Submissions

Author Guidelines

The Journal of Human Rights, Law, and Policy (JHRLP) welcomes the submission of original, unpublished manuscripts that contribute to the scholarly understanding and policy discourse surrounding human rights, legal systems, and public policy. Authors are expected to follow the guidelines outlined below to ensure that their submissions meet the journal’s academic and formatting standards.

1. Scope and Suitability

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that their work aligns with the aims and scope of the journal. JHRLP accepts manuscripts on topics including, but not limited to:

• International and domestic human rights law

• Public and administrative law

• Refugee and asylum law

• Legal theory and constitutionalism

• Social justice and equality policy

• Gender and minority rights

• Legal reform and policy analysis

Manuscripts that fall outside the journal’s thematic focus will be returned without review.

2. Language and Style

• Manuscripts must be written in English only.

• Submissions should be clear, precise, and written in formal academic English.

• Authors whose native language is not English are strongly encouraged to have their manuscript professionally edited before submission.

3. Manuscript Types

The journal accepts the following types of contributions:

• Original Research Articles (6,000–10,000 words, including references)

• Review Articles (up to 12,000 words)

• Case Analyses / Legal Commentaries (3,000–5,000 words)

• Policy Briefs / Position Papers (2,000–4,000 words)

All manuscripts must include:

• Title

• Abstract (150–250 words)

• Keywords (4–6 terms)

• Main text (structured as appropriate)

• References (APA Style, 7th Edition)

4. Manuscript Format

• File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Font: Times New Roman, size 12

• Spacing: 1.5 line spacing throughout

• Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides

• Page Numbers: Bottom center

• Alignment: Justified

• Paragraph Indent: First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inches

• Language: British or American English (consistent throughout)

5. Structure of Original Research Articles

Authors are encouraged to structure their manuscript using the following headings:

1. Title Page

   • Title of the article

   • Full name(s) of the author(s)

   • Institutional affiliation(s)

   • ORCID iDs (if available)

   • Corresponding author’s email address

2. Abstract

   • 150–250 words summarizing the objective, method, key findings, and conclusions.

   • Should not include citations.

3. Keywords

   • Four to six keywords that best describe the topic.

4. Main Text
   Suggested structure:

   • Introduction

   • Literature Review

   • Theoretical Framework (if applicable)

   • Methodology

   • Findings / Analysis

   • Discussion

   • Conclusion and Policy Implications

5. References

   • Use APA Style (7th Edition) for all in-text citations and the reference list.

   • All references must be complete and formatted consistently.

6. Acknowledgements (optional)

7. Appendices (if needed)

8. Author Contributions and Conflicts of Interest Statement

6. Citation and Referencing Style (APA 7th Edition)

In-text Citation Examples:

• Paraphrased: (Smith, 2020)

• Direct quote: (Smith, 2020, p. 15)

• Three or more authors: (Johnson et al., 2021)

Reference List Examples:

• Journal Article:

  Smith, A. B. (2020). Human rights enforcement in fragile states. Journal of Legal Reform, 45(2), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.1234/jlr.2020.456

• Book:

  Steiner, H. J., Alston, P., & Goodman, R. (2008). International human rights in context: Law, politics, morals (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

• Chapter in Edited Book:

  Merry, S. E. (2006). Transnational human rights and local activism. In M. Goodale & S. E. Merry (Eds.), The practice of human rights: Tracking law between the global and the local (pp. 39–83). Cambridge University Press.

7. Submission Process

• Manuscripts must be submitted via the journal’s online submission system or email (submissions@jhrlp-journal.org).

• The corresponding author should confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere.

  • All authors approve of the submission and authorship order.

  • Ethical standards have been upheld (especially in research involving human subjects).

8. Ethical Considerations

Authors must ensure their research complies with ethical norms, particularly when involving human participants, sensitive topics, or identifiable data. All submissions are screened using iThenticate to detect plagiarism.

For detailed policies, see the journal’s Publication Ethics page.

9. Peer-Review Policy

• All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review by 2–3 experts.

• Authors must remove identifying information from the main file.

• Review decisions are communicated within 4–8 weeks.

• Revisions must be accompanied by a response letter addressing all reviewer comments.

10. Article Processing Charges (APCs)

Upon acceptance, authors are required to pay an Article Processing Charge of 1,500,000 Tomans. There is no charge for submission or peer review. APC waivers may be requested under certain conditions.

11. Archiving and Access

All articles are assigned a DOI and archived permanently on the journal’s official website. Authors are encouraged to self-archive their published articles in institutional repositories with appropriate citation.