A Dignified Approach: Legal Empowerment and Justice for Human Rights Violations in Protracted Refugee Situations

Abstract

Although the concept of legal empowerment has gained significant traction in development studies recently as a means of addressing social inequality, exclusion and human rights violations, little scholarship exists on its potential in the context of protracted refugee situations (PRS). This article seeks to further the discussion on the role of law and justice in PRS by proposing that legal empowerment-based approaches offer an alternative to traditional aid initiatives which respects the dignity and agency of recipients. It is argued here that enabling refugees to use the law and legal mechanisms to protect and advance their rights and acquire greater control over their lives could have important implications. In particular, legal empowerment has the potential to improve the administration of justice within refugee camps, to increase the accountability of host state authorities and aid providers, and to contribute to the achievement of durable solutions either by providing the skills and knowledge to facilitate resettlement or local integration or by empowering refugees to be actors in resettlement and transitional justice initiatives.