Europe

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute has been working actively with human rights in Europe since its establishment. Our engagement is broad, covering both regional and country-based initiatives.

Regional Engagement

Initiated in the late 1990s, our regional engagement included human rights and gender equality, training programmes for professionals from the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, representing academic institutions, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), government bodies, civil society organisations, as well as justice sector institutions. Our current engagement:

Localising human rights - young professionals in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans

Since 2017, RWI has carried out the Swedish Institute’s Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP), in two modules which connect early-career professionals from Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans region respectively. The initiative fosters networking and practical experience exchange while enhancing participants’ understanding of human rights-based approach towards governance. Coordinated by Lund University Commissioned Education (LUCE), SAYP includes modules on “Perspectives on Multi-level Governance, Decentralisation & Human Rights” provided by RWI and Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM).

Connecting Ukrainian and Moldovan lawyers to address corruption

As a part of Addressing Corruption Together (ACT) Academy 30 legal professionals from Moldova and Ukraine are trained to combat corruption through a human rights-based approach. Participants learn about practices, such as anti-corruption toolkits and legal curricula, with mentorship from international experts. The project aims to strengthen integrity and public trust in Moldova’s and Ukraine’s legal sectors, supporting their EU integration efforts. The project is funded by the Swedish Institute.

Country-based Engagement

Ukraine

Our work in Ukraine spans back to the early 2000s. In response to the full-scale invasion, we have augmented our engagement by launching several initiatives with strong local partnerships.

Human rights education and research

In collaboration with eight major law schools in Ukraine, RWI has mapped their capacity to deliver human rights research and education during the war. The report and subsequent event to launch it, featuring the Ukrainian ambassador to Sweden as well as representatives of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, provided basis we continue building on in our current activities.

Supporting Ukrainians with legal assistance

RWI has implemented two projects, funded by Swedish Institute and Nordic Council of Ministers, to enhance legal support and education for displaced Ukrainians in Ukraine, Poland, and Sweden by strengthening collaboration among legal actors and civil society organizations. Legal education efforts will integrate human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) into curricula while training legal practitioners and IDPs. Gaps in legal aid will be addressed through guidance on IDP registration, compensation claims, and residence rights, alongside digital and mobile legal clinics. Cross-border collaboration will foster knowledge-sharing, best practices, and international partnerships. This initiative will improve legal aid coordination, raise awareness among IDPs and refugees, strengthen legal clinics and civil society organizations, and enhance regional cooperation. A unified approach ensures sustainable legal support through education, training, and collaboration.

Increasing research capacity on sustainable business conduct in Ukraine

The “BHR4Ukraine” project, initiated in March 2024 through a partnership between RWI and Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (NLU), is dedicated to strengthening Ukraine’s research capacity in the area of Business and Human Rights (BHR). Supported by the Swedish Institute’s Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme, the initiative runs until March 2026, with the goal of promoting business models that respect human rights and meet international and EU standards. The project’s importance is heightened by Ukraine’s ongoing conflict, which has created urgent ethical dilemmas for businesses related to labor rights, displacement and human rights violations. In response, the project aims to foster BHR research that aligns business practices with Ukraine’s recovery efforts and promotes responsible conduct in local and international contexts. A core element is a mentorship program, led by experts like Olena Uvarova, which guides early-career researchers through the process of developing impactful research proposals, as well as making publications and podcasts.

Integrating human rights in the governance of the city of Lviv

Led by Lund University with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute and the European Integration Bureau of Lviv, this project enhances urban governance through a human rights-based approach. Focusing on veterans and persons with disabilities, it includes online training, study visits, and a final conference. Thirty municipal professionals will develop inclusive urban planning strategies, ensuring long-term impact through a train-the-trainer model. Civil society and private sector partners contribute expertise. Despite Ukraine’s challenges, the project fosters policy improvements, municipal capacity building, and EU integration, embedding human rights and accessibility in governance for sustainable transformation.

A more comprehensive engagement is also being developed in a dialogue with Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sida and in cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice, Human Rights Commissioner, local authorities, legal aid providers, and civil society actors.

Armenia

RWI began its engagement in Armenia in the early 2000s, collaborating with UNDP Armenia from 2006 to 2009 on a Sida-funded project to strengthen the Human Rights Defender’s Office. Re-engaging in 2019, RWI now aims to support Armenia's democratic transition through a comprehensive human rights programme initiated in 2020. In 2024, RWI expanded its efforts by establishing new partnerships under projects funded by the Swedish Institute and others. Since August 2023, RWI's cooperation in Armenia has been managed from their Yerevan office, enhancing collaboration with local stakeholders. Current initiatives focus on increasing the capacity of the judiciary, state agencies, academia, and civil society to apply international human rights standards in ongoing and future reforms. Key partnerships include the Ministry of Justice, the Academy of Justice, and the Human Rights Defender’s Office, with efforts directed toward aligning training and procedures with international standards. Additionally, RWI collaborates with Yerevan State University and the American University of Armenia to support educational human rights programmes.

More information about RWI's Armenia Programme is found at: https://rwi.lu.se/armenia-programme/