Bringing Justice to Health: The Impact of Legal Empowerment Projects on Public Health

For millions of people around the world, human rights violations are part and parcel of everyday life. Sexual violence, discrimination in housing, unwarranted dismissal from employment, unfair evictions, denial of child support, and police harassment are only a few such violations. These have a particularly harsh impact on people whose health is compromised, and on people society often excludes—like sex workers, people who use drugs, patients nearing death, Roma, and people living with HIV.

This report shows the potential to transform this dynamic, profiling 11 access to justice projects based in Indonesia, Kenya, Macedonia, Russia, South Africa, and Uganda. These projects use a range of approaches to make the law meaningful for marginalized people and to improve their health.