Strengthening the rule of law on the margins: experiences from Za'atari refugee camp, Jordan

Abstract

International law is often regarded as an omnipotent force, which, as a consequence, subordinates the lived experience of those who consider law in its local customary form. Framed in the context of vulnerable refugee groups displaced through conflict and beyond their national jurisdiction, this article critically examines discourses of legal pluralism and legal empowerment. Incorporating empirical research from Za'atari refugee camp this article will identify the barriers which refugees face when accessing formal legal services. In the absence of an effective and accessible legal process, Syrian community groups have emerged offering alternative avenues to pursue civil, religious and criminal claims, providing a level of legal empowerment. These groups present an opportunity whereby international human rights standards can be reincorporated where they are otherwise absent.