Human Rights Accountability: Congress, Federalism And International Law

While regularly seeking to apply international human rights norms tojudge the behavior of other governments, the United States has vehemently rejected efforts to apply such rules to United States domestic behavior

Nonprofit Hospitals and Community Health Needs Assessments

Background: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires all hospitals filing as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years. Many Georgia hospitals published their first CHNAs in 2012 and 2013. The goals of this research and policy project were to assess compliance with the new CHNA requirements for nonprofit hospitals, provide recommendations to hospital administrators and policymakers, and encourage hospitals to engage in meaningful ways with community-based organizations and local public health departments in the next round of CHNAs. Methods: With funding from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, Georgia Watch reviewed the initial CHNAs of 38 nonprofit hospital facilities in Georgia. Georgia Watch developed an evaluation tool to assess hospital compliance with five major components of the new CHNA requirements: 1) defining community; 2) collecting secondary data on community health; 3) gathering community input and primary data; 4) prioritizing community health needs; and 5) implementing strategies to address identified community health needs. To gain a deeper understanding of hospital processes, Georgia Watch supplemented document review with hospital leadership interviews and a survey of community input providers. This research was intended to inform, assist, and encourage citizens, community health stakeholders, public health departments, and hospital administrators. At the end of the session, audience members were better equipped to evaluate the adequacy of nonprofit hospital CHNAs within their own communities and encourage local hospitals to develop effective community benefit programs. Results: Georgia Watch found that hospitals are still learning how to navigate the CHNA process and that improvements can be made during the next round of CHNAs. Conclusions: Georgia Watch’s research provides insight on how hospitals can best engage their communities, prioritize local health concerns, initiate valuable partnerships, and develop meaningful, evidence-based strategies to address community health needs

The Civil Lawsuit as a Remedy for International Human Rights Violations Against Women

Despite these gross human rights abuses, none of the men responsible for these or for countless similar crimes against women around the world has been brought to justice in his home country. The perpetrators have been protected by governments which instigate and condone such abuses and by the all-too-common acceptance of male violence against women. If a government actually seeks to hold human rights abusers accountable, those responsible frequently seek refuge in another country--often, the United States. When the abuses take place during a war, as in Bosnia- Herzegovina ( Bosnia ), it is even less likely that those responsible will ever be held accountable

The Curious History of the Alien Tort Statute

The Alien Tort Statute (ATS) has provoked extensive, passionate debate, despite the relatively modest practical import of ATS cases. The outsized controversy surrounding the statute reflects its role in a longstanding struggle for control over the interpretation and enforcement of international law, and over whether that law will serve as a meaningful restraint on the actions of states, state officials, and corporations. As a result, the history of the ATS offers a unique window into the modern history of international law