Mandela Lecture 2022: human rights and social rights in an international perspective

Description

In its dialogue with the City of Ghent, the Collective of Organisations working with the Global South has always expressed its concern on human rights globally. Points at stake have been equal rights between international partners, gender equality, the rights of employees, children and refugees. Also international trade agreements and the links with governments and activists violating human rights have often resulted in passionate discussions between members of the Collective and the City. In its attempt to formulate policy advice for the City of Ghent the Collective has to be oriented towards the future: what are the current challenges internationally and how to link this to the local policy level (and raise public awareness)?

The following three speakers will engage in a panel discussion dealing specifically with human rights and social rights, both in the international arena and on the local level.

Navi Pillay is an international authority on human rights. As a South African jurist she served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. She was the first non-white woman judge of the High Court of South Africa, and she has also served as the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Based on her personal experiences, Ms. Pillay will give an overview of the contemporary challenges with respect to human rights and she will discuss possible future avenues for local actions.

As discussants, Prof. Eva Brems and Mr. Luc Cortebeeck will reflect on Ms. Pillay’s presentation and add insights from their respective domains of expertise. They will also explore in which way a city, as an increasingly important driver of socio-economic development, can play a role in local and international human rights policy.

Gie Goris will lead the discussion.

Music by Traveling Riverside

Reservation required by 15 February: UGent - eventman