The complex journey to justice
Natasha Latiff (LLB Law, 2009)
Natasha at European Union meeting on Afghanistan in Brussels
Natasha at European Union meeting on Afghanistan in Brussels
One hour in the company of human rights lawyer and activist Natasha Latiff (LLB Law, 2009) and she’ll take you to some of the scariest places in the world. Places where the rights of women, low-paid workers, and marginalised communities are rarely heard, let alone fought for. Here, Natasha enters fragile and complex human rights situations. Many of these cases never result in a criminal prosecution. Whilst some may see this as a disappointment, even a failure, there is often a complex journey to justice that can result in a far more compelling outcome.
As Natasha says: “When we understand justice to be more than just imprisonment and a fine, we can reach more powerful solutions.”
This type of solution is driven by the communities. Survivors of human rights violations often don’t trust the justice system, the police, the prosecutors, or the court. Most just want to resume their normal lives and go back to work. They may have no hope for a criminal conviction, but they are looking for something to change, for it not to happen to someone else, and that’s what Natasha can help them achieve through her organisations, Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (SAHR), Fair Future and a legal aid organisation.
“As a human rights lawyer, our idea of justice must be very fluid. It's pluralistic, it's guided by what communities want and by the parameters and restrictions of a place in conflict. You really must be quite inventive to think about what justice or remedy could mean in each situation.”
In cases of business and human rights, Natasha will often come up against a room of lawyers who will try to protect their clients. As she explains: “Very often I’m a small fly in the face of these big companies. They can come with multiple lawyers and they're trying to protect their clients. Diplomacy is the key. So, I have to say, look, what's happening? I'm not here to sue you – I'm just here for the company to listen to what survivors have experienced. We can find solutions outside the courts and in a way that dignifies the survivors.”
Natasha
Natasha
Natasha’s determination to fight for her beliefs started at a young age, shaped, in part, by a special friendship. “I had a child pen pal in Afghanistan, and through our regular correspondence we formed a friendship. Our letters made me curious about Afghanistan and her different experiences as a woman growing up there. Understanding that became a priority for me.”
At 17 years old, without her parents’ knowledge, Natasha visited Afghanistan. This early life experience, of a country so different to her homelife in Singapore, hugely impacted her.
“For me, Afghanistan was like a university for life. Afghanistan is a country that grabs you; it embraces you; it feeds your soul and your mind. In so many ways, people there are compassionate and the level of activism for peace is so high. It's so vibrant, so alive, and I got swept up in that.”
Her love for Afghanistan, alongside her determination to create more equitable laws, spurred Natasha to study Law at Warwick. While here, she set up her organisation, Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (SAHR), which was then a student society (then named differently) and applied to the University’s Undergraduate Research Support Scheme, which she got funding from twice.
“With this money I was able to return to Afghanistan to apply and test the findings we imagined and started work in the halls of Warwick and by flipping through the books in the library for legal arguments. Understanding the political, economic, and social context of our work, as well as working with communities to understand what they needed the most – was pivotal in our learning. It’s an ethos and approach I work with to this day.”
Starting with a team of Warwick Law students, SAHR has grown into an organisation with a network of lawyers and civil society activists around the world who work to find justice and remedies for survivors of violence in their communities. This could be anything from corporate wrongdoing to sexual assault. My team and I mentor and capacitate them to change laws and policies around sexual and gender-based violence, or implement them at the very local level. We do this through our flagship program, “The Gender Justice Accelerator Program”.
“I am dealing with violence all the time, examining evidence of the worst kind, and you can’t believe how the world can be so cruel when you see these cases. I cannot let that sadness dictate my life, but I can utilise it to do the best I can for the people I represent.”
The stories she hears drive her in the fight for justice and that search for accountability. Looking for a different kind of outcome is paramount in human rights cases and making sure that humanity is at the heart of every case. That’s why Natasha believes collaboration is more important than confrontation.
Natasha and co-executive Sara Bergmaschi, in Rabat
Natasha and co-executive Sara Bergmaschi, in Rabat
“We want understanding. That's what we're asking for. I'm always going to build a bridge. I'm always going to give governments, entities, and companies a chance because I believe that if they just give me a moment of their time and they give survivors a moment of their time, we could reach a more just result.”
The journey to justice is complex, but for Natasha the importance of taking on these cases and standing for the principle of justice is paramount. It takes more than just courage to do what she does. It takes conviction.
Words: Charlotte Kissack
Editor: Rose Griffiths
Photos and story: Natasha Latiff
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