The Center for Legal and Social Studies is an Argentine human rights organization created in 1979, during the last military dictatorship, which promotes the protection of rights and their effective exercise, justice and social inclusion, nationally and internationally.
In its first years, CELS carried out the struggle for truth and justice of the crimes committed by State terrorism. At the end of the 1980s, it expanded its agenda to the violations of human rights that occurred in a democracy, to its structural causes and its relation to social inequality. The actions of CELS are aimed at consolidating the democratic State, influencing public policies, expanding the effective exercise of rights, accompanying victims and seeking justice.
Since its inception, CELS has articulated national and international work, in particular regarding universal and regional protection mechanisms. In recent years, strategies have expanded towards participation in international discussions on human rights from a Latin American perspective. In this way, CELS is consolidating itself as a national organization with a global agenda.
Today the main areas of work are: memory, truth and justice for crimes committed in the context of State terrorism; institutional violence and imprisonment policies as areas of violation of human rights; social inclusion and economic, social and cultural rights, especially in relation to access to land and a decent habitat; public policies on mental health; reforms of the justice system, the rights of migrants, sexual and reproductive rights, and freedom of expression.
To carry out this agenda, CELS resorts to national and international strategic litigation, research, alliance with other organizations, advocacy on public policies and communication. This work is carried out in partnership with other national, regional and international organizations and movements.
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