The Human Rights Commission will host an international conference on economic, social and cultural rights in Dublin on Friday, 9th and Saturday, 10th December to coincide with International Human Rights Day. Entitled Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Models of Enforcement, the conference will examine the place of this category of rights in legal and political structures focussing in particular on various methods of implementation and enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights.
Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC, said "This category of rights appears to be subject to either misunderstanding or outright hostility, particularly when the discussion moves to looking at effective models of enforcement. The purpose of this conference is to debunk some of these myths and to stimulate informed debate on how Ireland can improve the protection and promotion of economic, social and cultural rights and meet its international obligations created under the international human rights treaties to which it is a party. To this end the Commission will also be launching a Discussion Document at the conference which outlines the IHRC research on this area and which we hope will stimulate an inclusive and open national debate on how Ireland can make good on its international obligations in this area."
"Discussion in Ireland on the enforceability of economic, social and cultural rights has tended to focus on justiciability. However, there are many ways in which these rights can be implemented and enforced and we will have an opportunity at the conference to hear about different and innovative ways in which constitutions, legislation, courts and administrative structures are being used to protect economic, social and cultural rights" stated the Chief Executive of the IHRC, Dr. Alpha Connelly.
The conference will be addressed by leading national and international academics and advocates who will survey international models of enforcement at the legal and sub-legal levels borrowing from international comparative experience of how human rights obligations in the area can be met effectively at the national level.
The distinguished panel of speakers will include Martin Scheinin, distinguished academic and UN Special Rapporteur on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Catarina de Albuquerque, Chairperson of the UN Working Group to draft the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights; Regis Brillat, Social Charter Committee Council of Europe; Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing and Bruce Porter from the Social Rights Advocacy Centre, Canada.
For further information contact:
Mary Ruddy, Human Rights Commission
Tel. 01 8589 601
Mobile: 087 2400695
Biographical Notes on the speakers are available below:
Click here to download Biographical Notes.doc (58 KB)