Who are we?
I(dh)eas, Strategic Human Rights Litigation, is a non-profit organization founded on May 2009, whose goal is to defend and promote Human Rights at the national, regional and international levels. The specificity of I(dh)eas work relies in its use of strategic litigation as a tool to address a critical human rights issue by using the authority of the law and selecting paradigmatic cases to achieve broader systemic changes that can have a positive impact on a larger number of people.
What is our Mission?
We are a Mexican civil society organization that facilitates systematic judicial change by guaranteeing access to justice and integral reparations for those affected by human rights violations, by taking on a deep-rooted crisis of impunity, and protecting and promoting the rights of victims and their relatives. Our proficiency in applying a gender-informed perspective, strategic litigation, capacity-building activities, and human rights-based advocacy serve as our recourses towards structural transformations.
What is our vision?
We aim to serve as a benchmark organization for the Mexican and international human rights communities in the impact achieved through our gender-sensitive and intersectional strategic litigation actions. We operate within the national, Inter-American, and universal judicial system, and drive change by denouncing and administering grave human rights violations and the persistent impunity to which these crimes succumb, by guaranteeing thorough investigations of occurrences, sanctioning the perpetrators, and respecting all human rights of the victims and their relatives.
Our working lines
Gross violations of Human Rights:
We aims to foster better investigation and prosecution of gross violations of human rights in Mexico (enforced disappearances, tortura and extrajudicial killings), and thus to contribute to the eradication of these phenomenon.
Enforced Disappearances
I(dh)eas provides legal assistance to relatives of missing persons and accompaniment to groups of family (Colectivos) for the documentation of the cases and the identification of strategies to give new impetus to the investigation and access to justice. I(dh)eas litigates cases at the national and international levels, especially before the United Nations Human Rights System (Human Rights Committee and Committee against Enforced Disappearance).
Torture
I(dh)eas documents, makes visible and denounces cases of torture before national and international bodies, including the Committee against Torture (CAT). Part of I(dh)eas objective if to increase awareness within the society of the important of combatting and eradicating this horrendous practice.
Extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions
I(dh)eas documents cases of victims of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, provides legal assistance to their relatives and makes visible the cases at the national and international levels.
Victims rights:
The objective of this working line is to ensure the respect, observance and improve support for victims of gross violations of human rights in Mexico (or their relatives).
Victims empowerment
I(dh)eas disseminates information and organizes training workshops throughout the country with victims in order to make known to them their rights established in the national and international regulations.
Legal Support
I(dh)eas brings legal assistance accompaniment to victims before institutions in charge of human rights protection (ombudsman) and before the Executive Commission for the Care of Victims (CEAV) or its equivalent in the states to ensure their access to assistance measure and to comprehensive reparation for the harm suffered.
Advocacy activities
I(dh)eas carries out activities to monitor and to foster better transparency, efficiency and accountability of institutions in charge of providing services to victims of gross violations of human rights.
The highest governing body of I(dh)eas is a general Assembly of Associated Members in conformity with the national law. The Assembly of Associated Members is composed of Luis González Placencia, former head of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal District, director and founder of ConectaDH, Specialists in Human Rights and Public Policy, A.C.; Edgar Cruz, human rights defender; Mara Hernández Estrada, academician of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, executive director of the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL); Mario Santiago Juárez, researcher at the UAT and human rights defender; and Alejandro Posadas, academician and litigation lawyer.
Publications
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News
Civil Society Organizations Request Urgent Action from the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances for the Disappearance of Human Rights Advocates Ricardo Lagunes and Antonio Díaz
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“Hasta encontrarlos”: enforced disappearances by security forces in Veracruz constitute crimes against humanity
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Criminal Structure Within the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Nayarit and Crimes Against Humanity
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Judge urges compliance with the Urgent Actions issued for the forced disappearance of three young people in Sinaloa
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UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances receives its first complaint against Mexico
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In a historic decision Mexican Supreme Court of Justice recognized that Urgent Actions issued by the UN are binding and mandatory for all State authorities responsible of searching and investigating missing persons cases
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IDHEAS presented a report to the UN CEDAW Committee on the search of missing women and girls in Mexico
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Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice might set an important precedent by reaffirming the binding nature of UN decisions for Mexican authorities
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Do not hesitate to contact us for more information on I(dh)eas. info@idheas.org.mx