About RWI Human Rights ThemeMaps
If you did not see a map on the main page, likely your computer does not have Java installed. Java is available free of charge from java.com (for Mac, see www.apple.com/macosx/features/java). Below is a picture of what the map looks like once you have java installed.
The 'RWI Human Rights ThemeMaps' is basically intended to visualize at least states’ formal commitment to international human rights standards. What is available here is a rough trial version with the core international human rights conventions, that is but the first step to a more comprehensive version with more conventions both global and regional, optional protocols, at least the existence of reservations, more details of the ratification process indicating formal commitment to international human rights law, changes over time in ratifications, themes, membership of various organizations, indicators, and more.
ThemeMaps is an idea developed by Jonas Grimheden. For a couple of years, efforts centred on different kinds of commercially available software that would enable dynamic generation of 'choropleth maps' on the internet as was intended. A geographical program, ArcView, was first tried out but was a bit overly complex. MapPoint proved similarly complex and with a surplus of features yet lacking in those needed. Other programs and solutions also proved inappropriate or inadequate.
The version you can see here is based on a model code that was kindly shared by the World Bank Institute that has been somewhat improved and adjusted to our needs by modification of code and additional programming done by Mats Anderbok. Other supportive organizations and contributors include: The Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) and its staff, Cornell Law School, The Thunberg Scholarship 2004 / STINT, Karin Larsson and colleagues at Lund University GIS Centre, Darren W. Krape at the World Bank, Research assistance by: Johanna Nilsson, Mia Lager, Hélène Ragheboom, Erika Ekström, Olof Eliasson, Malena Bengtsson, Stephanie Berry, Linda Lindblad,and Martin Jörnrud at RWI and Tanya Lau at Cornell, Technical advice and support by David Karlsson, RWI.
