Our vision is to contribute to the development of societies based on a human rights culture. In order to do so we work in a results based manner, meaning that our attention is focused on the changes that are created and contributed to by our activities.

The results based approach permeates the Institute’s work and ensures that we measure the changes taking place over time, and try to integrate lessons learned from past performance for future work. Our different partners are involved throughout the activities in order to secure achievement of concrete results contributing to long-term and sustainable human rights change. In the end, the results of our work are measured against relevant international human rights standards.

  • We have contributed to developing and strengthening more than 20 human rights programmes at prominent universitites in Africa and Asia over the past 20 years.
  • We have since 1995 contributed to strengthening the operational and human rights capacity of over 20 National Human Rights Institutions in Africa and Asia, to promote and protect human rights, by providing staff training, infrastructural support and advice.
  • We have since 1991 contributed to more efficient administration of justice in many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, through human rights support to courts, prosecution services, police and prisons.

Specific results of our work are shown below.

  • RWI supported the establishment of the first post-graduate programme in human rights in China with 160 students graduating with a human rights degree since 2004, and the RWI support in general to Chinese academic institutions over the last ten years has contributed to the number of university human rights courses in China increasing from a handful to around 90 today

    RWI supported the establishment of the first post-graduate programme in human rights in China with 160 students graduating with a human rights degree since 2004, and the RWI support in general to Chinese academic institutions over the last ten years has contributed to the number of university human rights courses in China increasing from a handful to around 90 today

  • Over 150 students from developing countries have since 1991, with scholarships from Sida and the Swedish Institute, channelled via the Institute, graduated from the master programme on international human rights law organized by the Faculty of Law at Lund University with the Raoul Wallenberg institute. Most of the graduates are today actively working with human rights for government agencies, academic institutions, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations and international organisations.

    Over 150 students from developing countries have since 1991, with scholarships from Sida and the Swedish Institute, channelled via the Institute, graduated from the master programme on international human rights law organized by the Faculty of Law at Lund University with the Raoul Wallenberg institute. Most of the graduates are today actively working with human rights for government agencies, academic institutions, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations and international organisations.

  • Systematic support, since 1992, to research and academic education at more than 30 institutions in 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe by making available and updating human rights literature collections at libraries and documentation centres, as well as training for librarians and academics in information retrieval

    Systematic support, since 1992, to research and academic education at more than 30 institutions in 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe by making available and updating human rights literature collections at libraries and documentation centres, as well as training for librarians and academics in information retrieval

  • Increased understanding of international prisons standards among correctional officers, the judiciary and national human rights institutions in 19 Latin American countries, through cooperation with the United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD) to improve treatment of prisoners in accordance with human rights standards regionally in Latin America.

    Increased understanding of international prisons standards among correctional officers, the judiciary and national human rights institutions in 19 Latin American countries, through cooperation with the United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD) to improve treatment of prisoners in accordance with human rights standards regionally in Latin America.

  • Development and introduction of the first textbook in human rights for Chinese prosecutors which is today used as the main reference for all education in human rights within the Chinese procuratorate and development of 13 separate and needs-based courses in human rights at Chinese provincial prosecutor colleges.

    Development and introduction of the first textbook in human rights for Chinese prosecutors which is today used as the main reference for all education in human rights within the Chinese procuratorate and development of 13 separate and needs-based courses in human rights at Chinese provincial prosecutor colleges.

  • Establishment in April 2010 of the Arab Academic Human Rights Network to enhance development and dissemination of knowledge on human rights responding to the needs of Arab societies.

    Establishment in April 2010 of the Arab Academic Human Rights Network to enhance development and dissemination of knowledge on human rights responding to the needs of Arab societies.

  • Key elements of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners incorporated into the draft Indonesian correctional services bill in 2011, through cooperation with the Directorate General of Corrections in Indonesia aimed at enhancing the capacity to operate prisons in compliance with human rights standards and professional prison management principles.

    Key elements of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners incorporated into the draft Indonesian correctional services bill in 2011, through cooperation with the Directorate General of Corrections in Indonesia aimed at enhancing the capacity to operate prisons in compliance with human rights standards and professional prison management principles.

  • Establishment of juvenile unit at the Haidian District People’s Procuratorate in Beijing, China in 2011, contributing to a decreased number of juveniles detained in the District.

    Establishment of juvenile unit at the Haidian District People’s Procuratorate in Beijing, China in 2011, contributing to a decreased number of juveniles detained in the District.

  • Development of capacity of the Kenya Prisons Service to manage its own human rights training needs supporting the adoption in 2011 of a human rights training curriculum at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College, to make human rights training integral to the education of all correctional officers in Kenya.

    Development of capacity of the Kenya Prisons Service to manage its own human rights training needs supporting the adoption in 2011 of a human rights training curriculum at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College, to make human rights training integral to the education of all correctional officers in Kenya.

  • First major research and study on the application of Turkey’s domestic violence legislation by Turkish courts in cooperation with Istanbul Bilgi University’s Human Rights Law Research Centre.

    First major research and study on the application of Turkey’s domestic violence legislation by Turkish courts in cooperation with Istanbul Bilgi University’s Human Rights Law Research Centre.