International Institute of Human Rights

Description

The International Institute of Human Rights, now the Fondation Rene Cassin, is a body dedicated to teaching and research on human rights. It was founded in 1969 in Strasbourg, France, by Rene Cassin after he received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2015 it became a foundation recognized as being of public benefit, while keeping its original independent and nonpolitical purpose.

The foundation promotes and protects human rights and fundamental freedoms through teaching and academic research, in France and around the world. It runs training sessions on international human rights law, humanitarian law, criminal law and related topics such as women’s rights, refugee law and freedom of expression, aimed at students, researchers, lawyers and members of non-governmental organizations. These sessions take place in France and in other countries across Africa and Latin America.

It also organizes academic events and conferences, supports scholarly publications, and awards an annual doctoral thesis prize in French and in English. With the law faculty in Strasbourg, it runs a human rights clinic that trains advanced students in litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and United Nations bodies. It is a recognized partner of the United Nations, with consultative status at ECOSOC and UNESCO, and it works with the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the African Union.

The foundation is based in Strasbourg, close to the European Court of Human Rights, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.