Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)

Established in 1991 by a group of prominent Latin American human rights defenders, CEJIL is a regional organization that works to promote human rights throughout the Hemisphere through the effective use of the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights, composed of the Inter-American Commission and Court, the human rights bodies of the Organization of American States (OAS). CEJIL's mandate to effectively promote and protect the human rights of citizens throughout the region is carried out from three program areas: 1) Legal Defense Program, 2) Training and Dissemination Program, and 3) Strengthening the Inter-American System Program. Through these areas, CEJIL provides free legal advice and training on the use of international human rights instruments to victims of violations, their families, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government agencies, while working towards the full implementation of international human rights norms in the Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS). CEJIL has offices in Washington, D.C. (USA), San Jose (Costa Rica), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).