The Struggle for Law and Rights: Dejusticia's Fifteen-Plus Years Working toward Socioenvironmental Justice and the Rule of Law

Abstract

This book features two presentations by Rodrigo Uprimny and Vivian Newman, both former directors of Dejusticia, that were delivered in 2020 to mark the occasion of the Tang Prize that was bestowed on Dejusticia that year. The first presentation explores Dejusticia’s relationship with the rule of law. It examines the differences between Dejusticia and other civil society organizations, as well as the action-research methodology that characterizes Dejusticia’s work and allows the organization to connect with the reality around us. It then discusses the role of the rule of law in contemporary society, where urgent social change is needed, and concludes with a discussion of the challenges that organizations such as Dejusticia have dealt with in the past and must tackle in the future. The second presentation explores the potential and limits of one of Dejusticia’s main tools: strategic litigation as an instrument for social and environmental justice. It offers examples of victories achieved by Dejusticia and its allies using litigation and offers some lessons learned during the organization’s fifteen-plus years using the law to change lives.