Tackling the evaluation challenge in human rights: assessing the impact of strategic litigation organisations

Abstract

This article helps human rights organisations further their ability to systematically evaluate the impact of their efforts. To bridge the gap between evaluation, public management and human rights research, it assesses three cases of strategic litigation – the use of legal tools to seek positive legal and social change – to develop goals that could be used to evaluate the cases' results, specifically their outcomes and impacts. It urges organisations to embrace goal-based evaluation in which clear goals are identified at the outset of a case or programme. In the short-term, organisations are encouraged to reflect regularly on their work and to develop a common understanding of success in strategic litigation. In the long-term, it is proposed that the human rights community adopt regular efforts to evaluate its work.