombie et du Venezuela (in French)

2021. ASFC condamne un usage abusif de la force en réponse aux manifestations en Colombie (in French)

2021. ASFC presenta aportes desde el derecho internacional a la Corte Constitucional (in Spanish)

2021. Non à la traite de personnes en Colombie (in French)

Partners:

Volunteer cooperation participants: 5.

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Guatemala

Projects: 

  • Fund for the protection of human rights in Guatemala (FPDDH, Fonds de protection des défenseurs des droits humains au Guatemala) – 2021-2026, Global Affairs Canada, bilateral program 
  • Support for LWBC’s mandate – 2021-2024, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie,  New Quebec Without Borders program  

 

Protecting Legal Experts Defending Human Rights

With support from LWBC, civil society organizations in Guatemala have strengthened their capacities to respond to threats and violence against legal professionals who defend human rights, thereby contributing to improving their safety and well-being. 

  • LWBC interventions safeguarded the lives, freedom, and safety of several legal professionals and justice-system actors who were threatened, attacked and prosecuted in court. 
  • LWBC partners provided psychosocial and legal support to 61 human rights defenders, including 43 criminalized individuals and victims of attacks in relation to their efforts to defend the human rights of the indigenous communities of Chicoyogüito and Cubilguitz following forced evictions. 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Strategic Litigation in Emblematic Cases

Access to justice for indigenous women and girls has improved. They were themselves able to exercise their rights through legal empowerment to bring an end to gender-based violence and other rights violations.  

  • 922 women, most of whom are indigenous, exercised their rights with the support from LWBC partners who offered legal, psychological/medical and financial empowerment services taking into account their cultural specificities. 
  • Indigenous women and girls who suffered sexual and sexist violence received assistance from appropriate services thanks to the gender-based-based, cross-cutting, and victim-centred support and care protocols developed by our partners with support from LWBC. 
  • Indigenous girls who suffered sexual violence in the education system in the region of Alta Verapaz obtained justice as perpetrators received sentences in two landmark cases led by Guatemalan lawyers with support from LWBC.

 

Civic Engagement in Favour of Human Rights

In an effort to contribute to changing mindsets and behaviours through awareness-raising and advocacy actions, the “Asociación Generando Equidad, Liderazgo y Oportunidades” (ASOGEN), one of LWBC’s partners, asked before the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that Guatemala respect and guarantee the rights of disabled women and girls, including by providing them with access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health services. 

Publications:

News and articles 

2022. Organizaciones Internacionales Rechazamos Criminalización de la abogada Leyli Santizo y la ex Fiscal Siomara Sosa (in Spanish)

2022. Des progrès judiciaires significatifs pour deux jeunes Guatémaltèques autochtones (in French)

2022. Alta Verapaz: importantes avances en los procesos judiciales de tres niñas (in Spanish)

2021. L’accès à la justice renforcé pour les femmes autochtones du Guatemala (in French)

Partners:

Volunteer cooperation participants: 1.

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Haiti

Projects: 

Projects initiated in 2021: 

  • Women and Girls Standing up with Dignity for our Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Haiti (FANMKAD, “Femmes et filles debout avec dignité pour nos droits sexuels et reproductifs en Haïti”) – 2021-2025, Global Affairs Canada, bilateral program
  • Support for the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents and youth in Haiti (RESPECT, “Respect des droits sexuels et reproductifs des adolescent.e.s et des jeunes en Haïti) – 2021-2026, Global Affairs Canada, Partnerships for Development Innovation Branch

 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Strategic Litigation in Emblematic Cases

Victims of human rights violations, especially women, minors, and detained individuals, received better legal representation, exercise their rights in court, fight impunity and see justice served: 

  • Legal aid and judicial assistance services for vulnerable people have improved thanks to training offered to 40 agents of the “Office de protection du citoyen” (equivalent of the office of the Ombudsperson), including 16 women, on the rights of the most vulnerable groups, gender-based issues, and methodology for receiving and dealing with complaints. 
  • 740 people, including 464 women and 293 victims of gender-based violence including minors were able to access quality legal aid and judicial assistance services from LWBC partners. Thanks to these services, many victims were able to uphold their rights: 171 victims of unjustified provisional detention were released, 4 women secured alimony settlements (a rare occurrence in Haiti), and 1 woman who had been sexually assaulted by an individual in a position of power received protection measures.
  • 47 individuals belongoing to sexual orientation and gender identity minorities received legal aid, judicial assistance and psychological support from LWBC partners, yielding tangible results. For example, a woman who was arrested by a police officer demanding sexual intercourse in exchange for her release was released without harm, and a man who fell victim to discriminatory behaviour (including threats of losing his job) from his employer on grounds of his sexual orientation has seen the behaviour stop since receiving legal aid and is now able to work without having to worry.
  • 336 women were empowered through training and entrepreneurship programs delivered by Kri Fanm Ayiti (KRIFA) with support from LWBC, to become owners of microenterprises in fabric printing, screen printing, and manufacturing and selling cleaning products, with a view to reintegrating society after being detained.
  • 46 emblematic human rights violations cases led by the “Collectif d’avocate.e.s spécialisé.e.s en litige stratégique de droits humains” (CALSDH) have secured major legal advances including the release of three unlawfully detained women, the reopening of a case involving an arbitrarily detained woman who still hasn’t been heard by a judge since her incarceration in 2019, and progress in the investigation into the case of a woman who was the victim of sexist and sexual violence committed by the director of a non-governmental organization.

Young Legal Experts Defending Human Rights

A new generation of human rights actors is in the making, as 52 schoolchildren received training on advocacy techniques and on gender equality, 25 law students participated in training on writing academic theses on human rights-related topics, and 9 students received support for academic research projects on the fight against corruption.

17 whistleblowers are now even more actively engaged in the fight against corruption after receiving capacity-building support to identify and expose corruption.

 

Civic Engagement in Favour of Human Rights

Women actively contribute to mitigating unjustified provisional detention of women and girls by leading advocacy and awareness raising initiatives jointly with seven women’s and feminist civil society organizations in different regions of Haiti.

Awareness was raised on human rights among more than 100,000 people through various channels, including social media, documentaries, cartoons, plays, music, videos, and audio recordings. An episode of the cartoon Lakou Kajou, which was produced as part of the project, was even nominated as a finalist for the Munich Prix Jeunesse International award, which rewards the best children’s television programs around the world.

Publications: 

News and articles 

2022. Avocats sans frontières Canada, l’Institut pour la Justice et la Démocratie en Haïti et la Global Justice Clinic de l’Université de New York dénoncent les menaces de mort dont fait l’objet le défenseur des droits humains Pierre Espérance (in French)

2022. Lawyers Without Borders Canada denounce the UN’s silence on behalf of the victims of cholera in Haiti

2022. Care Canada, Santé Monde, Lawyers Without Borders Canada and the Government of Canada announce funding for FANMKAD project

2021. Une jeune haïtienne se porte à la défense des personnes en situation de handicap (in French)

2021. La détérioration de la situation des droits humains en Haïti est très préoccupante (in French)

2021. Les racines du mal, près de 30 ans de duvaliérisme en Haïti (in French)

2021. New appeal to the IACHR seeking the accountability of the Government of Haiti in light of the judicial standstill in the case of Duvalier and others

2021. Avocats sans frontières Canada salue la résolution adoptée par la CIDH en faveur de M. Camille Occius et sa famille (in French)

2021. Après Port-au-Prince, des avocat.e.s en région s’initient au litige stratégique de droits humains (in French)

2021. Un an après l’assassinat du bâtonnier Dorval, il faut que justice soit rendue (in French)

Partners 

In Haiti 

Canadian partners:

Volunteer cooperation participants: 4.

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honduras

Projects: 

  • Civil society for the consolidation of human rights in Honduras (“Honduras con Derechos”) – 2021-2024, European Union, European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)
  • Support for LWBC’s mandate – 2021-2024, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, New Quebec Without Borders program  

 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Strategic Litigation in Emblematic Cases

Partnering with LWBC, civil society organizations in Honduras have helped establish legal precedents for the effective protection of human rights and the reduction of corruption and impunity thanks to increased access to specialized legal services. 

  • 16,272 victims, including 8,228 women and girls, accessed justice thanks to the legal representation and advice provided by LWBC-supported firms, including on fighting gender-based violence.
  • 16 landmark human rights violation cases were taken up by LWBC partner firms for the first time or saw significant legal progress during the year. For example:
    • The rights of more than 15,000 street children were safeguarded following a Supreme Court ruling recognizing the responsibility of the Honduran State in failing these children, and the government’s inaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Indigenous people gained access to justice, and the rights of victims in cases of grand corruption were recognized by a Supreme Court decision. The ruling confirms that the Civic Council of Popular Indigenous Organisations (COPINH), supported by LWBC, and the 800 people of the indigenous Lenca community represented by the COPINH have the right to participate in the trial on the corruption practices by public officials in granting concessions for the Agua Zarca hydropower project on the Gualcarque river.
    • State obligations and mandatory measures for companies to adopt in order to respect human rights were endorsed in an historic decision handed down by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the Buzos Miskitos case involving an indigenous community whose rights to health and life were violated by harmful practices by underwater fishing corporations in fisheries which the community highly depends on to support its needs.
  • Women obtained justice in the two emblematic cases Alejandra and Hortensia, representing two major victories in fighting sexual violence against minors. In both cases the perpetrators were convicted. These decisions give rise to powerful jurisprudence and help identify best practices when it comes to strategic litigation in these types of cases.

Civic Engagement

Civil society in Honduras is increasingly engaged in protecting human rights, cleaning up the justice system, and improving governance. Matters involving gender-based violence, corruption, corporate obligations with regard to human rights, and the implementation of human rights recommendations issued by international bodies are making headway among members of the public and in the media following awareness-raising activities, public interventions, and campaigns carried out by our partners using the instruments and practical guides we developed together. 

 

Young Legal Professionals Defending Human Rights

A new generation of motivated legal professionals is in the works thanks to LWBC’s internship program “Semillero de Justicia” which has allowed 9 interns, including 6 women, to gain work experience within 7 partner organizations and with LWBC. These young legal practitioners are already working on court cases, and some interns have been hired by the legal teams of partner organizations and firms and by government divisions. 

Publications: 

Guía para usar las recomendaciones de órganos y mecanismos internacionales, 2022

Documentary: 28 de junio:Vicky vs Honduras (in Spanish)

 

News and articles

2022. ¿Cuál es la situación de justicia para las muertes violentas de mujeres en Honduras? (in Spanish)

2022. 51 representantes de sociedad civil concluyen Diplomado en Litigio Estratégico y Derechos Humanos en Honduras (in Spanish)

2021. Quel avenir pour la lutte contre la corruption au Honduras ? (in French)

2021. Vicky Hernandez : une décision historique pour la communauté LGBTI d’Amérique latine (in French)

2021. Reconnaissance du peuple Lenca dans l’affaire « Fraude sur le Gualcarque » : un pas vers la justice (in French)

2021. ASFC entrega donación de materiales académicos a Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas de la UNAH (in Spanish)

Partners: 

Volunteer cooperation participants: 3.

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Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador

Project:

 

Strengthening Access to Justice

Thanks to the intervention of LWBC and local partners, the fight against cross-border crime – including human trafficking – has been strengthened, and the rights of vulnerable migrants protected:

  • 139 cases were heard before Guatemala City’s specialized tribunal dealing with human trafficking and sexual exploitation crimes, serving an example for neighbouring countries. 
  • 209 victims, including 40 women and 124 minors, received high-quality legal aid and judicial assistance in Guatemala and Honduras in 81 human trafficking and sexual exploitation cases. To date, 20 have resulted in convictions.
  • 100 human trafficking and sexual exploitation cases have seen progress thanks to novel investigation techniques, including the use of data extraction programs that allow public prosecution authorities in Guatemala and El Salvador to analyze and present evidence from electronic devices.
  • The judicial process is more human-led and adapted to the needs of children and adolescents now that closed-circuit television coverage has been introduced in 56 cases brought before specialized tribunals dealing with human trafficking matters in Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango. 
  • Thanks to new coordination strategies encouraged by LWBC, more than 40 labour exploitation victims, including minors, were freed following the very first joint investigation carried out between the public prosecutor’s office of Honduras and labour inspectors, health authorities, and national police units.

Civil Society Capacity Building

Following training for 3,662 justice-system actors and members of civil society, including 2,639 women, civil society organizations contributed to improved representation of victims of human trafficking before the courts. Specialized training covered international standards and best practices for fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation. 

Institutional Practices and Regional Cooperation

With support from LWBC, institutional practices and regulatory frameworks have been improved to put an end to cross-border crimes committed against women and other vulnerable migrant populations: 

  • The criminal code of Honduras was amended to include a definition of human trafficking in compliance with international standards and in line with the legislation of other countries in the region.
  • El Salvador adopted a new national policy against human trafficking which advocates for a gender-based approach and provides for the establishment of institutions to implement the policy, the allocation of a specific budget, and monitoring to be carried out by the National Anti-Human Trafficking Council.
  • Thanks to LWBC’s support, the public prosecutor’s offices of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador collaborated and shared vital information with each other to locate victims in three cases, two of which resulted in convictions for human trafficking.

Publications:

Legal publications 

2021. Les Survivantes : une approche novatrice en matière de sensibilisation et prévention du phénomène de l’exploitation sexuelle (in French)

2021. L’approche centrée sur la victime au sein des procédures pénales canadiennes: pratiques du Service de police de la Ville de Montréal et de l’Équipe intégrée de lutte contre le proxénétisme (in French)

2021. Guía de litigio con énfasis en trata de personas:Consejos de un litigante a otros litigantes (in Spanish)

2021. Fichas técnicas sobre modalidades de trata de personas (in Spanish)

2021. Guía para profesionales encargados de realizar entrevistas para la identificación de víctimas adultas de trata de personas en Honduras (in Spanish)

2021. Aspectos penales del delito – Honduras (in Spanish)

2021. Delitos conexos a la trata de personas en Honduras (in Spanish)

2021. Delitos financieros complementarios para la persecución del delito de trata de personas en Honduras (in Spanish)

2021. Construcción de la teoría del caso (in Spanish)

2021. Fichas sobre tipificación del delito de trata de personas : los fines de explotación, los verbos rectores y los medios – Honduras(in Spanish)

Partners: 

In Guatemala: 

In Honduras: 

In El Salvador: 

Regional partners: 

Volunteer cooperation participants: –

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El Salvador

Project:

  • Improved access to justice for victims of sex-based violence (UNID@S) – 2021-2024, Global Affairs Canada, bilateral program

 

Strengthening Access to Justice and Litigation in Emblematic Cases

With support from LWBC, justice actors and civil society organizations strengthened their capacity  to improve access to justice for victims of gender-based violence and allow them to exercise their rights in a more effective manner:

  • Victims now have access to specialized high-quality legal services through the establishment of two firms specialized in litigation on sexual and gender-based violence cases: Ayala Z., Strategic criminal human rights litigation and Consulting (Ayala Z., Consejo y litigio estratégico penal en derechos humanos) and Oswaldo Feusier Specialized criminal litigation and consulting (Oswaldo Feusier, Consultoría y litigio especializado en materia penal).
  • The former took on its first landmark case involving a young LGBTI woman who was assaulted by a security guard in a shopping centre because of her sexual orientation. 
  • The mother and son of a femicide victim obtained justice after a long judicial standstill in the landmark Fernanda Nájera case. Thanks to the legal work and advocacy led by the Feminist Collective for Local Development (Colectiva Feminista para el Desarrollo Local), a partner supported by LWBC, the preliminary hearing finally took place after three years of waiting. The judge put three people on trial and ordered an international arrest warrant against the main suspect who is currently out of the country.
  • The Manuela case, supported by LWBC, improved protection for reproductive health rights following a decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the criminalization of abortion in El Salvador. The landmark decision brought another regional victory in that it also established specific obligations for the protection of the lives of women affected by an obstetric emergency.
  • The capacities of more than 70 justice-system actors and human rights defenders were strengthened on the subject of international standards relating to gender-based violence. 

Publication: 

News article

  1. Normes internationales sur la violence basée sur le genre:ASFC organise un forum d’expertes pour la communauté juridique salvadorienne (in French and Spanish)

 

Partners: 

Volunteer cooperation participants: 1.

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Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi

Project:

  • Health and Rights of Women, Adolescent Girls and Children (TUMAINI) – 2022-2028, Montreal University International Health Unit, Global Affairs Canada, Partnerships for Development Innovation Branch

 

Currently in its initial phase, the project is implemented by the University of Montreal International Health Unit and the Panzi Foundation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Burundi. LWBC’s role in the project consists of providing expert consulting.

 

The project aims to strengthen the capacities of the Panzi Foundation – an organization that provides assistance to sexual and sexist violence survivors – to fight sexual and sexist violence, to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, and to support the realization of human rights. In addition, the project aims to provide support to the Panzi Foundation in passing on its expertise in rural areas around South Kivu and in Burundi in an effort to improve access for women,  adolescent girls, and children to services that will allow them to exercise their rights. 

 

LWBC’s expertise will be leveraged to analyze the human rights situation in the region targeted by the project, deliver training to service providers to improve the legal and health services for victims of sexist and sexual violence, develop tools that will improve and decentralize legal and judicial services provided by the Panzi Foundation, and strengthen the capacities of relevant stakeholders in the fields of advocacy and communication on sexual and reproductive rights and sexist and sexual violence.

Partners: 

  • University of Montreal International Health Unit
  • Panzi Foundation

Volunteer cooperation participants: –

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Canada

  • Raif Badawi

LWBC commented on and welcomed the release of Raif Badawi on March 10, 2021. Back in 2015, LWBC had worked on his case and prepared and submitted a memoir to the highest Saudi authorities and to the United Nations Committee against Torture in collaboration with the Barreau du Québec and Lavery law firm.

 

Partners: 

Barreau du Québec

Lavery

 

  • Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, LWBC has been contributing to making the international laws of armed conflict comprehensible for the general public as well as the media. Thanks to funding from the Quebec Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, LWBC launched an initiative to support the fight against impunity in cases of sexual and gender-based violence committed during the conflict. 

 

  • Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes – Dos Erres massacre

LWBC led a campaign before Canadian authorities urging the Government to pursue Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes for his participation in the Dos Erres massacre in Guatemala in 1982. Following a press conference organized in collaboration with the Canadian Partnership for International Justice which attracted strong media coverage, LWBC and Mr. Ramiro Osorio Cristales, one of the only survivors of the massacre, filed a statement signed by 20 human rights organizations demanding that Canada’s Justice Minister revive the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program. In the meantime, LWBC has partnered with students from Laval University’s International Humanitarian Law Clinic to observe the trials in the proceedings aimed at revoking Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes’s Canadian citizenship.

News and articles

  1. Raïf Badawi, presque libre (in French)
  2. La Cour pénale internationale, l’Ukraine et le Canada : quelles perspectives pour la justice internationale ? (in French)
  3. Avocat-e de droits humains : une profession encore trop dangereuse (in French)
  4. Appel à protéger les défenseures des droits humains et les juristes afghanes (in French)
  5. Alleged Massacre Perpetrator Lives Freely in Canada: Canadian Government Called to Act

 

Partners: 

Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ)

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Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali

Project:

  • Strengthening health and sexual and reproductive rights of women, adolescent girls and children in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali (PLURIELLES project) – 2021-2027, Global Affairs Canada, Partnerships for Development Innovation Branch

 

Launched in 2021

The PLURIELLES project is an initiative of the consortium between lead organization Santé Monde, LWBC, and the Canadian Cooperation Society for International Development (SOCODEVI). It aims to increase enjoyment of health-related rights by improving the quality of, access to, and demand for appropriate services in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights for vulnerable and marginalized women and adolescent girls living in Benin, Burkina Faso, and Mali. 

Launched in 2021-2022, the PLURIELLES project seeks to achieve three objectives:

  • Make sure women and adolescent girls, especially survivors of sexist and sexual violence, have access to health services by strengthening their economic capacities and fostering a social and cultural environment that allows for the respect of their sexual and reproductive rights.
  • Ensure access to preventive and curative services that contribute to the provision of appropriate sexual and reproductive healthcare and an integrated approach to dealing with sexual and gender-based violence.
  • Ensure stakeholders, especially local organizations defending the rights of women and adolescent girls, are more efficient at promoting enhanced policies, legal frameworks and healthcare services.

Partners: 

In Benin

 

In Burkina Faso

 

In Mali

  • Countries where LWBC operates

LWBC in Action

  • LWBC
  • Colombia
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Mali
  • Volunteer cooperation

(In French)

Is defending human rights a vocation?

Striving to make human rights a reality is more than a job. It’s a vocation. Find out about six women whose commitment and passion drive them to relentlessly support vulnerable individuals in the hope of making the world a fairer place.

(in English and Spanish, with French captions)

The case of “false positives” in Colombia: Truth has no price

“False positives” is a term that refers to the extrajudicial killing of civilians commissioned by the Colombian authorities to the regular armed forces and police units to artificially augment results in the fight against terror. The victims of the killings were for the greater part indigenous populations living in rural areas and in vulnerable conditions, includingmembers of sexual orientation and gender identity minorities. A tragedy that shook the country. With support from LWBC, Gloria Silva from Equipo Jurídico Pueblos provided representation for victims’ families.

(in Spanish)

Fighting human trafficking in Colombia: “No Más Trata”

The “No Más Trata” (no more trafficking) project led by LWBC aims to strengthen the capacities of the Defensoría del Pueblo (Office of the Ombudsperson) and justice actors involved in the fight against human trafficking in Colombia. Find out more about this project.

(In Spanish)

International standards on gender-based violence

The project "Better Access to Justice for Victims of Gender-Based Violence (Unid@s)" aims to increase access to justice for victims of gender-based violence in El Salvador, particularly women and girls, by enabling them to implement their rights more effectively. As part of this project, Lawyers Without Borders Canada organized a forum on international standards on gender-based violence on November 9, 2021.

(in Spanish with French captions)

Combatting human trafficking in Guatemala

In Guatemala City, the number of people sexually exploited or trapped in forced labour is estimated at around 10,000. With support from our teams, Alianza Guatemala and El Refugio de la Niñez are working hard to bring change.

(in English with French captions)

Survivor Ramiro Osorio Cristales Demands Justice for the Massacre of His Village

On December 7, 1982, the population of Dos Erres was decimated by the Guatemalan armed forces. More than 200 people, including children, were brutally murdered. Ramiro Osario Cristales, then aged only 5, survived the massacre. He is now a Canadian citizen, and LWBC is helping him seek justice.

(in Spanish with French captions)

Fighting impunity in Guatemala: determination opens the door to justice

The armed conflict in Guatemala lasted from 1960 to 1996. Twenty-five years down the line, the number of deaths resulting from the conflict is still largely unknown. 93% of serious human rights violations committed over those 36 years have been imputed to the regular armed forces. 83% of victims were indigenous. The Director of Bufete Jurídico de Derechos Humanos, one of LWBC’s partners and one of the frontline organizations in the fight against impunity for human rights violations in Guatemala, shares part of his story and the story of those fighting for justice.

(in French)

In Haiti, youth are becoming human rights defenders

With the aim of shaping the next generation of actors engaged in defending human rights, four Haitian youth were presented with an opportunity of exploring professional life as a legal practitioner in our Port-au-Prince office. This video relates their experience.

(in French)

Preserving memory of the Duvalier dictatorship in Haiti

In 2018, with support from LWBC, a company of Haitian actors embarked on a tour to raise awareness on the duty of remembrance. The play, called “32 ans après” (32 years later) is particularly effective in raising awareness on the reality of the crimes committed during the Duvalier regime.

(In Spanish)

A new generation of lawyers is joining the defense of human rights in Honduras

Adela Moncada, Ana Larissa Velásquez, José Ariel Osorto, Cristine Iveth Castillo, Katia Mejía and Abner Brito are six young law students who tell us what they learned during their internship with Semillero de Justicia, a Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWB) initiative to train a new generation of human rights defenders.

(in French)

In Mali, mentalities and customs are slowly changing

This video takes viewers to Bamako to meet with youth who have grown up to become role models and sources of inspiration in their respective communities. Listen to them talk about how they find meaning in the peace and reconciliation project they’re involved in. Listen to their beliefs, to their hopes, and their pride in being devoted and committed to the future of their country.

Video Marilynn Rubayika (in French)

Inspiring courage: volunteer cooperation according to Marilynn Rubayika

Volunteer cooperation is a transformational experience for everyone, volunteers and others alike. As a volunteer in Cote d’Ivoire, Marilynn Rubayika experienced this for herself when she inspired a female legal practitioner to pursue her calling.

Video Isabelle Boisvert-Chastenay (in French)

Feminism-driven peacebuilding: our colleague Isabelle Boisvert-Chastenay describes her vision of cooperation

This video relates the experience of Isabelle Boisvert-Chastenay, who took part in the efforts of LWBC partner Corporación Humanas in supporting peace processes by providing capacity building to women and girls in territories that suffered the most severe impacts of the Colombian armed conflict.

Financial Statements

Excerpt of the financial statements audited by Malette

Statement of operations

For the year ended March 31, 2022

2022

2021

Income

Donor contributions to programs

$13,621,440

$11,637,693

Contributions in the form of services provided

485,993

924,345

Private funding

178,283

237,225

Public funding

419,291

1,172,776

Other

34,349

14,236

14,739,356

13,986,275

Balance sheet

at March 31, 2021

2022

2021

Assets

Current assets

$6,894,963

Cash and cash equivalents

134,702

Debtors

473,752

Advances to project - partners

26,762

Prepaid partner (project) expenses

7,530,179

Fixed tangible assets

78,084

$7,608,263

Liabilities

Current liabilities

Operating liabilities

433,787

Deferred contributions

4,819,052

5,252,839

NET ASSETS

2,355,424

$7,608,263

2022

2021

Expenses

Programs

12,238,855

10,430,593

Contributions in the form of services provided

485,993

924,345

Other projects and activities (development, awareness-raising and communication, administration)

1,966,074

2,363,951

Financing activities

-

-

Depreciation on fixed tangible assets

22,156

14,444

14,713,078

13,733,333

Excess of revenue over expenses

$26,278

$252,942

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

for the year ended March 31, 2022

Unrestricted Contingency reserve Invested in tangible fixed assets 2022 2021
BALANCE, beginning of period 322 340 $ 1 955 000 $ 78 084 $ 2 355 424 $ 2 102 482 $
Excess (deficiency) of income over expenses 48 434 $ - (22 156) 26 278 252 942
Investments in tangible fixed assets (35 853) - 35 853 - -
Internally restricted (250 000) 250 000 - - -
BALANCE, end of period 84 921 $ 2 205 000 $ 91 781 $ 2 381 702 $ 2 355 424 $

Balance sheet

at March 31, 2021

2022

2021

Assets

Current assets

$5,918,741

$6,894,963

Cash and cash equivalents

372,714

134,702

Debtors

361,307

473,752

Advances to project - partners

30,530

26,762

Prepaid partner (project) expenses

-

-

6,683,292

7,530,179

2022

2021

Fixed tangible assets

91,781

78,084

$6,775,073

$7,608,263

Liabilities

Current liabilities

Operating liabilities

453,504

433,787

Deferred contributions

3,939,867

4,819,052

4,393,371

5,252,839

NET ASSETS

2,381,702

2,355,424

6,775,073 $

7,608,263 $

Thanks to our partners

Program partners

Program partners
Program partners
Program partners

Partners without borders

Barreau du Québec

Major partners

Centre d’accès à l’information juridique
Corporation de services du Barreau du Québec

Sponsoring partners

Bell Canada
Norton Rose Fulbright
Barreau de Québec

Service partners

Corporate and regulatory

Work relations

Intellectual property

Norton Rose Fulbright

Legal information

Strategic planning

Communications and public relations

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