75 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: What Its Legacy Represents Today
This post marks International Human Rights Day on the 10 December, the anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I write this from Ukraine, where I...
Parental Leave, Equality and Dignity in South Africa: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
On 25 October 2023, the Johannesburg High Court of South Africa in Van Wyk v Minister of Employment and Labour [2023] ZAGPJHC 1213 declared certain provisions of the Basic Conditions...
Thubakgale: Bringing Home the Right to Adequate Housing Against a Recalcitrant Municipality
An August 2023 housing rights decision of the Pretoria High Court in South Africa is the latest in a protracted dispute for the Thubakgale applicants against a municipality, in their...
A Blueprint for the World: How Karnataka’s Shakti and Gruha Lakshmi Schemes Elevate Women’s Economic Rights
Karnataka, through its state government schemes, has taken proactive steps towards ensuring women’s welfare and equity. Among the five key schemes, the Shakti and the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme are particularly...
Suicides within India’s Agricultural Industry: How Climate Change and Government Policy are Impacting Human Rights
Over 650 farmers have committed suicide in the central region of Maharashtra, India, from January to August 2023. Climate change and the stress it places on agriculture have been the...
Access to Abortion at the Federal Level: Another Step Towards Reproductive Justice in Mexico
The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice’s recent ruling on abortion is a landmark decision promoting reproductive justice for women in the country. Not only does the Court clearly develop the...
The Case for Caution in Making Social Class a Protected Characteristic under the UK’s Equality Act 2010
Momentum is growing in the UK to make social class a statutory protected characteristic. The Co-Op, The British Psychological Society, and the Bridge Group, amongst others, have proposed legislative reform...
The Menace of Manual Scavenging in India: The Case for Stronger Legal Implementation
The right to a clean, safe, and healthy environment is a fundamental right protected by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, encompassed by the right to life. However, sanitation employees...
A Landmark Victory for Freedom of Religion in Kenya: The Court of Appeal’s Judgment in Phillip Okoth and LSK v BOM, St Anne’s Primary Ahero
In a ground-breaking decision, the Court of Appeal at Kisumu delivered a judgment that carries far-reaching implications for the protection of freedom of religion in Kenya. The case of Phillip...
Life-Saving At a High Cost: The Case for Provision of Rare Disease Treatments Being a Human Right
Earlier this year, Brazilian authorities added Zolgesma, once “the world’s most expensive medical treatment to date,” to the country’s mandatory coverage list. The medication treats Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a rare...
A Case for an Objective Threshold in Tax Exemption of Persons with Disabilities in Kenya
Image Description: A Kenyan mother and her daughter are pictured close-up on their faces. The mother looks toward the camera while the child gazes elsewhere. The daughter has a developmental...
Dignity Neuroscience: A Universal Rationale for Human Rights
Image description: Medical diagram of the first two domains of dignity neuroscience: (1) Agency, Autonomy & Self-Determination; (2) Freedom from Want Universal human rights are rooted in international consensus, derived...
