Overview
The Institute for Human Rights and Applied Legal Studies (IHRALS) is an Africa-based civil society and knowledge institution committed to advancing the understanding, application and implementation of human rights.
Based in Abuja and Akure, Nigeria, the Institute seeks to bring human rights principles closer to the people and institutions whose decisions and actions determine whether those rights are protected, promoted or violated.
At the heart of the Institute's work is a commitment to bringing human rights home; translating universal human rights standards into knowledge, language and practices that are accessible, relevant and applicable within local contexts.
We are committed to:
Human Rights Education
IHRALS has a strong commitment to human rights education as a means of building a deeper understanding and culture of human rights. Its educational work extends beyond conventional professional audiences to reach communities and institutions where human rights decisions are made and experienced.
Capacity Building
The Institute is committed to strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to recognise, understand and apply human rights in the exercise of their responsibilities. Particular emphasis is placed on stakeholders in the informal and community sectors whose decisions can have profound consequences for the enjoyment or violation of human rights.
Norm Elaboration
IHRALS is committed to making human rights norms more accessible and understandable by elaborating and simplifying treaties, principles, statutes and other human rights standards. The Institute seeks to bridge the gap between complex legal norms and the people and institutions expected to understand and apply them.
Digitisation and Preservation of Human Rights Knowledge
The Institute is committed to the digitisation, preservation and accessibility of human rights knowledge. Through the development of an institutional repository and Human Rights Library, IHRALS seeks to make legislation, case law, research and other human rights resources more accessible to researchers, practitioners, institutions and the public.
Human Rights Implementation Monitoring
The Institute is committed to monitoring the implementation of human rights obligations and decisions across institutions, levels of government, jurisdictions and countries. This includes monitoring the implementation of decisions and recommendations of national, regional and international human rights courts, tribunals and other mechanisms.
Sharing Opportunities
IHRALS is committed to strengthening access to opportunities within the human rights ecosystem by sharing relevant information on fellowships, scholarships, conferences, training programmes, research opportunities, vacancies, grants and other professional and academic opportunities.
Together, these commitments reflect the Institute's broader purpose. To make human rights knowledge accessible, build the capacity to apply it, preserve and expand the knowledge base, monitor its implementation, and connect people and institutions to opportunities that advance human rights.
From human rights standards to human understanding.
From understanding to application.
From application to implementation.