HRJust

Human Rights Justifications

News

Latest updates, policy briefs, and findings from the HRJust project.

  • Final HRJust Dinner in Brussels with EU and Civil Society Partners

    A final dinner in Brussels as the HRJust project approaches its ending. The evening brought together the researchers and members of the HRJust team alongside EU actors, civil society representatives, resea. Over dinner, we reflected on the relationships, exchanges, and collaborative efforts that have shaped the project throughout its journey. We are grateful for the…

  • Final Dissemination of HRJust Project, in Brussels

    On the 28th of May, HRJust held the Final Conference of the project, where we presented our research on the gaps in regulations and the effects on the individual human rights protection that appears when States are using Human Rights to Justify their actions and decisions. The results of the project were disseminated to public…

  • Dinner with the Taiwanese Ambassador, Shieh Jhy Wey, in Brussels

    An evening of meaningful conversations in Brussels. We are grateful to the Taiwanese Ambassador, Shieh Jhy Wey for hosting HRJust for dinner with great food and lovely conversations. Thank you for a memorable evening.

  • HRJust Film Presented for The National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden

    On the 18th of May, HRJust presented our film to representatives from The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), including investigators, legal experts, and policy specialists working with guidance materials on how authorities apply new legislation affecting children and young people. The conversation centered on a difficult but necessary question: what happens when laws…

  • HRJust Film Screening at Save the Children Event Highlights Importance of Youth Participation

    Last week, at Barnrättsdagen 2026, organised by Rädda Barnen / Save the Children Sweden, youth featured in our film “Migrant Children: The Innocent Victims of Sweden’s War on Gangs” shared their reflections on recent and proposed policies affecting their lives. They spoke about laws targeting children and young people including proposals around criminalising “disrespectful” behaviour…

  • New Report Exploring how Human Rights are Used to Justify State Action in Sweden

    HRJust has published a new report exploring how human rights are used within Swedish legislative processes and how civil society responds. In the report, authors Maria Nääv and Haidar Al-amirtaha, examine what we refer to as Human Rights Justifications (HRJs), where the state invokes human rights to support or legitimise its own proposals. Drawing on…

  • Translucent abstract watercolor shapes in red, pink, and blue on white background

    HRJust Early Alert — April to August

    A new round of public consultations is open, highlighting goverment inquiries and proposals that may have implications for human rights in Sweden. This curated list points to current state inquiries where civil society voices are both relevant and needed. Even if your organization has not been formally invited to respond, you still have the opportunity…

  • New Publication Exploring Russia’s Use of Human Rights Justifications in Defense of its Invasion of Ukraine

    Human rights are conventionally conceptualised as normative safeguards that enable individuals to hold States accountable. However, an emerging line of inquiry examines a more complex dynamic: the invocation of human rights by States themselves as justificatory tools for their own actions. In this chapter, Maria Grahn-Farley develops the concept of human rights justifications, referring to…

  • Highlights from the Nordic Rule of Law Forum 2025

    Last week, the HRJust project had the privilege of co-hosting the Nordic Rule of Law Forum 2025 together with Civil Rights Defenders. The forum brought together researchers, legal experts, civil society actors, and policymakers to engage in critical discussions on the rule of law and the evolving role of human rights in state practice. Researchers…

  • HRJust Workshop at Stockholm University: Exploring Human Rights Justifications in Practice

    Last week, the HRJust project hosted a full-day workshop at Stockholm University, bringing together researchers, civil society actors, and international partners to explore the implications of states invoking human rights as justification for policy and governance. Participants included collaborators from Academia Sinica and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), alongside representatives from civil society organisations and…