About DPLF

Our Story

DPLF was founded in 1996 by Professor Thomas Buergenthal—former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Judge at the International Court of Justice, and Chair of the Truth Commission for El Salvador established by the United Nations—with the goal of promoting strong and independent justice systems.

Since its inception, DPLF has advocated for the adherence to international human rights standards and the use of Inter-American law to improve legal frameworks, jurisprudence, public policies, and state practices. We currently focus on four programmatic areas: Judicial Independence, Transitional Justice and the Fight Against Impunity, Climate Justice and Human Rights, and Corruption and Human Rights.

Promoting Human Rights and

the Rule of Law in  Latin America 

We are a regional organization comprised of professionals from various nationalities, with a mandate to promote human rights and the rule of law in Latin America through applied research, strategic alliances, experience sharing, and advocacy actions.

We envision a Latin America where civil society participates fully in the consolidation of the rule of lawthrough the use of national and international legal instrumentsand where judicial institutions are independent, transparent, accessible, and able to fulfill their role in strengthening democracy.

Our Commitment

We aim to strengthen justice systems in Latin America to ensure they are more independent, transparent, equitable, and accessible. Additionally, we promote accountability and contribute to combating impunity.

We believe in a horizontal and collaborative approach, working alongside robust, active, and supportive civil society organizations to achieve just and democratic societies.

Our Work

To strengthen justice systems in Latin America, we believe it is essential to combine technical knowledge with a people-centered approach. Therefore, our work is grounded in three key pillars:

1

Applied Research

We provide answers grounded in international law to situations affecting the enjoyment of human rights and the rule of law in the region.

2

Network building

We foster partnerships between local and regional organizations to amplify the impact of the initiatives.

3

Advocacy

We engage in advocacy before international bodies and national authorities to promote the implementation of human rights standards.

Cross-Cutting Issues

Due to their significant impact in the region, we also address the following cross-cutting issues in all our programs:

– Authoritarianism and Democratic Backsliding
– Public Security and the Fight Against Organized Crime
– Gender and Justice
– Civic Space and Human Rights Defenders

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Estamos trabajando en mejoras y en la migración de nuestro contenido. Si tienes alguna pregunta o necesitas ayuda para encontrar nuestros informes y publicaciones, no dudes en contactarnos a dplf@dplf.org