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Our latest publications
Overview of our latest publications registered in The Norwegian Research Information Repository (NVA).
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Zyberi, Gentian & Rusi, Nadia
(2026).
Transforming the Convergence between International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law into Effective Protection for Persons with Disabilities in Armed Conflict Situations.
Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Development.
ISSN 2313-058X.
13(2),
p. 295–311.
doi:
10.56345/ijrdv13n224.
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This article examines how the convergence between international human rights law and international humanitarian law can be translated into more effective protection for persons with disabilities in armed conflict situations. It starts from the premise that armed conflict affects persons with disabilities in specific and disproportionate ways, including through abandonment, violence, inaccessible evacuation procedures, and barriers to basic services. Drawing on the conceptual framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the article understands disability as the interaction between impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and environmental or attitudinal barriers. The analysis addresses three questions: first, the legal basis for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in situations of armed conflict; second, the legal obligations for States, international organizations, humanitarian agencies, and non-State armed groups, including under the evolving doctrine of the responsibility to protect; and third, the extent to which existing legal and operational frameworks adequately respond to the specific needs of persons with disabilities, and what normative and policy developments are required to strengthen their protection in such contexts. The analysis uses relevant international and regional treaties, especially the main international human rights and humanitarian law treaties, relevant jurisprudence from UN human rights mechanisms and regional human rights systems, and studies and other materials prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
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Follesdal, Andreas & Langford, Malcolm
(2026).
Trustworthy AI in courts: A legitimacy analysis.
Cambridge Forum on AI: Law and Governance.
2(2).
doi:
10.1017/cfl.2026.10061.
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The use of AI in courts is highly contested, with positions ranging from outright opposition to unmitigated enthusiasm. However, normative assessments of its deployment often rely on standards or analogies that are unclear in their pedigree, coherence and scope conditions. This article explores how theories of legitimate authority can offer some guidance. Legitimacy theories serve to assess institutions and how they use their authority. The framework allows us to identify central issues and dilemmas, order different normative standards and identify relevant differences and similarities across time and jurisdictions. To undertake such a legitimacy analysis of AI in courts, we identify six forms of delegation to AI in courts (servant, interlocutor, advisor, partner, agent and trustee) and analyse the legitimacy implications for six aspects of adjudication (legal process, inventorising, problem-solving, reasoned judgment, legitimation and discretion). In some areas, AI may enhance both the efficiency and quality of the judicial process, while we argue that the delegation of judicial power to AI in aspects which require extensive human discretion and human presence is difficult to justify.
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Marschall, Benjamin & Føllesdal, Andreas
(2026).
Raising, Discussing, and Settling One Problem After Another for Four Days. The 1986 Stanford Conversation Between Quine, Davidson, Dreben, and Føllesdal.
Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy.
16(2),
p. 1–12.
doi:
10.15173/jhap.v16i2.7201.
Full text in Research Archive
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Føllesdal, Andreas
(2026).
Quine's Quandaries.
Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy.
16(2),
p. 429–453.
doi:
10.15173/jhap.v16i2.5793.
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The Transcript of the 1986 Stanford Conversation records how Quine grapples with the inconsistencies he seeks and finds in his own views. Why was Quine so reluctant and ambivalent concerning propositional attitudes— “the mental”—including the propositional attitudes of empathy? The hypothesis explored in this article is that Quine’s acceptance of the mental effected central, deep changes to his theory, so that we witness him being torn between simplicity and conservation as he continued to improve on his web of belief. Quine’s pragmatism and commitment to the hypothetico-deductive method required him to adjust his existing web of belief in light of new findings and systematic thinking, including the aims of science construed—“Wissenschaft”, the epistemic virtues, the role of prediction, and his preference for physical objects.
Section 2 considers Quine’s acceptance of mental notions; Section 3 focuses on the propositional attitudes of empathy in particular. Section 4 sketches some of the ramifications of this change for the aims of science broadly construed—“Wissenschaft”—and hence of epistemic virtues, and for the role of prediction.
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Zyberi, Gentian; Shaheed, Ahmed & Baysar, Zeynep
(2026).
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
In Wiener, Michael; Salama, Ibrahim & Nicolmann, Britta (Ed.),
Faith in United Nations Human Rights Treaties: Legal and Religious Commentaries for Research and Peer-Learning.
UPEACE Press.
ISSN 9789930542767.
p. 109–141.
doi:
https:/upeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Faith-in-UN-Human-Rights-Treaties-1.pdf.
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This chapter provides an analysis of the jurisprudence of the United Nations Human Rights Committee concerning the the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. After the
introduction (section 1), the chapter addresses the religious influences during the travaux préparatoires of the UN treaty (section 2). The third section provides an analysis of the faith-related jurisprudence of the UN treaty body, including inclusive religious education, conscientious objection to military service, religious clothing, registration of religious associations, and asylum and nonrefoulement. Some selected issues of interpretation are addressed in section 4, where the jurisprudence of the Committee is compared with that of other key human rights mechanisms.
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Anstis, Siena Sofia Magdalena & Sprenger, Jillian
(2026).
Civil society and access to justice: challenges of seeking remedy in the global fight against spyware.
International Journal of Human Rights.
ISSN 1364-2987.
p. 24–24.
doi:
10.1080/13642987.2025.2603540.
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Zuniga, Natalia Torres
(2026).
Forestry extractivism, public/private divide and constitutional reform in Chile.
Journal of Law and Political Economy (JLPE).
Full text in Research Archive
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Al-Jizawi, Noura; Anstis, Siena Sofia Magdalena & Böcü, Gözde
(2025).
Targeted Across Borders: Digital Transnational Repression, Gender Dimensions, and the Role of Host States.
Georgetown journal of international affairs.
ISSN 1526-0054.
26(1),
p. 109–116.
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Hulthin, Marie
(2025).
Modelling norm clarification: the intersectional practice of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
European Journal of Politics and Gender.
ISSN 2515-1088.
p. 1–23.
doi:
10.1332/25151088y2025d000000109.
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This article examines how United Nations human rights treaty bodies clarify international gender norms, focusing on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It conceptualises treaty bodies as norm practitioners and proposes a three-part model of norm clarification: interpretive pronouncements, strategic framing and normative reinforcement. Applying this model to a qualitative content analysis of 185 state-specific recommendations (2018–23), the article shows how CEDAW invokes, shapes and reinforces the norm of intersectionality. Intersectionality is embedded through legal interpretation, tailored framing and repeated references to treaty provisions and soft-law instruments. Regional variation reveals strategies that respond to differing institutional, political and legal environments. The article contributes to scholarship on international law, human rights and feminist global governance by modelling and empirically illustrating the process through which treaty bodies clarify abstract gender norms and render them actionable and politically resonant.
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Zyberi, Gentian
(2025).
Reparations in the form of restitution and compensation before selected human rights mechanisms.
In Henrard, Kristin & Duin, Michelle (Ed.),
Research Handbook on Accountability for Human Rights Violations.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
ISSN 9781035306923.
p. 428–443.
doi:
10.4337/9781035306930.00036.
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This chapter provides a comparative analysis of two main forms of reparations, namely restitution and compensation, as developed through the practice of various human rights mechanisms, with a focus on the three regional human rights courts and the UN Human Rights Committee. The definitions of restitution and compensation are based on their respective definitions contained in the 2005 UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law. First, the analysis focuses on the legal framework of reparations and the general practice of the main international and regional human rights mechanisms. Then, the analysis turns to restitution and compensation as specific forms of reparations. While there are various forms of restitution, including the recognition of identity, family life and citizenship, return to one’s place of residence, restoration of employment, and so on, the chapter addresses only the restoration of liberty and the return of property, as two main forms of restitution for personal autonomy. Compensation is provided for any economically assessable damage, as appropriate and proportional to the gravity of the violation and the circumstances of each case. The chapter analyzes compensation for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and the issue of adequate compensation. Some good practices concerning reparations and future research agendas are summarized at the end.
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Reiners, Nina
(2025).
Hard(er) Times for Human Rights Advocacy in Global Governance: Ideological Capture and Illiberal Interests.
Ethics and International Affairs.
ISSN 0892-6794.
39(2),
p. 173–188.
doi:
10.1017/S0892679425100142.
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This essay reveals the institutional dynamics of hard times in the issue area of human rights. I show that the human rights regime has developed innovative-yet-informal institutions like individuals-based coalitions for the international protection and progressive development of human rights. Yet, as these informal institutions function very much based on, first, the interpersonal relations among their members, and, second, legal instruments that require no further consent by states, the advocacy success of liberal human rights defenders has, in turn, provided a playbook for advocates and governments from the illiberal end of the ideology spectrum. In addition, new human rights advocates in the form of certain private law firms have entered the UN through their pro bono work. They promise valuable resources for a crisis-ridden system but often represent corporate clients with conflicts of interest. Given the imminent risk of ideological capture and illiberal interests in human rights paralyzing the system, I reemphasize the need for regulating access to the human rights global governance institutions.
View all works in NVA
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Létourneau-Tremblay, Laura; Eskeland, Gunnar; Tscherning, Rudiger Philipp Helmuth & Nordtveit, Torhild
(2026).
Investments in the Hydrogen Market.
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Norway and Canada's intensifying economic cooperation as critical supplier countries: what can we learn from ten years of economic and policy incentives to establish a transatlantic hydrogen economy?
Our webinar - as part of the HyValue Research Project series - will feature Norwegian and Canadian experts on clean energy economics, law and trade, with a special focus on the hydrogen economy. The presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A Discussion with audience participation
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Skeie, Victoria
(2026).
EU Forced Labour Regulation (2024): efforts to strenghten transnational social justice.
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Decades of failure to regulate forced labour and modern slavery in global supply chains - can product bans as a regulatory governance tool make a difference to social justice?
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Føllesdal, Andreas
(2026).
Federalism and Democracy in South and Southeast Asia - Lessons. Foreword to anthology.
In Tandon, Vishnu Kumari; Gillot-Assayag, Laure & Forster, Christine (Ed.),
Federal Theories and Practices.
Palgrave Macmillan.
ISSN 9783032199584.
p. v–viii.
doi:
https:/link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm:978-3-032-19959-1/1.
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This book bridges theory and practice to rethink the contested relationship between federalism and democracy, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. Bringing together philosophy, law, political science, and area studies, it offers a fresh interdisciplinary perspective on power sharing, democratic governance, and federal design.
The first part develops key concepts by examining the intellectual history of federalism and democracy, the normative role of participation, cooperative power sharing, and the rule of law. The second part turns to practice, analyzing federal country cases including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar. These chapters address minority rights, subnational autonomy, citizen’s participation, and the tensions between federalism, democratization, and authoritarianism. By highlighting both opportunities and challenges, the book provides fresh insights into how federal systems can shape or undermine democratic representation, accountability, and innovative governance in diverse societies.
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Aravena, Francisco Rojas; Loutfi, Mohamed & Zyberi, Gentian
(2026).
FOREWORD,
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
p. 1–4.
doi:
https:/upeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Faith-in-UN-Human-Rights-Treaties-1.pdf.
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This chapter provides an analysis of the jurisprudence of the United Nations Human Rights Committee concerning the the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. After the
introduction (section 1), the chapter addresses the religious influences during the travaux préparatoires of the UN treaty (section 2). The third section provides an analysis of the faith-related jurisprudence of the UN treaty body, including inclusive religious education, conscientious objection to military service, religious clothing, registration of religious associations, and asylum and nonrefoulement. Some selected issues of interpretation are addressed in section 4, where the jurisprudence of the Committee is compared with that of other key human rights mechanisms.
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Føllesdal, Andreas
(2025).
How to better Limit and Guide the Executive’s Discretionary Space regarding Treaty Obligations?
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About the challenges of the increased power of the executive
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Hellum, Anne
(2025).
Integrating gender perspectives in higher legal education Experiences and reflections from the last 50 years at the Faculty of law.
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Describes and discusses the Faculty of Law's women, gender and equality mainstreaming strategy
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Tonstad, Kristel & Lipponen, Aino Emilia
(2026).
Climate Change in Human Rights Due Diligence. An Assessment of Corporate Accountability under the Transparency Act.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Fundamental human rights are increasingly threatened by the climate crisis. Large multinationals in extractive industries contribute a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the adverse social consequences of a warming climate. Legal and governance frameworks however lack proper conceptualization of this relationship to ensure corporate accountability over adverse climate-human rights impacts. Focusing on the Norwegian Transparency Act as a prominent mechanism for human rights due diligence, this thesis examines how companies define their climate impacts in relation to human rights and whether the Act is sufficient in enforcing corporate accountability in this intersection.
Building on a review of the predominant soft and hard law frameworks on climate, business and human rights, a qualitative content analysis method is employed to assess the Transparency Act reporting of the 20 largest Norwegian companies. Information request answers collected under §6 of the Transparency Act provide further perspective on company decision making and due diligence procedures. Investigating the salience of climate change as a human rights impact in company reporting, the analysis shows that the sampled companies acknowledge adverse human rights consequences of emissions to a limited extent and with little conceptual consistency.
The lack of acknowledgement for climate impacts in human rights due diligence, especially noticeable in the oil and gas sector, affirms operational and structural shortcomings of human rights due diligence and legislative frameworks. The thesis concludes that in the absence of explicit climate-human rights provisions in Norwegian legislation, the true scale of corporate climate impacts is not accounted for. This in turn challenges Norway’s alignment with international human rights law and Paris Agreement objectives, revealing a greater discussion on the balancing of economic, environmental, and social interests in the context of climate change.
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Jensen, Dr. Ellen Marie & Ward, Alice
(2026).
“Ellos Riehpovuotna!”: Gender, Indigeneity, and Activism.
How the gendered and Indigenous positionalities of Sámi women shape their leadership and participation in human rights activism.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines how the gendered and Indigenous positionalities of Sámi women shape their leadership and participation in human rights activism. Grounded in Indigenous and Sámi research paradigms, the study draws on five qualitative research conversations with Sámi women activists involved in resistance to the Nussir mining project in Repparfjord, Northern Norway. Through an Indigenous feminist framework, the thesis explores how colonialism, gender, and relational understandings of land and community influence experiences of activism, leadership, and political participation.
The study situates contemporary Sámi activism within the broader historical context of Norwegianisation policies and ongoing struggles over Indigenous rights in Sápmi. Particular attention is given to the Repparfjord conflict as a case study through which tensions between extractive development, environmental protection, and Indigenous human rights become visible.
The findings demonstrate that participants understood activism not only as political resistance, but also as a relational responsibility to land, community, culture, and future generations. Sámi women occupy central organising and leadership roles within activist spaces, particularly through coordination, emotional labour, conflict mediation, and the sustaining of collective wellbeing. At the same time, participants described gendered burdens connected to activism. These included heightened expectations of care, responsibility, and emotional availability. Several participants also reflected on experiences of sexism, unequal recognition, and the pressure to continually prove competence within activist environments that were not free from patriarchal dynamics.
The research further shows that Indigenous feminist practices often emerged through everyday acts of care, reciprocity, and collective organising rather than through explicit identification with feminism as a political label. By centring the voices and experiences of Sámi women activists, this thesis contributes to Indigenous feminist scholarship and research on Sámi activism. It highlights how Indigenous women’s activism is shaped simultaneously by resistance to colonial structures and by negotiations of gendered power relations within activist movements themselves.
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Jones, Peris Sean & Lucia, Elena
(2026).
Main title: From Global Norms to City Policies.
Subtitle: How the Municipalities of Bologna and Palermo Translate Migrants’ Human Right to Work.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Local authorities have increasingly positioned themselves as key actors in translating global human rights norms into concrete city policies. This thesis examines how and why the Italian municipalities of Bologna and Palermo institutionalise migrants’ human rights, and more specifically, their right to (access) work. It draws on document analysis of national ministerial programmes and reports, municipal policy plans and operational agreements, as well as NGO project reports, analysed through thematic analysis. The study is structured around four key actor-categories: the State, municipalities, NGOs working in direct partnership with local authorities, and independent NGOs. From the findings, it emerges that the localisation of migrants’ rights is not merely a legal and administrative process, but involves the interpretation and adaptation of global norms within the local context. These norms are translated into local policies and integration projects, whose implementation relies heavily on cities’ collaboration with local CSAs, NGOs, and businesses. Moreover, strengthening city networks and multi-actor partnerships is essential to ensuring effective delivery and positive outcomes in promoting migrants’ access to work and social inclusion. It also emerges that, while cities play a crucial role in promoting migrants’ access to work and social inclusion, their capacity is constrained by dependence on national legislation and funding; nevertheless, cases such as Bologna and Palermo demonstrate that municipalities can still shape migrants’ experiences of rights and exert political pressure for more inclusive migration governance. However, the extent to which municipalities can effectively institutionalise migrants’ rights remains contested and constrained by national frameworks.
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Anstis, Siena Sofia Magdalena; Amanquandor, Thomas Duke Labik & Russell., Lucy Ellinor
(2026).
Big Brother Might be Watching You. A Mixed Methods Analysis of Digital Surveillance Impact on Student Activism in Europe.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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In this thesis I investigate how digital surveillance impacts student activism in Europe, an-swering two research questions, 1) How and to what extent does digital surveillance impact student activism in Europe?, and 2) How can student activists be better supported in their response to digital surveillance? The discussion is based on a comparative analysis of 68 survey responses and a reflexive thematic analysis of 8 semi-structured follow-up interviews. I argue three main findings – (1) the difference in awareness and fear of digital surveillance within student activist communities creates a divide which has ripple consequences such as lack of mobilisation, (2) although digital surveillance has an impact on student activists, tra-ditional methods of creating fear and repression matter more when one seeks to understand student activists behaviour, and (3), student activists need more support in learning about digital safety, but also require traditional methods of support.
Keywords: digital surveillance, student activism, repression, chilling effects
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Dokken, Karin & Zehouo, Selina Kolstad
(2026).
Turning Righst into Action in Ghana's Cocoa sector. A Sociolegal analysis of UNICEF’s Operationalization of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Ghana's cocoa sector.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Zyberi, Gentian & Sunde, Atle Eftedal
(2026).
AI-Enabled Decision Support Systems and Individual Criminal Responsibility for War Crimes under the Rome Statute: Focusing on Reported Systems such as Lavender and “Where’s Daddy?”.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Reiners, Nina & Barth-Carlsen, Marcus
(2026).
Norm Collision in Sovereign Wealth Fund Governance. Norwegian Parliamentary Discourse on Conflicting Financial and Ethical Mandates and the Suspension of the Council on Ethics.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Sørlie, Anniken & Fonda, Carlotta
(2026).
“It feels like they just really wanted to sterilize me”. Trans experiences at the intersection of reproduction and gender identity.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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It has been ten years since the Norwegian Legal Gender Act ended on paper the practice of
forced sterilization of trans people wishing to change legal gender. Nevertheless, in an
increasingly hostile climate for trans people worldwide, Norway has yet to implement polices
aimed at ensuring the reproductive rights of trans people. This master thesis provides a socio
legal analysis of how trans people today experience their reproductive rights and right to gender
identity in Norway. It explores the existing legislative framework to define which rights trans
people are entitled to as well as the relevant literature to identify existing challenges. Moreover,
it thematically analyses qualitative interviews carried out with seven trans people living in
Norway between January and February 2026. This thesis argues that even if the sterilization
requirement was abolished in the law, trans people in Norway still have to choose between their
reproductive rights and right to gender identity due to the monopoly over gender affirming care
of the Oslo University Hospital, legal gender as a basis for Norwegian laws on assisted
reproduction, and society’s cisnormative understanding of parenthood. By taking on the burden
of finding strategies to enjoy their human rights, trans people navigate in various ways the laws
and practices at the intersection of their reproduction and gender identity in order to overcome
the Norwegian state’s failure to fulfill their rights.
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Saul, Matthew William & Kamali, Karell Mawla Ibnu
(2026).
Procedural Formalism as a Barrier to Justice in Indonesia. A Socio-Legal Analysis and Lessons from Norway.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines why Indonesian civil courts systematically dismiss human rights-adjacent claims on excessively formalistic procedural dismissal despite the ratification of ICCPR and existence of statutory curative provisions. Drawing on March and Olsen's new institutionalism, it argues that excessive formalism is sustained by the convergence of two institutional logics: a Logic of Appropriateness inherited from colonial legal history, and a Logic of Consequentiality that rewards procedural dismissal as a risk-management device. The analysis combines doctrinal study of inadmissibility rulings across three categories of human rights-adjacent disputes, a survey of 41 first-instance judges revealing a generationally stratified bench attitudinally prepared for substantive engagement yet operating within a formalist institutional environment, and a functional comparison with Norway's 2005 Dispute Act. The thesis concludes that meaningful reform requires converting curative tools from discretionary permissions into binding duties, front-loading admissibility screening, and absorbing political risk at the institutional level.
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Voigt, Christina & Angeltveit, Matilde
(2026).
Norway’s Human Rights Obligations on Climate Protection and Emissions from Fossil Fuels.
Does the European Convention on Human Rights entail a duty for Norway to reduce emissions from its production and exports of oil and gas?
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines whether Norway, in light of climate change impacts, has a positive obligation under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Norwegian oil and gas. The analysis focuses on the standards set out by the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) judgment in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland and applies these to Norway’s fossil fuel production and export.
The ECtHR’s emphasis on developing a binding framework to reach carbon neutrality, quantifying a carbon budget consistent with the 1.5°C goal and acting with due diligence in a timely manner, is interpreted in light of relevant principles such as common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities, highest possible ambition, best available science, equity and intergenerational burden sharing.
I argue that Norway is not doing enough to reduce territorial emissions from oil and gas production to convincingly demonstrate compliance with Article 8. I also conclude that the ECHR can reasonably be interpreted as imposing a positive obligation on Norway to assume responsibility, at least partially, for the exported emissions that it can effectively influence. The thesis concludes by suggesting a number of policies to reduce the risk of Norway’s non-compliance with the ECHR, including supply-side measures to reduce emissions from Norwegian oil and gas combusted abroad.
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Rottem, Svein Vigeland; Saul, Matthew & Sivertsen, Mathias
(2026).
Rights on Ice: A Rights-Based Approach to Evaluating the Effectiveness of Indigenous Participation in the Arctic Council.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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The Arctic Council is globally recognised for its inclusionary governance model, explicitly incorporating Indigenous Rights-Holder (IRH) representative organisations through the designation of Permanent Participant (PP). Yet, the extent to which the Council facilitates effective participation remains contested. Indeed, in response to Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Member States temporarily halted Council operations and excluded PPs from the decision-making, raising broader questions regarding the degree to which the inclusionary framework aligns with international participatory norms. To determine what makes IRH participation truly effective, this research looks to human rights jurisprudence to define the standard. Guided by this jurisprudence, the research argues that within intergovernmental forums, the external aspect of IRH self-determination is expressed through genuinely effective participation, consisting of the intrinsically linked participatory rights and Free, Prior and Informed Consent. Subsequently, relevant human rights instruments are examined to delineate the substantive contents of effective participation, culminating in a holistic normative framework.
To evaluate the realities of PP involvement against this framework, the empirical analysis relies on methodological triangulation, combining primary qualitative interview data with supplementary quantitative records. The study reveals that PPs mitigate a lack of formal voting rights by leveraging institutional memory, early agenda-setting and relationship-building, thereby exerting substantial informal influence over consensus-seeking processes. However, this practice-based influence is inherently precarious. The research identifies severe financial inequities, epistemological divides that marginalise Indigenous Knowledge and external domestic and geopolitical pressures as primary barriers. Ultimately, the research concludes that while the Arctic Council offers pioneering procedural access, the uncodified nature of this inclusion leaves IRHs’ enjoyment of their right to effective participation inherently vulnerable.
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Kazmi, Dr. Arjumand Bano & Naik, Ashwini Sitacanta
(2026).
Legal Norms versus Social Normativity in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in India
A Socio-Legal Analysis of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Rules and their Inability to Deliver Child Centred Justice in India.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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--- Abstract will be published: 2029-05-15
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Ekern, Stener & Nydal, Nils Jakob Bakke
(2026).
Framing opposition
Media Representations of Exiled Journalists and Human Rights Defenders in Colombia and Türkyie, and Their Relationship to Freedom of Expression Laws.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Journalists and human rights defenders are central to democratic debate, yet in Colombia and Türkiye they often face threats, criminalization, and exile. This thesis examines how selected online newspapers frame exiled journalists and human rights defenders, and how these representations relate to freedom of expression in each country. Using media framing theory and a socio-legal perspective, the study analyzes securitizing, criminalizing, victimizing, legitimizing, episodic, and thematic frames. The findings show that Turkish coverage more consistently links journalists to terrorism, espionage, fugitivity, and threats to the state, while Colombian coverage is more ambiguous, shaped by armed conflict, victimhood, and political polarization. The thesis argues that freedom of expression must be understood not only through formal legal protections, but also through the media narratives that shape public legitimacy and dissent in practice.
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Skeie., Victoria & Biffi., Elena Angela
(2026).
In the Shadow of the Italian Tables: Moving Beyond Criminalisation toward a Systemic Approach to Countering Labour Exploitation. A Fieldwork Analysis of the Effectiveness of Law 199/2016 in Protecting Agricultural Non-Citizen Workers from Labour Exploitation.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Jones, Peris & Lorentzen, Ane Holen
(2026).
A waste of space? Organising for the rights of informal waste workers in Mathare, Nairobi.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis investigates waste pickers in the informal economy’s access to human rights in Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. It explores how existing structures in the waste management sector in Nairobi excludes waste pickers from protective human and la-bour rights frameworks, as well as inquiring into how organisations work to enhance waste pickers’ rights and livelihood. The challenges and opportunities waste pickers and waste pickers’ organisations fade are discussed through a combination of human rights literature, theories of contentious action, and geographies of injustice. The complexity of structural injustice connected to human rights, space, and place points to a need for a holistic approach to solving issues in the waste management value chain and increasing the access of waste pickers to human rights. Only then can waste pickers gain recognition for the essential work they perform, which is an important step towards social justice.
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Esayas, Samson Yoseph; Zuniga, Natalia Torres & Høiskar, Kristina
(2026).
It´s None of Your Business: Power, Platforms and Rights.
How the GDPR´s OSS Shapes Enforcement in Complex Cross-Border Cases.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines how the General Data Protection Regulation’s (GDPR) One Stop Shop (OSS) affects the enforcement of data protection rules vis-à-vis corporations whose business model relies on processing personal data, and how this affects the realization of individuals’ fundamental right to data protection in practice. Using an interdisciplinary approach that com-bines law and political science, it studies the GDPR’s enforcement architecture and conducts a qualitative case study of the procedures concerning the lawfulness of Meta’s legal basis for pro-cessing personal data for behavioral advertising. The thesis argues that the institutional design of the OSS systematically weakens effective enforcement in complex cross‑border platform cases by concentrating decision‑making power in lead supervisory authorities and creating power im-balances between data protection authorities and large controllers. While tools such as urgent measures, European‑level escalation and the new Procedural Regulation mitigate some proce-dural shortcomings, they do not resolve these structural asymmetries. As a result, the enforce-ment of data‑protection rights in high‑stakes cases risks remaining slow, uneven and dependent on a small number of authorities.
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Skeie, Victoria & Mäkimattila, Sini Matilda
(2026).
Measuring Compliance under the Norwegian Transparency Act. A Socio-Legal study of Human Rights Due Diligence Reporting among Medium Sized Enterprises.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which Medium Sized Enterprises comply with the reporting requirements of §5 under the Norwegian Transparency Act. In order to achieve this aim, 50 transparency reports published by Norwegian Medium Sized Enterprises have been analyzed through a socio-legal research design and a mixed methodology approach. This study is based on a compliance index derived from §5 of the Act. The research question of the thesis is To what extent do medium sized enterprises comply with the reporting requirements under the Norwegian Transparency Act? The Norwegian Transparency Act is unique in the broader European due diligence regulation context, due to including Medium Sized Enterprises under its scope, despite existing research indicating that such enterprises often face structural and resource related challenges in implementing due diligence and non-financial reporting. The transparency reports have been analyzed through a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative summative approach in order to identify patterns of compliance and non-compliance. Stakehol-der theory and Organizational legitimacy theory have been applied as analytical frameworks to understand how Medium Sized Enterprises respond to legal and societal expectations through their disclosures. The findings suggest that while all enterprises formally engage with reporting obligations under the Act, the disclosures often remain descriptive and generalized instead of detailed and specific. The study further indicates variation in reporting practices and suggests that limited administrative resources, interpretation of legal expectations, and lacking knowledge and expertise, are linked to these findings. Finally, the thesis concludes that Medium Sized En-terprises generally do not comply with reporting requirements of the Norwegian Transparency Act to a full extent.
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Tonstad, Kristel & Jakobsen, Robin
(2026).
Simplification or Chaos. Competing Narratives in the Omnibus I and Implications for Business and Human Rights Legislation.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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There is currently an effort to introduce a binding international treaty at the United Nations to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises. However, what are some important considerations in the move from a business and human rights framework characterized by soft law standards, and towards binding hard law? This thesis uses the European Commission’s Omnibus I as a case study to analyze law-making and processes of legislative change. From this analysis of the Omnibus, the thesis seeks to answer the question: What are the implications of the Omnibus simplification process for the development of binding business and human rights legislation?
This thesis uses policy discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews with identified relevant stakeholders to better analyze the implications of the Omnibus for the process of shaping binding business and human rights legislation. It contributes to a better understanding of the Omnibus process and provides a new perspective complementary to the existing literature. Some findings include how the original framing of the Green Deal as a growth strategy contributed to the “greening” of economic growth and the process of attaching economic value to sustainability. Furthermore, there are considerable shortcomings in the “simplification” narrative, as the changes have not resulted in reduced complexity for companies that remain in scope, while creating legislative confusion regarding the process.
These findings provide insight into how normative contestation, the discourse and framing of legislation, and the internal interpretation of norms by corporate actors have important implications to consider in the process of creating binding business and human rights legislation. The thesis highlights the need to recalibrate the understanding of the law-making process, particularly its implicit connotations, parameters for change, and normative challenges to implementation.
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Steigler, Alida & Jenčková, Lenka
(2026).
The Norwegian Transparency Act and Information Disclosure. Forced Labour Risks in Solar Supply Chains.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines the scope of enterprises’ disclosure obligations under the Norwegian Transparency Act (NTA, Åpenhetsloven), with focus on forced labour risks in solar supply chains linked to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), China. The main research question is whether enterprises covered by the NTA should be required to disclose identifying information about suppliers and/or production sites when responding to public information requests under §§ 6 and 7 of the Act. The analysis centers on the 2024 Statkraft case before the Norwegian Consumer Authority (CA, Forbrukertilsynet), in which the authority concluded that the Act does not require such disclosure. Using a legal dogmatic method (rettsdogmatisk metode) and purposive interpretation (formålstolking), the thesis argues that the Act should be interpreted in light of its purpose: promoting human rights, decent working conditions, and public access to information. The thesis further identifies contextual factors relating to XUAR that were not considered in the CA’s reasoning. It concludes by proposing an alternative interpretation of the Statkraft case, according to which disclosure of supplier or production site information may, in certain circumstances, be necessary to enable public scrutiny of corporate conduct.
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Larsen., Kjetil Mujezinović & Rakkestad., Ingrid
(2026).
Between Idealism and Authority. A Doctrinal Analysis of the CRPD Committee's Interpretive Method and the Authority of Its Statements in Domestic Law.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines the interpretive practice of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD Committee) and what kind of legal and normative authority its statements may have in international and domestic law. It takes as its starting point the recurring claim that the Committee is overly idealistic or activistic and therefore difficult for states and courts to follow in domestic adjudication. The central question is whether the Committee’s interpretive method can be described as idealistic, and what this implies for the weight that domestic courts and other legal actors may attribute to its pronouncements.
The study adopts a doctrinal legal research approach, using Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties as the main analytical framework. It conducts a close reading of the Committee’s eight general comments, together with a purposive sample of thirteen views on individual communications and nine sets of concluding observations adopted between 2011 and 2025. The analysis looks at the Committee’s composition, how it relies on external sources, its reasoning techniques, the language it uses when formulating obligations, and the extent to which its approach is coherent across different types of outputs.
The thesis finds that the CRPD Committee employs a strongly principle-driven, teleological method that consistently foregrounds the object and purpose of the Convention and its core principles. While its engagement with treaty text, travaux préparatoires and subsequent state practice is uneven, the Committee’s approach largely remains within the framework of Article 31 rather than departing from it. This thesis argues that the Committee’s outputs are normatively important but primarily persuasive: their authority in domestic legal orders depends less on formal binding force than on methodological transparency, doctrinal anchoring and the extent to which their conclusions can be integrated into existing domestic legal structures.
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Barnes, Michael & Konheisner, Sonja
(2026).
AI at the Border, Democracy at Stake: A Deliberative-Care Model for Democratizing AI in Refugee Status Determination.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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High‑risk AI systems are increasingly embedded in refugee status determination (RSD), from
data collection (phone-scraping) to analysis (case matching). While often justified in terms of
efficiency and objectivity, these systems generate epistemic injustices: error, bias, privacy violations, intransparency and automation bias of officers displace, downgrade, or erase asylum
seekers' testimony and knowledge. One proposed response is the ‘democratization of AI governance’, yet Himmelreich’s influential “Against ‘Democratizing AI’” argues that such proposals are illegitimate, redundant, reinforce inequalities, cause popular oversight, and do not
address the underlying structural injustice.
This thesis asks how the governance of high‑risk AI in RSD should be democratized in light of
these objections. From a feminist political philosophy perspective, it develops a conceptual and
normative framework that combines second‑generation deliberative democracy with care ethics
and institutionalizes this ‘deliberative‑care’ approach in mini‑publics tasked with governing AI
in RSD. Deliberative theory provides inclusive, procedural standards and mini-publics as a forum, while care ethics adds a substantive ground to include non-citizens and a responsibility for
those in power to create a system of trust and care independent of inclusion. Both theories and
the institutionalization follow the principles of dialogue, inclusion, contextualization, and transformation. In
the specific context of AI‑mediated RSD, deliberative‑care mini‑publics can meet Himmelreich’s five objections: opacity generates a distinct legitimation ground; mini‑publics perform
a complementary meta‑evaluative function; careful design mitigates inequality concerns and
popular oversight; and, taken together, they support a justice‑oriented democratization. Deliberative-care mini-publics are plausible and, by following the four principles, empower asylum
seekers’ voices and channel them into concrete reforms to combat AI’s injustices at the borders
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Kazmi, Arjumand Bano & Nguyen, Diane
(2026).
An Asian American Guide on Catering to Whiteness. A Critical Analysis of Stop Asian Hate During the United States' COVID-19 Era in Comparison to Black Lives Matter.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis examines and critiques the Stop Asian Hate (SAH) social movement in the United States in relation to Black Lives Matter, and how it shaped the development, framing, and reception of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act of 2021 within a U.S. justice and legal system that has been historically structured to preserve American Whiteness. Drawing on social movement and mobilization studies, as well as Critical Race Theory, this study analyzes Stop Asian Hate as a digital and grassroots-networked movement that resulted in legislation focusing on data collection as hate crime prevention, not systemic change. While Stop Asian Hate succeeded in rapidly elevating anti-Asian violence to national visibility and legislative recognition, this thesis argues that its dominant strategies—particularly incident reporting, data-driven advocacy, and hate crime discourse—ultimately reinforced White-centered, colonial modes of governance.
Through discourse and framing analysis of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, movement examination, and scholarly critiques, this thesis demonstrates that the Act individualized racism as “hate,” confined anti-Asian violence to the COVID-19 period, and positioned law enforcement and data infrastructure as fundamental solutions. These framings enabled swift bipartisan passage but ignored the American system’s engagement with racial capitalism, gendered racial violence, and state violence. The thesis further situates Stop Asian Hate within broader U.S. racial politics by comparing Asian American and Black American pursuits of legislative justice, arguing that Asian American claims were incorporated because they did not fundamentally challenge policing power, unlike Black struggles against state violence and anti-Blackness. When it is individuals creating harm, and not those in power, the justice system is not threatened.
Ultimately, this thesis critiques Stop Asian Hate for how its activist framework risked reproducing anti-Blackness, marginalizing non-East Asian American communities, and legitimizing the criminal legal system as a trusted protector. The thesis concludes by suggesting that pursuing justice for Asian American communities requires moving beyond the symbolic recognition offered by White-centered regimes and toward solidaristic frameworks of racial justice, much like the Black American community has done with Black Lives Matter, and historically.
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Vaagland, Karin & Sønsteby, Olena
(2026).
Living in Temporariness: Integration under Collective Protection in Norway.
A study of Ukrainian refugees and how uncertainty shapes integration processes.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Lohne, Kjersti & Thomsen, Elias Demant Werner
(2026).
Motivations, Resources, and Barriers. Law firms’ pro bono litigation for asylum seekers in Norway.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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In Norway, private law firms are dedicating time and money to litigating asylum seekers' cases on a pro bono basis through the collaborative Court Project (domstolsprosjektet) organized by the non-profit legal aid provider NOAS. Taking this as its central case study, the thesis examines what motivates law firms to engage in pro bono litigation in the asylum field, and the opportunities and challenges they face in doing so. The thesis draws on legal mobilization scholarship and interviews conducted with law firm representatives in the Court Project. It finds mixed motivations: some firms target unmet legal needs and protect the rule of law, and some make a business case for pro bono. The thesis also identifies resources and barriers that enable or hinder private law firms’ pro bono litigation for asylum seekers and discusses potential implications of these findings for access to justice.
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Grønningsæter, Andrea Vige; Vaagland, Karin & Solomon, Sina Hosanna
(2026).
From Harm to Housing: A socio-legal analysis of the access to housing in the re-establishment phase for family immigrated women victims of intimate partner violence in Oslo.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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--- Abstract will be published: 2031-05-15
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Saul, Matthew William; Elvebakken, Johanne Rokke & Budahn, Johanna
(2026).
Safeguarding the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Feminist Legal Pathways to Respond to Backlash at the UN Security Council.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Sen, Ilker Gökhan & Nababan, Kemala
(2026).
Reassessing the Concept of ‘Public Interest’ in Indonesian Legal Framework on Land Acquisition.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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The concept of ‘public interest’ in the context of land acquisition in Indonesia has evolved from the authoritarian era to the present democratic order. The enactment of the Land Acquisition Law presented administrative courts with an opportunity to shape its meaning through judicial reasoning, but it that has been largely forgone. Both the legal framework and judicial practice have treated land acquisition disputes as ordinary property matters, obscuring their broader human rights dimensions. Where violations carry far-reaching consequences for entire communities, courts have shown a pronounced tendency toward self-restraint, avoiding to engage in the proportionality and reasonableness analysis that such disputes demand. This thesis examines how Indonesian administrative courts have approached public interest in land acquisition, with focus on objective contentious-matters case, and proposes how courts ought to conduct review in a manner consistent with human rights principles, so that public interest becomes a standard of scrutiny rather than a shield against it.
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Brauteseth, Bjørn Leif
(2026).
Global Ecological Civilization and the Party-Law-State: Enhancing Conservation in Kenya and Zimbabwe?
Universitetet i Oslo.
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China's Green Promise: Does It Travel?
China is building roads, railways, and dams across Africa and beyond. But is it also exporting environmental protection? That is the question at the heart of this research.
As China becomes one of the world's most powerful builders and lenders, understanding whether its environmental commitments are real or merely rhetorical, has consequences for the planet.
A bold domestic vision
Over the past decade, China has developed a bold domestic vision it calls "Ecological Civilization".Essentially, this is China’s own version of sustainable development. The Chinese government has pledged to bring this vision to its international projects too. This is particularly evident through the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive global infrastructure programme spanning dozens of countries. The question is whether this promise hold up in practice?
A gap between narrative and reality
This research followed the paper trail from Communist Party ideology, through Chinese national law, all the way to construction projects on the ground in Kenya and Zimbabwe. What it found is a significant gap between the narrative and the reality. China promotes ecological values in international agreements and policy documents, but when you look at actual investment projects in African countries, those values are not consistently applied.
Overridden by ideology
One key finding is that Chinese law abroad is never fully independent from Communist Party ideology. This matters because it means environmental protections can be overridden whenever they conflict with the Party's broader political and economic goals.
The conclusion is that the legal tools are in place, but the political will to enforce them consistently does not yet follow.
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Victoria, Skeie, & Miriam, Hasan,
(2025).
How much transparency do we need?
A study of how a legal requirement to disclose place of production could affect human rights in the supply chains of Norwegian food and textile companies, and how companies weigh advantages and disadvantages of disclosing this information.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Central to corporate responsibility is the degree to which companies are transparent about the conditions of where their products are produced. The Norwegian Transparency Act has heightened the business sector's focus on human rights and decent working conditions. The purpose of the law is to promote, respect and protect human rights in the supply chains of Norwegian companies. However, civil society actors question whether the Transparency Act is strict enough to fulfil its intended purpose. An important part of this policy dispute centres around whether a requirement to disclose place of production should become part of the Act. This thesis analyses how such a requirement could affect human rights in the companies’ supply chains. Using the food sector and textile sector in Norway as cases, the thesis examines how companies in these sectors weigh the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing production sites. This study offers insights that can advance broader debates of corporate due diligence.
How much transparency is needed to develop effective and successful transparency policies that achieve their goal of protecting human rights? The findings are mixed when it comes to requiring the disclosure of production sites, revealing both potential positive and negative effects for human rights. Moreover, the findings show that whether companies experience advantages or disadvantages of disclosing production sites is dependent on their relation and degree of collaboration with the civil society actors whom demand this information. The goal of this thesis is to assist all those that seek a clearer understanding of the various viewpoints and arguments concerning the debate around disclosure of production sites, as well as the legal development surrounding this potential requirement.
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Guers, Adele Anna
(2025).
Empowerment or Coercion? Exploring Migrant Agency in Humanitarian Practices.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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"You can either take the shampoo or the soap, but not both." This was a sentence the staff frequently repeated while distributing hygiene products to migrants at the civil society organization where I worked. It presented workers with an ethical dilemma; balancing the need to ration supplies fairly given the very limited resources we had while limiting choice and access to necessities. While such constraints are often framed as logistical necessities, they have broader implications for the agency of those affected. This research investigates how the operational practices of CSOs impact the agency of migrants, with a particular focus on the tensions between empowerment and control in humanitarian settings. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, with participant observations and interviews with staff at a Paris-based CSO supporting migrants, this study asks: How do the practices of non-governmental organizations shape migrant agency? My central argument is that, even when acting with helpful intentions, CSOs often make decisions that further limit migrants' ability to make choices about their lives. This limitation is not total and uncontested. Throughout my fieldwork, I observed moments of resistance, both from migrants pushing back against limitations and from staff questioning or bending rules they felt were unjust.
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Thorsen, Sara Nordahl
(2025).
Public Procurement and Human Rights: A Maturity Assessment of Human Rights Integration Across Norway's Largest Public Agencies.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This dissertation examines the extent to which Norway’s largest public procurement agencies recognize and fulfill their responsibility to respect fundamental human rights. Using a maturity model grounded in institutional theories and stakeholder perspectives, it analyzes survey data from 47 public buyers across four dimensions: policy, systems, implementation, and supplier follow-up. The findings show that while recognition of human rights responsibilities is widespread, operational delivery remains inconsistent. Agencies with stronger internal capacity and risk management systems perform significantly better, suggesting that institutional commitment and professional norms are key drivers of progress. The results also reflect tensions between cost-efficiency and rights-based procurement logics. In conclusion, this dissertation argues that public procurement has clear potential as a human rights governance tool, but that its effectiveness depends both on regulatory mandates and, maybe more importantly, internalization of normative expectations and the development of practical enforcement mechanisms. By benchmarking current practices and identifying barriers to fulfillment, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how public procurement can advance responsible business conduct and the institutionalization of human rights due diligence.
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Engeset, Camilla Scharffscher
(2025).
Better protection for children? An analysis of the safeguards for children in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum with a focus on Norway.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis explores to what extent the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum provides protection for children's human rights compared to current Norwegian legislation and practice. With an increasing number of people forced to flee worldwide, and the severe situation for many children seeking protection in Europe, it is crucial to ensure better protection for children. In May 2024, the European Council adopted the EU Pact, which will come into effect in June 2026. A stated aim of the Pact is “to provide for the special needs of vulnerable groups,” particularly children. However, there is debate regarding whether the Pact will provide better protection for vulnerable individuals, including children. Amid the implementation of the EU Pact, this thesis aims to provide timely insights and a new perspective to existing literature by discussing the implications of the Pact from the lens of children’s rights on a Northern European state. It focuses on two key regulations: the Screening Regulation and the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation. It identifies and analyses the key child related changes within the legislations and compare them with the current legislation and practice in Norway. It finds that the regulations include safeguards that have the potential to improve the protection of children’s rights. However, provisions aimed at restricting and controlling migration may undermine these safeguards and exacerbate children’s vulnerabilities. Additionally, the Pact codifies and might increase some of the current key challenges in the European asylum system, potentially leading to that children arriving in Norway will have greater health and protection needs. The thesis provides insights into how the changes can be implemented to provide the best protection. Ultimately, the extent to which the Pact protects or undermines children’s rights depends largely on how states implement these provisions and how they cooperate to share the responsibility for children forced to flee.
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Rantasalo, Hanna Maria
(2025).
Reassessing the Veto Power of the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council: How Jus Cogens Can Protect the Values of the International Community Against the Self-Interest of the Permanent Members.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Wilson, Katryna Erin
(2025).
Epistemic Rights and Information Equality: The Case for a Legal Human Right to Accurate Information.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis investigates the operationalizability epistemic rights, particularly the right to accurate information, as moral and legal human rights. It builds upon Lani Watson’s pioneering account of epistemic rights and extends it through Allen Buchanan’s pluralistic framework to evaluate whether such rights can be justified within the existing legal human rights framework. Departing from Buchanan’s own methodology, this paper uses his functional criteria for justifying the international human rights regime – status egalitarianism and well-being – as filters for interrogating proposed legal human rights. The theoretical task ultimately leads to a refined conception of epistemic rights framed as legal epistemic human rights grounded in both moral and practical considerations. The epistemic right to accurate information is then taken as a point of entry into exploring how the theoretical justifications – grounded in both human dignity and functional importance – can meet the potential challenges of real-world operationalization. Using both existing law and policies as well as providing potential avenues for realization, the paper aims to underscore the importance of protecting information and curbing disinformation in light of the digital age. It also addresses key objections –including potential conflicts with freedom of expression and other rights, enforceability challenges, and concerns of “rights inflation” – acknowledging the tension, but offers strategies for remedying them. Ultimately, this paper argues that recognizing a legal epistemic right to accurate information is both theoretically justified and operationalizable with appropriate safeguards; and underscores its moral, legal, and political relevance in advocating for a rights-based approach can help combat disinformation and reinforce democratic values.
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Alvarado, Melanie Vangrieken
(2025).
Ancestral Territories and Transitional Justice: Restoring Territorial Rights to Indigenous Communities in Post-Conflict Colombia.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This research examines how the recognition of ancestral territories as victims by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz or JEP in Spanish) has influenced the restoration of territorial rights for Indigenous communities in Colombia. In an unprecedented decision, the JEP has acknowledged that the armed conflict not only harmed Indigenous peoples but also profoundly affected their lands, ecosystems, and spiritual relationships with nature. This study explores the legal, institutional, and socio-political implications of this recognition and assesses its impact on reparation efforts.
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Ipek, Harun Ali
(2025).
INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS OVERSIGHT BODY IN TÜRKİYE A LEGAL EVALUATION IN LIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLES.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Fields of policing and police complaints are always and everywhere significantly associated with human rights. However, it is much more critical and urgent where there is a transitional or developing democracy, when democracies, even established ones, are backsliding, as has happens recently, and if the issue is about the most fundamental human rights such as the right to life and the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. One of the internationally accepted and promoted solutions to the issue of police complaints investigations and governance is the introduction of independent police complaints oversight bodies. This study focuses on the new and first independent police complaints oversight body in Türkiye, as a context that has a backsliding democracy with a bad recent history and current situation of human rights considering its records in the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations, all of which Türkiye is a chartering member. The thesis addresses “to what extent the legal framework of the independent police complaints oversight body in Türkiye complies with international principles”. It adopts a qualitative, doctrinal, black letter law legal research method designed as a case study. It uses document analysis of primary sources such as treaties, statutes, and acts, and a literature review of secondary sources. Drawing from the international principles and literature and analysis and discussions of the independent police complaints oversight body in Türkiye, the thesis argues that the IPCOB in Türkiye brought little but important advancement with its full but significantly weak legal authority over police complaints oversight, very initial and weak form of involvement of civilians outside of the bureaucracy, and at a similar degree low level degree public engagement. However, it is severely defected in its effectiveness in fulfilling its missions of guardianship of human rights and ensuring public and complainant confidence with its apparent and significant lack of independence regarding its organisational structure, powers, and resources. With these findings, this study contributes to improving the legal frameworks of the narrower specific field of independent police complaints oversight and a larger and more general associated field of human rights in Türkiye locally and relevant debates and literature globally. Key Words: Policing, Police, Police Complaints, Oversight, Accountability, Legitimacy, Human Rights, Independence, Good Governance
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Aaby, Siri Ellingsen
(2025).
Understandings of Disability in the Youth Wave - How Persons with Disabilities in Norway are Framed and its Implications for the Fulfillment of CRPD Article 19.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Hvorvidt Norge er i stand til å gi forsvarlig omsorg til borgere med nedsatt funksjonsevne, er et spørsmål som har blitt satt i søkelyset de siste årene i skjæringspunktet mellom juridiske forpliktelser, økonomiske begrensninger og demografiske endringer som gjør at flere som er unge, har en funksjonsnedsettelse og er hjemmeboende trenger velferdstilbud fra staten. Begrepet yngrebølgen har vært gjenstand for debatt og brukt av media, politikere og institusjoner for å beskrive den betydelige veksten i unge med omsorgsbehov. Denne avhandlingen har argumentert for at måtene personer med funksjonsnedsettelse omtales på i Norge, forståelser av funksjonsnedsettelser, holdninger og hvordan deres individuelle behov rammes inn, sannsynligvis vil ha innvirkning på oppfyllelsen av CRPD artikkel 19, som omfatter rettighetene som først og fremst står på spill i yngrebølge-debatten. Avhandlingen har videre argumentert for at rommet som skapes for implementering og det politiske klimaet som rettighetene til personer med funksjonsnedsettelse diskuteres i, påvirker forholdene for YDP i norske kommuner, noe som viser et gap mellom forpliktelsene Norge har som part i CRPD og oppfyllelsen av artikkel 19 i praksis. Hensikten med analysen var å belyse og kategorisere ideer om funksjonshemming som er tilstede i argumentene og utsagnene, i sammenheng med yngrebølge-debatten og oppfyllelsen av CRPD artikkel 19, og å undersøke hvor tett ideene passer inn under idealtypene for den medisinske modellen, sosialmodellen og menneskerettighetsmodellen for funksjonshemming. Funnene i analysen førte til en diskusjon om hvordan ideene som presenteres i debatten former de foretrukne politiske løsningene som presenteres av ulike aktører, og hvordan de kan ha implikasjoner for oppfyllelsen av CRPD artikkel 19 i Norge.
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Sayegh, Elisar
(2025).
Justice for the Young? An analysis of Norway’s Juvenile Sanctions (2014-2024) in light of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This study analyzes Norway’s evolving juvenile sanction system in relation to its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It explores two central questions. First, how did the juvenile sanctions from 2014 to 2024, especially the youth sentence, comply with CRC standards? Second, do the 2024 reforms improve this compli-ance? These reforms include combining youth sentence with sentence to immediate imprisonment and introducing a fast-track court model in Oslo District Court. The study uses qualitative document analysis and applies an analytical framework of human rights legal analysis supplied by socio-legal studies as a lens to the analysis. It draws on preparatory works, legislation and institutional reports. Findings suggest that while the earlier system aimed to prioritize rehabilitation, it was at times weakened by poor coordination between relevant agencies and actors, delays in sentencing, and unequal access to services. The recent amendments attempt to address these problems. However, they may risk reinforcing the same issues if child-specific expertise and municipal resources are lacking. The study concludes that the success of these reforms depends on consistent implementation, professional expertise, strengthening local resources and child-focused juvenile system support. Moreover, Norway should consider ratifying the Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure, as stronger accountability mechanisms are essential to ensure that children involved in the juvenile sanctions system are both heard and protected.
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Vaula, Roberta
(2025).
Evaluating Age Assessment Practices in Norway: Unaccompanied Minors, Best Interests, and International Standards in Asylum Procedures.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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The thesis explores the age assessment practices for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Norway, focusing on both the practical procedures and the legal aspects of age determination. With the increase in minors arriving in Europe, there is a growing need for fair and accurate methods of age assessment. The research examines whether Norway's practices align with Norwegian, European, and international legal standards, particularly in relation to the best interests of the child and human rights protection. The thesis aims to determine if these practices are consistent with legal frameworks and effectively safeguard children's rights.
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Fisenk, Lana Elif
(2025).
The European Court of Human Rights judgements on the wearing of religious clothing and symbols in the scope of Article 9: is the Court’s jurisprudence consistent and coherent?.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Villanueva, Araceli
(2025).
Scrolling for Hope: The Role of Social Media in Undocumented Migration.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis explores how undocumented migrants from Central America use social me- dia and how it influences their decisions in their journeys. The study draws on a combination of online ethnography and a qualitative questionnaire conducted between January to April 2025. This study focuses on Facebook and TikTok, two popular social media platforms where mi- grants search for guidance, share experiences, and create networks. Through this study, it is revealed how traditional migration networks shift onto digital networks and how they allow for migrants to exercise fundamental human rights. These networks have become platforms of em- powerment through shared knowledge and support. However, they are also exposed to misin- formation, surveillance, and censorship through social media. This analysis highlights the in- tersectionality of the role of social media in migration, showing how it has become an indis- pensable tool for migrants, but also a space of possible risks.
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Lobo, Oda Arminda Oma
(2025).
Invisible Borders - Barriers to Permanent Residency; a Human Rights Concern?
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis investigates the human rights implications arising from the income and language requirements for obtaining permanent residence in Norway. By employing an intersectionality framework, the study reveals that these requirements can lead to discriminatory effects, imposing substantially higher obstacles for certain migrant groups. In contrast, other groups may navigate these barriers more easily, thereby gaining access to the rights and security that permanent residency offers.
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Goodwin, Emma Marie Lund
(2025).
Gender Justice in a Divided World: Rethinking Global Responses to Oppression.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This thesis explores whether an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on “gender apartheid” can offer a meaningful and coherent response to the systemic oppression of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. It investigates how international legal mechanisms - particularly the ICJ - can advance gender justice in politically resistant and fragmented contexts through litigation. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the thesis traces the development of women’s rights, examines the legal and political history of apartheid, and critically evaluates the potential and pitfalls of relying on legal terminology within advocacy and the broader struggle in advancing gender justice. It addresses the risk of symbolic coherence, political hegemony, and legitimacy deficits that may undermine intended outcomes. The concept of “gender apartheid” is assessed for its capacity to catalyze action while also revealing its limitations in addressing gendered oppression at both structural and individual levels. Drawing on Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), the analysis underscores the need for holistic, context-sensitive, and pluralistic strategies - anchored in inclusive participation, grassroot agency and structural reform – if litigation is to deliver meaningful change for Afghan women.
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Abad, Marian Angelica Pulla
(2025).
Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Exploring the Effectiveness of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Protecting the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment by Analyzing Chevron´s Environmental Performance in Richmond, California.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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In an era where multinational extractive corporations play an increasingly influential role in shaping local economies and environments, the challenge of holding them accountable for human rights and environmental harms has become more pressing. Thus, this thesis investigates the regulatory capacity of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Hu-man Rights (UNGPs), with a particular focus on their Due Diligence (HRDD) framework and its application to the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment (RTHE)—a right formally recognized only in recent years. Despite being a soft law instrument and originally not tailored to environmental protection, the UNGPs have increasingly been invoked in environmental contexts, prompting debate over their practical impact. Through a doctrinal legal analysis and a case study of Chevron’s operations in Richmond, California, this thesis explores the extent to which Chevron’s environmental practices reflect alignment with the UNGPs and whether these principles have translated into tangible protections for the RTHE. By comparing Chevron’s internal commitments—such as its sustainability reports and human rights policies—with external reports from NGOs, environmental organizations, and regulatory bodies, this research highlights gaps between stated corporate commitments and actual environmental outcomes. Ultimately, the study contributes to broader discussions on the limits of voluntary frameworks like the UNGPs and the potential need for binding international mechanisms to ensure corporate accountability in the face of mounting global environmental challenges.
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Azba, Nour
(2025).
Between Compliance and Complicity: A Socio-Legal Study of Corporate Responsibility and Downstream Human Rights Risks in Arms Exports via Third Countries.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Central to corporate responsibility in the arms industry is the tension between formal compliance with legal norms and complicity in downstream human rights abuses. This thesis examines how corporate actors in the Norwegian arms industry navigate this complex legal and ethical landscape, and seeks to identify where existing regulations fall short. It addresses central questions about the adequacy of current regulatory frameworks in ensuring accountability for downstream impacts of weapons transfers, and the extent to which companies can be held responsible for the last uses of their products. Focusing on Nammo AS, a Norwegian arms manufacturer, the study examines how the company often relies on strict adherence to narrow legal requirements to limit its liability for adverse human rights outcomes, particularly when arms are rerouted through third‑country mediators. Employing a socio-legal methodology, the research combines legal analysis of statutory and soft-law frameworks, including the Norwegian Transparency Act, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, with a qualitative content analysis of relevant public documents. The analysis is situated within broader debates on corporate due diligence and the ethical dimensions of arms transfers. The findings reveal that while these frameworks establish expectations for human rights due diligence, their lack of sufficient downstream regulatory reach and enforceability often leaves significant gaps in accountability. Consequently, there is a disconnect between formal compliance and ethical responsibility, enabling companies to evade meaningful scrutiny over the downstream activity of their products.
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Kaseke, Fanuel
(2025).
An analysis of the extent to which private prisoner’s rights are protected through South African legal framework: The case of Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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The effects of prison privatization have been largely underestimated. Whereas it may be true that the adoption of free market policies has generated economic growth and increased socio-economic well-being in some countries, it is an indisputable fact that they have also resulted in corruption, severe austerity measures and economic crises which in turn have led to growing inequality and poverty on a global scale. Within the concept of privatization this research builds on earlier research to bring the philosophy of human rights to private prisons. The research examines the extent to which South Africa’s jurisprudence protects the rights of prisoners who are under the custody of private companies. To understand this the paper explores whether the evolution of private prisons is justified. This is addressed through an analysis of the grounds on which South Africa’s government justify the operation of private prisons and the extent to which the operations of private prisons in South Africa conform to Domestic law and international law. A qualitative research method was used because it conforms with the research’s method of data collection and data analysis. The method of data collection was document analysis through the collection of secondary data. The data was then analysed through qualitative content analysis. The results show that privatization of prisons commodifies inmates. It violates the right to dignity as private companies are more concerned with profit rather than the reformation, rehabilitation, and welfare of prisoners. Privatization of prisons is a burden on the state both financially and morally on its obligation to safeguard the human rights of inmates.
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Reinertsen, Sunniva Selmer
(2025).
Paths to healing or harm? The potential impact of pursuing internationally initiated human rights accountability mechanisms for the North Korean regime on victims residing in South Korea.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Since the release of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (COI) in 2014, the international community has called for accountability for the regime, particularly through top-down accountability mechanisms. With this advocacy being met by inaction, this dissertation asks what impact continuing to pursue top-down accountability mechanisms may have on victims of the DPRK’s human rights abuses living in South Korea, and whether it is likely to lead to only growing frustration among the victim community. The paper defines an evaluative framework based on the identified needs of these victims, to argue that, should they be implemented, each mechanism may uniquely fulfil the needs of victims in a complementary manner. Criminal prosecutions may address recent abuses, with the ICC being uniquely able to persecute higher level perpetrators to satisfy victims’ expectations of vindication, and South Korean criminal courts being uniquely able to engage victims due to accessibility of location and language, while truth commissions may deal with abuses far in the past addressing victims’ needs for engagement and reconciliation. Additionally, while implementing criminal prosecution seems challenging in the short run, the work being done to prepare for such trials may also be utilised to fulfil the needs of reconciliation and empowerment. Thus, if coupled with expectation management initiatives, pursuing top-down accountability mechanisms may bring healing to victims, regardless of whether such mechanisms are ultimately achieved.
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Arevadze, Nika
(2025).
Mandatory transparency and corporate human rights performance: Early evidence from CSRD-aligned reporting in Norway.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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This study examines whether mandatory human rights reporting under the CSRD is associated with changes in corporate human rights performance. It addresses a gap in the disclosure-performance literature, which has largely relied on voluntary mandatory regimes preceding the CSRD and offers mixed findings on whether transparency drives meaningful accountability. The research first analyzes the ESRS to map human rights coverage, identify alignment with the UNGPs, and derive themes and indicators for empirical assessment. It then conducts a qualitative content analysis of annual reports from two Norwegian companies at two time points, 2022 (pre-CSRD) and 2024 (with CSRD applied), evaluating reporting quality against the UNGPs and CSRD-derived requirements. The findings show clear post-CSRD changes in approach at the governance and management levels, reflecting stronger structuring and articulation of human rights due diligence, while demonstrable improvements in on-the-ground outcomes remain unclear. The results suggest that CSRD’s mandatory, UNGPs-aligned transparency can reorient internal systems and practices in ways that are plausibly conducive to later performance gains, though causal pathways and effects over time require further observation. By focusing on the shift from voluntary to standardized reporting, this study contributes early empirical evidence on how mandatory transparency may recalibrate the disclosure-performance link in business and human rights.
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Faldalen, Jon Inge & Dostál, Patrik
(2025).
Framing the Narrative: Bill Nichols' Documentary Modes and the Human Rights Discourse of the Russo-Ukrainian War at the One World Film Festival.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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Human rights film festivals (HRFFs) are important non-governmental actors that use visual communication to expose injustice and inspire action. This study examines the human rights narrative surrounding the Russo-Ukrainian War, with a specific focus on the films featured in the "Ukraine" category at the 2023 One World Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
Employing a qualitative textual analysis grounded in Bill Nichols' framework of documentary modes (Poetic, Expository, Observational, Participatory, Reflexive, Performative), this research aims to identify the dominant modes of representation and examine how they construct a compelling human rights discourse. This analysis demonstrates how the festival can contribute to the field of activist advocacy by using a variety of visual texts to explain complex human rights issues. This interdisciplinary approach enhances our understanding of the strategic role and limitations of visual media in representing and promoting human rights causes.
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Bailliet, Cecilia Marcela & Nornes, Westli, Mina
(2025).
The Olive Trees: No one is free until everyone is - Exploring the intersectional experiences of human rights defenders advocating for Palestinian rights, peace and freedom amidst an ongoing genocide.
Universitetet i Oslo.
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