About HRJust
Human Rights Justification (HRJust) describes situations in which States invoke human rights to legitimize their own policies and decisions. Although often presented as rights-protective, such justifications can also function as tools of governance, expanding or normalising state power.
This shift exposes a regulatory gap: existing human rights frameworks are designed to protect individuals from the State, yet they offer limited guidance when human rights are instead used by the State to justify its actions.
Research Focus
Our research focuses on State use of Human Rights Justifications in the areas of Covid-19, migration, and climate, across five country contexts: Sweden, Finland, Taiwan, India, and Ukraine.
Eu
Finland
Ukraine
Sweden
Taiwan
India
Objectives
Map and analyse
State HRJ practices across Covid-19, migration, and climate governance.
Methodology
Develop an empirically grounded methodology to support inclusive democratic participation and strengthen civil society.
Global Governance
Identify policy pathways towards a more democratic, accountable, and effective global governance.
EU Recommendations
Provide evidence-based recommendations for the EU on multilateral and regional cooperation.
Geopolitical Impact
Examine how States deploy Human Rights Justifications in the tension between a multilateral and multipolar World Order.
Inclusivity
Advance gender- and intersectionality-inclusive strategies to ensure that responses do not reinforce structural inequalities.
Partners
Coordinator
University of Gothenburg
Sweden
Funded By
Horizon Europe
Budget: €3M
Timeline
2023-2026
39 Months
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.