Energised, Inspired and Elated after our 2024 Strategic Litigation Retreat
Energised, Inspired and Elated after our 2024 Strategic Litigation Retreat
Over the course of three days at the end of June, tucked away at the foot of the German Alps in a hotel that previous served as a healing sanctuary, we held another edition of our strategic litigation retreats.
Fifteen wonderful participants from civil society joined us for the retreat, each of them was working on a distinct strategic litigation case that tackled a digital rights issue related to platform accountability or collective redress. The cases brought by the participants spanned a massive thirteen countries in the Council of Europe, including France, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Ireland.
We were thrilled to get a preview into some of the inspiring plans that different organisations and activists have for holding big tech and other actors accountable for mass human rights violations within the digital space. The cases workshopped at the retreat tackled issues ranging from digital gender justice, online hate speech and mass collective actions against the big tech 5.
It was fantastic that most cases specifically focused on fighting against human rights violations that affect people within marginalised groups, including survivors of gender-based violence, Palestinians, sex workers and members of the queer and trans* community.
Content of the Retreat
Together, we focused on building litigation strategies, litigation planning, developing advocacy and campaigning strategies to complement the legal cases, reflected on how to respond to a final judgment and worked on the implementation and enforcement of a favourable judgment.
Participants worked mainly in smaller, self-selected groups, where they workshopped their cases together. We were inspired by just how beautifully all the participants worked together and the amount of thought and care that each participant put into helping their colleagues to develop their legal cases. When asked about their highlights from the week, almost all participants named the time working in their groups as a standout aspect.
Right at the end of the retreat, each participant presented their updated and finessed legal case to a panel of their peers to get their input and ideas.
Atmosphere
Rooted in the knowledge that activists often work in stressful, high-stakes and antagonist environments, we wanted to ensure that the retreat also offered those attending moments to bond, relax and unwind.
Some of the ways, we did this was by having regular check-ins, mindfulness and movement moments, and also group social activities. This included a mountain hike which ended in us taking in the view of Germany’s tallest mountain, Zugspitze.
Participants also got to swim in a nearby lake, build and roast marshmallows on a bonfire, unwind in a sauna and bring out their inner children through bouncing on a trampoline and pushing each other on the swing.
The retreat combined hard work with a lot of laughter. As one participant put it, “having fun is the best way to learn something”. In the words of another, “being professional and joyful [was] a good and creative combination”.
Looking to the Future
At the end of the retreat, we were delighted that many participants committed to keeping in touch with each other and forming joint collaborations.
We hope that many of the legal cases worked on at the retreat will be developed further and that we will be able to provide them with funding and strategic input through our Litigation Support Programme in the future.