International Practice of Human Rights (IPHR) is the bridge that carries the voices and struggles of local human rights defenders directly to the heart of the United Nations in Geneva, translating complex diplomatic language into effective tools for the protection of human dignity.
If you are a human rights defender, community leader, collective, or organization and require support to bring your case to the universal human rights system in Geneva
What we do
We bring cases from Latin America and the Caribbean to the universal human rights system
We promote a new vision for the advancement and defense of human rights in the face of emerging global challenges
We serve as a bridge between the United Nations and local initiatives
IPHR is the result of an alliance between two organizations: Instituto Internacional de Responsabilidad Social y Derechos Humanos (IIRESODH) and Práctica: Laboratorio para la democracia.
We unite the strength of social mobilization with the power of international law. A strategic alliance to strengthen the resilience of human rights defenders in Latin America.
Ejes de trabajo
Civic Space Defense
Protecting democratic participation against shrinking civic space and authoritarianism.
Territory and Environment
Strategic litigation to defend land and environmental defenders against megaprojects and extractivism.
Women and LGBTIQ+ Populations
Combating gender-based violence and structural discrimination through an intersectional approach.
Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Descendant Communities
Advocacy for autonomy, culture, and the right to free, prior, and informed consent before global mechanisms.
1948 (Paris) – The Foundational Promise
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): For the first time, the world agreed that human dignity is universal. The legal framework we defend today was born.
1968 (Tehran) – Reaffirmation in the Storm
First International Conference on Human Rights: In the midst of the Cold War, the indivisibility of rights was reaffirmed and emerging issues such as racial discrimination were addressed, laying the groundwork for modern human rights activism.
1993 (Vienna) – The Architecture of the Current System
Second World Conference on Human Rights: A historic turning point. Women’s rights were recognized as human rights, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was created, opening the doors of the UN to civil society.
2025 (Geneva) – A Commitment to Human Rights
IPHR is created to reinforce our commitment to human rights and to reaffirm multilateralism at a moment of profound global crisis.
2028–2030 (Latin America) – The Renewal of Human Rights
The 80th anniversary of the UDHR compels a rethinking of how human rights are defended and promoted worldwide. The Global South and middle powers redefine the human rights agenda.