Rights approaches: Case studies in Egypt and Liberia

Human rights advocacy varies across countries due to state policies, violations, organizational resources and networks. Egyptian and Liberian advocacy presents two cases of the complicated implications of the international human rights regime once it is translated locally. Through interviews with advocates in both case studies, this research explores the local dynamics of human rights movements, grounding advocates' experiences in the larger context of pressures faced and strategies utilized. Local organizations play a vital role in the international human rights movement as information gatherers, trend setters and translators of the human rights regime into diverse local environments. This research posits that local advocates face particular challenges to their work promoting both civil and political rights (CP) and economic, social and cultural rights (ESC). These challenges originate from local structures and international human rights movements and necessitate a pluralist approach to universal problems in human rights advocacy worldwide.