Mind the values gap: do we really believe in the Constitution?
South Africans often proudly proclaim that our Constitution is one of the most progressive in the world. Yet if you ask most South Africans how they really feel about gay...
Constitutions and Human Rights
Against Happiness: Why ‘Happiness’ is not a Good Measure of Progress
‘Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.’ (Aristotle). Gross national income (GNI) per head is generally accepted as the dominant...
Third Conference of States Parties to the American Convention on Human Rights: Another Brick on the Wall (or is it another brick off?)
On January 21st and 22nd, the Third Conference of States Parties to the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) took place in Montevideo, Uruguay. Once again, Ecuador was working behind...
Lord Sumption on ‘The Limits of Law’
In the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Lecture, given in Kuala Lumpur on 20th November, Lord Sumption, Justice of the UK Supreme Court, again stepped into the debate over the appropriate...
The Mandela I Knew by Professor Bob Hepple QC, FBA
I hesitated when asked to say something on the sad occasion of the death of Nelson Mandela, because so many carpetbagging celebrities who had only a slight connection with him...
Australian judge lays down gauntlet for proponents of human rights instruments
Last week we featured a post by Professor Brice Dickson on whether the common law would adequately fill any void left by the Human Rights Act 1998 (UK) (HRA), should...
If the Human Rights Act were repealed, could the common law fill the void?
It now looks pretty certain that, if Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has his way, the Conservative Party manifesto for the election in 2015 will promise to repeal the Human Rights...
True Reconciliation Requires a Treaty
Treaties are accepted around the world as the means of reaching a settlement between Indigenous peoples and those who have settled their lands. Australia is the only Commonwealth nation that...
When does the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights apply? The case of Fransson and why we should care
The recognition of fundamental rights as part of the general principles of EU law by the Court of Justice of the EU is not novel. The Court had already accepted...
Same Script, Different Cast: A Tale of Zambia’s Constitutional Making Process
On the 24th of October, Zambia celebrated its 49th year of Independence from British colonial rule. While Zambia has been fortunate enough to never have experienced war or civil unrest...
Same Script, Different Cast: A Tale of Zambia's Constitutional Making Process
On the 24th of October, Zambia celebrated its 49th year of Independence from British colonial rule. While Zambia has been fortunate enough to never have experienced war or civil unrest...
Bridging The Divide? Integrating the Functions of National Equality Bodies and National Human Rights Institutions in the EU
National equality bodies (NEBs) and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) play important roles in promoting respect for human dignity and fundamental rights in many European states. NEBs promote respect for...
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