RightsUp: The Oxford Human Rights Hub Podcast
RightsUp explores the big human rights issues of the day through interviews with experts, academics, practicing lawyers, activists and policy makers who are at the forefront of tackling the world's most difficult human rights questions. It is brought to you by the Oxford Human Rights Hub, based in the Law Faculty at the University of Oxford. Music for this podcast is by Rosemary Allmann.
Episodes
The Right to Early Childhood Care and Education - Episode 2
International human rights law should protect and promote every individual’s human rights. But the reality is that international covenants on human rights appear remote and unattainable for the vast majority of ordinary people. This perception is supported by the structure of international human rights law, which is based on agreements between States and on the expectation that States will be true
The Right to Early Childhood Care and Education - Episode 1
International human rights law should protect and promote every individual’s human rights. But the reality is that international covenants on human rights appear remote and unattainable for the vast majority of ordinary people. This perception is supported by the structure of international human rights law, which is based on agreements between States and on the expectation that States will be true
Rights In Crisis - Rethinking Cash Transfers, Care Work, and Justice
‘Rights in Crisis’, is a new RightsUp series from the Oxford Human Rights Hub in collaboration with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development.The series will feature topics on human rights and related issues in India with experts sharing their insights.In our third episode for this series we discuss cash transfer schemes, in particular, unconditional cash transfer schemes. While these sc
Dame Laura Cox KC on sex equality in the UK, and at the Bar of England of Wales - Part 2
In the second episode of this two-part series, Justin Winchester speaks to Dame Laura Cox KC — a Justice of the England and Wales High Court between 2002 and 2016, and former Chairperson of the Bar Council Sex Discrimination Committee — about women's equality in the United Kingdom. Join us for a reflective discussion prompted by Baroness Harman’s 2025 Independent report on bullying, harassment
Dame Laura Cox KC on sex equality in the UK, and at the Bar of England of Wales - Part 1
In the first episode of this two-part series, Justin Winchester speaks to Dame Laura Cox KC — a Justice of the England and Wales High Court between 2002 and 2016, and former Chairperson of the Bar Council Sex Discrimination Committee — about women's equality in the United Kingdom. Join us for a reflective discussion prompted by Baroness Harman’s 2025 Independent report on bullying, harassment,
Rights in Crisis - The Death Penalty
‘Rights in Crisis’, is a new RightsUp series from the Oxford Human Rights Hub in collaboration with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development. The series will feature topics on human rights and related issues in India with experts sharing their insights.In our second episode for this series, Prof. Anup Surendranath and Prof. Jon Yorke, moderated by Dr Aradhana Cherupara Vadekkethil, crit
The Status of The Girl Child under International Law
In this episode, Frances Hand talks to Dr Clara Chapdelaine Feliciati, Lawyer and Associate Professor of Law at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University about her recently published monograph, The Status of the Girl Child under International Law: A Semioethic Analysis. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/status-of-the-girl-child-under-international-law/568D0F764A3E85960F03056352CADD74RightsUp is b
Sexual Harassment and the Law in Africa
In this episode, Almas Shaikh talks with Dr Anthony Ubani and Dr Wycliffe Nyachoti Otiso discussing the book 'Sexual Harassment and the Law in Africa'. Dr Ubani is the pioneer executive director of #FixPolitics, fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administrators, author, speaker and alumnus of Manchester Business School and the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Dr Otiso is the Dean, School of
Rights In Crisis - Indian Gig Economy and Worker Rights
'Rights in Crisis', is a new RightsUp series from the Oxford Human Rights Hub in collaboration with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development. The series will feature topics on human rights and related issues in India with experts sharing their insights. In this episode Dr. Janaki Srinivasan and Prof. Sandra Feldman, moderated by Dr Aradhana Cherupara Vadekkethil, discuss the nat
Melanie Field on the UK Supreme Court judgment For Women Scotland
Vox pops on key human rights issues with human rights experts. (https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/)RightsUp is brought to you by the Oxford Human Rights Hub.Executive produced and hosted by Meghan Campbell.Produced and edited by Sophie Smith.Music for this series is by Rosemary Allmann.
Feminist Frontiers in Climate Justice - Creating Climate Justice: Gender Equality for a More Just World
In this two-part podcast series, we are exploring why efforts to mitigate climate change need to be aware of women’s equality and why efforts to achieve women’s equality must respond to the climate crisis.This series is a joint project from the Oxford Human Rights Hub, led by Professor Sandra Fredman, and the National Research Foundation-funded South African Research Chair in Equality, Law, and So
Feminist Frontiers in Climate Justice - Climate Injustice: A Gendered Global Crisis
In this two-part podcast series, we are exploring why efforts to mitigate climate change need to be aware of women’s equality and why efforts to achieve women’s equality must respond to the climate crisis.This series is a joint project from the Oxford Human Rights Hub, led by Professor Sandra Fredman, and the National Research Foundation-funded South African Research Chair in Equality, Law, and So
The Dangerous Road from Gender Backlash to Gender Apartheid
In this episode, Meghan Campbell talks with Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Chairperson of the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, about the concept of gender apartheid in light of the horrific denial of the equality and human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Dorothy and other members of the Working Group have been advocating for understanding this violation as gender apart
Women in Constitutions - The South African Constitution with Dhaya Pillay
Virtually all constitutions guarantee women's right to equality, yet, there is a rise in backlash against legal, political, economic, social and cultural efforts to achieve women's equality.This podcast series speaks with leading legal scholars from the US, Canada, South Africa and India to explore how constitutions can frustrate efforts to achieve women's equality, and to imagine a ne
Women in Constitutions - The Canadian Constitution with Jennifer Koshan
Virtually all constitutions guarantee women's right to equality, yet, there is a rise in backlash against legal, political, economic, social and cultural efforts to achieve women's equality.This podcast series speaks with leading legal scholars from the US, Canada, South Africa and India to explore how constitutions can frustrate efforts to achieve women's equality, and to imagine a ne
Women in Constitutions - The Indian Constitution with Aparna Chandra
Virtually all constitutions guarantee women's right to equality, yet, there is a rise in backlash against legal, political, economic, social and cultural efforts to achieve women's equality.
This podcast series speaks with leading legal scholars from the US, Canada, South Africa and India to explore how constitutions can frustrate efforts to achieve women's equality, and to imagine a
Women in Constitutions - The US Constitution with Julie Suk
Virtually all constitutions guarantee women's right to equality, yet, there is a rise in backlash against legal, political, economic, social and cultural efforts to achieve women's equality.
This podcast series speaks with leading legal scholars from the US, Canada, South Africa and India to explore how constitutions can frustrate efforts to achieve women's equality, and to imagine a
Rebuilding Ukraine for All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine - Just Energy Transition
This is the final episode in a four part series on the project "Rebuilding Ukraine For All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine," led by Professor Freya Baetens, Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia, and Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Today’s podcast explores the energy dimension of Ukraine’s recovery lead by Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia.
Joining the discussion is Anastasiia Zagoruichyk is a Research Ass
Rebuilding Ukraine for All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine - Inclusive Economic Recovery
This is the third episode in a four part series on the project "Rebuilding Ukraine For All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine," led by Professor Freya Baetens, Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia, and Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Today’s podcast explores the scope of an inclusive economic recovery for Ukraine led by Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Joining the discussion is Yurii Gaidai, a Senior Econom
Rebuilding Ukraine for All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine - Gender-Responsive Recovery
This is the second episode in a four part series on the project "Rebuilding Ukraine For All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine," led by Professor Freya Baetens, Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia, and Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Today’s podcast explores Ukraine’s recovery from a gender perspective led by Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Joining the discussion is Ukrainian lawyer and an Associate Pr
Rebuilding Ukraine for All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine - Towards Green Recovery
This is the first episode in a four part series on the project "Building Ukraine For All: Inclusive Recovery for a Resilient Ukraine," led by Professor Freya Baetens, Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia, and Dr. Daryna Dvornichenko.
Today’s podcast explores the environmental dimensions of Ukraine’s recovery led by Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia.
Joining the discussion is Anna Ackermann, a policy analyst a
Addressing Gender-based Violence in Supply Chains - Judy Fudge on the Dindigul Agreement
In today's episode we speak to Judy fudge, professor in Labor Studies at McMaster University. She is published widely in employment and labor law, feminist approaches to the law and the political economy of law. Today, we will be discussing the Dindigul agreement, and efforts to address gender based violence and harassment in supply chains in India.
This episode is produced in partnership with
Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth with Olivier De Schutter
In today's episode, we'll be talking to Olivier De Schutter, a Belgian legal scholar specialising in economic and social rights. Mr De Schutter was appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights by the Human Rights Council at its 43rd session in March 2020. The discussion today focuses on his recent submission to the UN Human Rights Council on eradicating povert
The Role of The World Bank in Urban Resettlement in India
In this special episode guest interviewer, Judy Fudge, a professor in labour studies at McMaster University, interviews Gayatri Krishna, a doctoral student in the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. Their discussion focuses on Gayatri Krishna's research on the impact of the World Bank on urban development projects and how informal workers develop livelihood strategies in resettlem
Discrimination Law - Part 3
In this episode, we are exploring some of the key themes in Professor Sandra Fredman’s monograph, Discrimination Law – the new, third edition of which was published by Oxford University Press in December 2022. Sandra Fredman FBA KC is Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the USA at Oxford University, a fellow of Pembroke College Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Human Rights Hub.
Discrimination Law - Part 2
In this episode, we are exploring some of the key themes in Professor Sandra Fredman’s monograph, Discrimination Law – the new, third edition of which was published by Oxford University Press in December 2022. Sandra Fredman FBA KC is Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the USA at Oxford University, a fellow of Pembroke College Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Human Rights Hub.
Discrimination Law - Part 1
In this episode, we are exploring some of the key themes in Professor Sandra Fredman’s monograph, Discrimination Law – the new, third edition of which was published by Oxford University Press in December 2022. Sandra Fredman FBA KC is Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the USA at Oxford University, a fellow of Pembroke College Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Human Rights Hub.
A Historic Moment: Indian Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage Decision
In October 2023, a historic decision was made by the Indian Supreme Court that held that there was no fundamental right to marry, denying the legal recognition for same-sex marriage in India under the Special Marriage Act. Frances Hand sat down with Devina Malaviya, to discuss the intricacies of this case Supriyo v. Union of India. Devina Malaviya is an Assistant Professor of Legal Practice and As
Catherine Briddick on the UK Rwanda Decision
Vox pops on key human rights issues with human rights experts. Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website (ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/).
Cathryn Costello on the UK Immigration Bill
Vox pops on key human rights issues with human rights experts. Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website (ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/).
Gendered Constitutionalism
In this week's episode, we talk to Ruth Rubio, Professor in the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute, about her book, Global Gender Constitutionalism and Women’s Citizenship: A Struggle for Transformative Inclusion, published by Cambridge University Press (ISBN: 9781316630303).
Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
Protests in Iran and Human Rights
In this episode, we spoke to Dr. Saeed Bagheri, lecturer of International Law at the University of Reading about the women-led protests in Iran, sparked in response to the arrest of Mahsa Amini by the morality police and her subsequent death.
Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
A Conversation with Justice Majiedt of the South African Constitutional Court
In this episode, we speak to Justice Steven Majiedt of the Constitutional Court of South Africa on the unique history of South African constitutionalism, whether the constitution can bring about transformation and the future of socio-economic rights protection in light of COVID and the cost-of-living crisis.
The Cost of Living Crisis and Human Rights
In this episode we spoke to Allison Corkery and María Emilia Mamberti at the Centre for Economic and Social Rights about what human rights bring to the current cost of living crisis.
Gauri Pillai on the Indian Abortion Decision
Vox pops on key human rights issues with human rights experts. Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website (https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/).
Dobbs v Jackson: A Role for Equality?
In this episode we speak to Professor Julie Suk about applying an equality lens to the right to abortion in light of the recent US Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v Jackson. What do equality arguments bring? Is the US Constitution's understanding of equality helpful in grounding a right to an abortion? And if not, are there alternate constitutional pathways available to the Court?
Transcript availab
A Historic Moment: The Drafting of the New Chilean Constitution
In advance of a nationwide referendum on the new draft Chilean Constitution, scheduled for the 4th of September, Gautam Bhatia interviews Professor Roberto Gargarella about the writing of this Constitution, its place in the history of Latin American constitutionalism, and the reasons why the draft Constitution deserves to be supported.
Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website: o
RightsUp Pops: Stéphanie Hennette-Vauchez on the Burkini judgment
Vox pops on key human rights issues with human rights experts. Transcript available on the Oxford Human Rights Hub website (https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/).
Episode Four- “…that’s the key question”: Institutional Responsibility for Inequality
We ask human rights experts who has ultimate responsibility for protecting the most vulnerable in times of crisis.
This is the final episode of a four-part series. The series takes a deep dive into whether equality law is cut out to protect the most vulnerable in times of crisis, and if not, then why not and what can we do about it?
This podcast series is part of the Exponential Inequalities proje
Episode Three- “...plug those gaps”: Reforms to Equality Law
Human rights experts reveal how we could reform equality law to make sure it protects the most vulnerable in times of crisis.
This is Episode Three of a four-part series. The series takes a deep dive into whether equality law is cut out to protect the most vulnerable in times of crisis, and if not, then why not and what can we do about it?
This podcast series is part of the Exponential Inequalitie
Episode Two- “…patriarchal mentality”: The Functioning of Equality Law in Crisis.
Human rights experts help us determine whether equality law is set up to protect the most vulnerable in times of crisis.
This is Episode Two of a four-part series. The series takes a deep dive into whether equality law is cut out to protect the most vulnerable in times of crisis, and if not, then why not and what can we do about it?
This podcast series is part of the Exponential Inequalities proje
Episode One- “I can hear another ambulance”: The Rise of Exponential Inequalities During COVID-19
Human rights experts tell stories of inequalities from around the world, revealing how these inequalities have been exacerbated during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is Episode One of a four-part series. The series takes a deep dive into whether equality law is cut out to protect the most vulnerable in times of crisis, and if not, then why not and what can we do about it?
This podcast ser
Spotlight on an understudied institution: evictions and the Magistrate's Court in South Africa
Evictions constitute gross violations of a range of internationally recognised human rights, including the rights to adequate housing, food, water, health, education, work, security of the person, security of the home, freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and freedom of movement. Evictions intensify inequality, segregation and ghettoization, and invariably affect the poorest, most
The Free Speech Crisis in Universities
In this episode, Gauri Pillai, Managing Editor of the Oxford Human Rights Hub, speaks to Professor Adrienne Stone, Director of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School and Professor Eric Heinze, Professor of Law and Humanities, Queen Mary University of London on the human rights implications of the alleged free speech crisis in university campuses.
Understanding Institutional Racism: A Response to the Sewell Report (with Shreya Atrey)
In this episode, Seun Matiluko, a journalist and a current BCL student at Oxford Law Faculty, speaks with Dr Shreya Atrey, an Associate Professor in International Human Rights Law at Oxford's Department for Continuing Education and Faculty of Law, about a recent report from the UK Government's newly formed Commission for Race and Ethnic Disparities.
Hosted and recorded by: Seun Matiluko
Edited by
Gender in Colombia's Peace Transition (with Isabel Jaramillo Sierra)
In this episode, we speak with Dr Isabel Cristina Jaramillo from Los Andes University in Colombia about “Gender in Transition: Studies about the Role of the Law in the Distribution of Resources for Implementing the Transition in Colombia after the Peace Agreement." We explore what gender has meant during Colombia's transition to peace and reconciliation and what the peace agreement has meant to th
Rhodes Must Fall (with Rekgotsofetse Chikane)
This episode is part of a four-part series in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, guest host Simphiwe Laura Stewart talks with Rekgotsofetse Chikane about the "Rhodes Must Fall" movement. They discuss the intersections and tensions of #MustFall with black consciousness, black feminism, and pan-Africanism, and the diverse histories of oppression and resistance across time a
Police Brutality in the United States (with Shea Streeter)
This episode is part of a four-part series in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, we talk to Shea Streeter about the seemingly intractable issue of police brutality and race in the United States and how race and gender shape the ways that people experience, perceive, and respond to incidents of violence.
The Oxford Human Rights Hub is an anti-racist organisation, and
Racial Hierarchy and Role of Whiteness (with Savala Trepczynski)
This episode is part of a four-part series in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, we talk to Savala Trepczynski about racial hierarchy and the role of whiteness in the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Oxford Human Rights Hub is an anti-racist organisation, and we are committed to continuously working to be better allies to communities protesting against deeply entrenched s
A Decolonial Approach to Education and the Law (with Foluke Adebisi)
This episode is part of a four-part series in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, we speak with Dr Foluke Adebisi, a Senior Lecturer in Law at Bristol University in the United Kingdom, about decolonizing education.
The Oxford Human Rights Hub is an anti-racist organisation, and we are committed to continuously working to be better allies to communities protesting aga
The Transformative Possibilities of a Constitution (with Joel Modiri and Gautam Bhatia)
Constitutions are the legal bedrock of many countries, but they're also political, and are produced within a specific socio-historical context, much like any text. As much as Constitutions are there to protect citizens, they can also exclude certain groups of people. And when a Constitution doesn't work for all, how do we best address this? To what extent can we reinterpret a Constitution so it's
How Our Clicks Cost the Planet: The Internet, Climate Change, and Human Rights (with Michael Oghia)
Covid-19 lockdowns worldwide have forced huge portions of our lives online, from education to work, with important human rights ramifications. But there's an argument to be made that the Covid-19 lockdown has been good for the environment. there have been reports of lower levels of littering and urban pollution. As humans withdrew from public spaces, some native wildlife has reemerged. But our new
The Politics of Global Health Data (with Sara Davis)
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought questions around global healthcare financing and equitable access to treatments to the fore. But this is not the first time a spotlight has been thrown on the thorny issue of fair resource allocation in efforts to tackle global health issues. In her book, “The Uncounted: Politics of Data in Global Health” (Cambridge University Press), Dr Sara Davis considers how h
A Reason for Hope: The Pursuit of Restorative Justice in Colombia (with Julieta Lemaitre)
In 2016, a peace agreement was negotiated between the Colombian Government and one guerrilla movement known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC. But the peace deal was rejected by a narrow margin in a referendum in 2016. A revised peace deal was eventually ratified by the Congress of Colombia. The peace agreement provides for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a tribu
The Impact of Covid-19 on Workers' Rights in the UK (with Michael Ford)
The spread of Covid-19 has affected many areas of our lives with major implications for our rights and freedoms. The instigation of a UK-wide lockdown has had an especially pronounced effect on our rights, and the burden of this disruption will fall most heavily on those whose livelihoods, health, and security were already fragile. Furloughed employees, those who are self-employed, and those who m
The Need for Empathy: Understanding India's COVID-19 Lockdown (with Kalpana Kannabiran)
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in many ways. States around the world have imposed restrictions of varying levels of stringency to control the spread of the virus. The Central Government in India introduced a nationwide 21-day lockdown on 24th of March 2020. The lockdown saw an almost complete restriction on the movement of people and the closure of all establishments except those pro
Defending Human Rights During a Global Pandemic: Lessons from UNAIDS (with Luisa Cabal)
In this episode, we discuss the intersection between the responses to public health crisis and human rights with Luisa Cabal, Acting Director of the Community Support, Social Justice, and Inclusion at UNAIDS. UNAIDS recently published a guidance paper of lessons learned from other pandemics, such as the HIV pandemic, about how to respect and uphold human rights during exceptional ti
Comparative Human Rights Law Book Launch: Sandy Fredman in Conversation with Colm O'Cinneide
This is a special episode of RightsUp, which takes Sandy Fredman’s new book, Comparative Human Rights Law, as a starting point for global conversation around the role of law, lawyers, courts, and judges in forwarding human rights in different contexts. Each episode will delve into the overarching themes of the book and highlight some specific examples from different jurisdictions -- on issues such
Comparative Human Rights Law Book Launch: Sandy Fredman in Conversation with Justice S. Muralidhar
This is a special episode of RightsUp, which takes Sandy Fredman’s new book, Comparative Human Rights Law, as a starting point for global conversation around the role of law, lawyers, courts, and judges in forwarding human rights in different contexts. Each episode will delve into the overarching themes of the book and highlight some specific examples from different jurisdictions -- on issues such
Comparative Human Rights Law Book Launch: Sandy Fredman in Conversation with Edwin Cameron
This is a special episode of RightsUp, which takes Sandy Fredman’s new book, Comparative Human Rights Law, as a starting point for global conversation around the role of law, lawyers, courts, and judges in forwarding human rights in different contexts. Each episode will delve into the overarching themes of the book and highlight some specific examples from different jurisdictions -- on issues such
Working Together: Human Rights and the SDGs (Sandra Fredman)
The United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. They aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all people. The goals provide policy objectives for countries to aspire to meet over a number of years. In this final episode of our SDG podcast series, we talk about how the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights can work together to achieve transform
Poverty and Politics in the SDGs (Philip Alston)
SDG Goal 1 is to eliminate poverty in all its forms everywhere. Poverty stands in the way of people enjoying many of their basic human rights and it can also be the product of violations of certain rights, like the right to education. Tackling global poverty requires bridging questions of human rights law and economic development. In this episode, Professor Philip Alston (UN Special Rapporteur on
Women, Poverty, Equality: The Role of CEDAW (Meghan Campbell)
[Original release: 7 September 2018] Sustainable Development Goal number 1 is to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. And the targets specifically state that poverty must be eliminated for all men, women and children. But poverty affects these groups differently, and the causes of poverty for men, women, and children also differ. Empirical evidence tells us that women disproportionately live i
Gender Equality and Female Genital Mutilation (Brenda Kelly)
[Original release: 13 July 2018] Sustainable Development Goal number 5 is to ‘achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.’ One of the targets under Goal 5 is to eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early, and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation, or FGM. In this episode, we talk with Brenda Kelly, a consultant obstetrician at the John Radcliffe Hospital and a foun
Challenging the Death Penalty in India (Anup Surendranath)
[Original release: 23 April 2018] The death penalty was written into the colonial penal code in India when the country was under British direct rule, and it stayed on the books after independence. Today India remains a ‘retentionist’ country – meaning that it retains the death penalty in the face of a growing global movement to abolish it worldwide on human rights grounds. At the end of 2017, ther
Defending the Rights of Nature (Mari Margil)
[Original release: 10 April 2018] There is an unmistakable growing awareness of the ways in which our human lives and the environment are intertwined and interdependent. Unprecedented environmental degradation, resource depletion, and the looming reality of climate change have all drawn anxious attention to the human impact on the environment. Law is critically important here. Countries like Spain
Gender Equality and Economic Development (Isabel J. Sierra)
[Original release: 26 March 2018] Sustainable Development Goal 5 is to ‘achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.’ But gender equality cuts across many of the other sustainable development goals. This raises some questions – about whether gender equality can ever be realised on its own, in its own right – or whether it has to be realised in context. In this episode, we explore devel
Sustainable Development as a Human Right (Olivier De Schutter)
[Original release: 12 March 2018] In September 2015, the UN adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all people. But do we integrate human rights into development agendas? What will the relationship between human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals look like in practice?
**This episode is part of a special series on “Working Together: Human Righ
Disability Law in the UK (Marie Tidball)
[Released: 29 January 2018] Almost exactly a year ago, in January 2017, the UK Department of Education published a report by the Disabled Students Sector Leadership Group (DSSLG) which offered guidance on how universities and other higher education providers could better support disabled students. In this episode, Dr Marie Tidball talks about disability rights and the importance of teaching a new
Equality Rights in Northern Ireland (Evelyn Collins)
[Original release: 14 December 2017] UK and EU equality law has evolved very much in parallel, with regular exchange and cross-pollination. The present Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is responsible for law in England, Scotland, and Wales, was established by the Equality Act of 2006. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland was established with the Northern Ireland Act of 1998, a c
Brexit and Human Rights in Northern Ireland (Colin Harvey)
[Original release: 8 December 2017] Just this morning, news broke that the UK has reached a deal with the EU. Theresa May announced that there would be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement would be upheld, and that EU citizens’ rights would be protected in the UK. Few details about the agreement are available, and there are still many questions about how t
Corporate Responsibility for Human Rights (Boni Meyersfeld)
[Original release: 20 September 2017] There are many ways in which private businesses hold financial and political power akin to states. They also commit violations and abuses of power akin to states. But are they held accountable in the same way that states are? This episode is all about whether corporations should have human rights obligations – should they be responsible for upholding and defen
Coal, Campaigns and Climate Change in America (Nick Stump)
[Original release: 1 August 2017] Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, what is the future of environmental justice and human rights in the United States and the world? We talk with environmental human rights expert and lawyer, Nick Stump, about what we can learn from the experiences of the Appalachian region of the U.S. Appalachia is known
Transgender Rights in the United States (Corey Stoughton)
[Original release: 30 May 2017] In May of 2016, the Obama administration issued federal guidance that stated transgender people are protected according to United States civil rights law preventing sex discrimination in schools. It was a historic move, in response to a wave of cases making their way through federal courts regarding discrimination against transgender people. But in February 2017, th
About Abortion (Carol Sanger)
[Original release: 12 May 2017] Since the 1973 Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade, abortion has been legal in the United States. But terminating pregnancy remains a controversial issue, and it plays a surprisingly large role in American politics. In this episode, we talk to Carol Sanger, professor of law at Columbia University and author of 'About Abortion: Terminating Pregnancy in 21st Century A
The UK Human Rights Act After Brexit (Sir Keir Starmer)
[Original release: 24 April 2017] The Human Rights Act incorporated the rights guaranteed in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. In this episode, we look at the Human Rights Act in a past interview with Sir Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St. Pancras, currently Shadow Brexit Secretary, and former Director of Public Prosecutions for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Produced by: Dr
The Contagious Diseases Acts (Anne Hanley)
[Original release: 11 April 2017] 'We never get out of the hands of men...' In the 19th century, the Contagious Diseases Acts were passed in the UK and Ireland to curtail the spread of venereal disease among military personnel in certain cities. In this episode, we talk to Dr Anne Hanley, a Junior Research Fellow at New College, Oxford, about why this legislation had such a disproportionate effect
The Death Penalty in the Middle East (James Lynch)
[Original release: 10 February 2017] In the six years following the Arab Spring, there has been a notable increase in death sentences and executions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In this episode, we talk to James Lynch, Deputy Director of the Global Issues Programme at Amnesty International, about the death penalty in MENA countries, the aftermath of the Arab Spring, and the prospect
UK Supreme Court Rules in Brexit Case (Alison Young)
[Original release: 30 January 2017] On 24 January 2017, the UK Supreme Court ruled in the case Miller and Dos Santos vs. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The Court decided that the Government does not have a prerogative power to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Instead, an act of parliament will be needed to begin the process of the UK leaving the EU. In this episode, we
What to Expect When You're Expecting Brexit (Alison Young)
[Original release: 20 January 2017] The UK Supreme Court is expected to deliver a decision on the case Miller and Dos Santos vs. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on January 24th. The question before the Supreme Court is whether the Government or parliament has the power to invoke Article 50 and start the process of the UK leaving the EU. In this episode, we talk to Professor Aliso
