New Logo of the ETO Consortium

Within the scope of the launch of the new website of the ETO Consortium, there also comes a new logo.

First of all: representing extraterritorial human rights obligations – or human rights beyond borders – in a simple, dynamic and not too overloaded logo is a huge challenge. This is also true when it comes to representing the two member constituencies of the ETO Consortium: academics and civil-society organisations & social movements. And this challenge also applies when it comes to representing the diverse types of activities the ETO Consortium and its members do.

Despite of all this, among several different logo proposals, the logo here below was the most acclaimed by steering committee members.

• there is a human in the logo: The ETO Consortium works with human rights. Humans were not represented in the previous logo – and it was obvious to represent one in the new logo.
• there are no borders: behind the human being, fictitious continents are represented that do not contain borders.
• the letters “ETO” merge, or touch each other: this should convey the message that extraterritorial obligations are without any borders.
• the megaphone: the idea is, obviously, about making our voicies heard and making progress in the recognition and implementation of States’ extraterritorial human rights obligations. Making one’s voices heard can happen in diverse ways: submissions to human rights systems, academic publications, amici curiae, denouncing extraterritorial human rights violations (case work), litigation, campaigns, etc.
• the environmental dimension: green leaves come out of the megaphone. Environmental destruction and climate change constitute ever-growing burning challenges. And they are a cental issue of human rights – for current and future generations.