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Access to Justice

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Take a moment to imagine this...

Imagine you are a British citizen on board a cruise ship that is registered with a Panamanian flag. You are raped by someone who does not speak your language and lives in another country. You got on the ship in the UK; it is now in international waters but is heading for Italy. How do you get justice? 

This is just one example from the thousands of cases we know of, where access to justice is all but impossible to obtain.

The law of the sea is complicated. The legal protection you have depends on the flag the ship sails under, whose territorial waters it is sailing on, and where it is going. 

Because of this, accessing justice for human rights abuses at sea is uniquely difficult. Many people are unable to obtain it.

Our work is helping people access the justice they are entitled to. 

women

 

 

How are we helping?

We support individuals to secure access to justice.

We investigate allegations of abuse and hold perpetrators and States to account for their actions or failings. 

We support victims of abuses to understand their rights and what to do when they are violated. 

We use our platform to support victims of abuse and their families and make sure their voices are heard.  

We develop innovative ways for victims to obtain justice. 

 

 

Indian family happy

 

 

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News

“Confronting the Human Rights Crisis in Fisheries: How Arbitration Can Improve Fishers’ Access to Justice” Webinar

Press Release Webinar UN World Oceans Day 8 June 2021 13:00 CET London, UK. On the occasion of the Annual United Nations World Oceans Day, themed Ocean: Life and Livelihoods, Human Rights at Sea and global law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP will hold a webinar entitled “Confronting the Human Rights

08 Jun 2021

Access to Justice
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Applying the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the Maritime Environment: Part 2 Effective Remedy

September 2018. Part 2 of the latest series of freely-available HRAS educational films covering the issue of Effective Remedy for the topic of the development of Business and Human Rights in the maritime environment.

21 Sep 2018

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News

Rape at Sea, Flag State jurisdiction and the Search for Justice

Commentary 15th April 2019 London. UK. The alleged rape of a 17-year-old female UK national on the Panamanian flagged cruise ship MSC Divina as the ship sailed between Mallorca and the Spanish port of Valencia, brings to the forefront the issue of justice for victims of criminal acts at sea in

15 Apr 2019

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Sustainable Development Goals

Our Access to Justice programme promotes the rule of law at national and international levels and advocates for equal access to justice for people at sea. 

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SDG 16

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Human Rights at Sea is a Registered Charity in England and Wales, No. 1161673

Registered Office: Langstone Technology Park, Langstone Road, Havant PO9 1SA, United Kingdom

© 2022 | Human Rights at Sea

  • Who we are
    • Our Mission
    • Our Strategy
    • Our People
      • Our Team
      • Board of Trustees
      • Advisory Board
      • Our Patron
    • Donors
    • Finances and Annual Reports
    • Consultancy Services
  • What we do
    • Access to Justice
      • Human Rights at Sea Arbitration
      • Fisheries Observer Project
      • Ukraine: Seafarers Caught in Conflict
    • Law Reform and Policy
      • The Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea
      • Maritime Levy Campaign
    • Slavery at Sea
    • Children at Sea
    • Equality at Sea
  • Impact
  • News
  • Resources
    • Resources Listing
  • Contact us
  • Need help?
    • eyeWitness at Sea