Our Vision
Overview
For the people LAW represents, justice is the difference between being told their experience did not happen and having it recorded, recognised and answered. And impunity is not simply an absence of consequences; but one of the things that makes the next round of violence possible.
LAW’s work follows from this. It places survivors at the centre of the drive for justice and supports them to move from victim, to survivor, to advocate. It works directly with communities to build their capacity to engage with justice and advocacy processes, and it provides technical assistance to strengthen the institutions that are supposed to deliver justice in the first place. Whether the priority is criminal accountability, state responsibility, reparations or truth, the direction is set by the people whose case it is.
Our story
LAW was founded in July 2013 following three expert roundtables with UN agencies, leading human rights and legal I/NGOs, law firms and academics and consultations with over 100 relevant experts globally. This was supported by an in-depth mapping and scoping exercise to review what legal work was being undertaken by organisations on the ground in fragile and conflict affected areas. More than one year of research identified that there was a need for a non-profit organisation which focused on creative avenues for legal redress in fragile and conflict affected areas. It was envisaged that such an organisation would work on the ground, placing survivors and national lawyers in the driving seat and at the same time, linking them to highly innovative lawyers in non-conflict areas.
Antonia Mulvey is the founder of Legal Action Worldwide.
Strategy & Strategic Plan 2026-30
At a time when conflict, displacement, and attacks on international law are leaving more people without access to justice, LAW remains guided by a simple conviction: survivors must be at the heart of every pursuit of accountability. Our Vision 2030 sets out how we will build on more than a decade of standing alongside communities affected by conflict and crisis, combining frontline legal support, strategic litigation, and global advocacy to help secure justice, challenge impunity, and strengthen respect for international law. Ambitious yet grounded in the realities faced by survivors every day, this vision reflects our commitment to turning the law into a tool for protection, dignity, and lasting change.
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Theory of Change
LAW’s Theory of Change represents the organization’s impact model and it helps track progress, assess effectiveness, and communicate our value. This model is essential for strategic planning and evaluation. We use it meaningfully and proactively to ensuring our efforts in different country projects are aligned with our overarching vision and that resources are being used effectively to achieve meaningful impact.
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