fbpx

The Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) is holding its annual conference from 3 to 5 September on the theme 'The future of human rights: Socio-economic rights, equality and development'. Register for free on www.ahri-network.org and join us online. 

Celebrating 20 years of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI)

In celebration of the 20 year anniversary of the founding of the Association of Human Rights Institutes, the AHRI 2020 conference will take place in a virtual format on 4-5 September 2020.

While the general conference theme originally planned for the Pretoria conference will be maintained (see below), additional panels related to the current pandemic and the role of AHRI as it enters its third decade will feature on the programme.

The Future of Human Rights: Socio-Economic Rights, Equality and Development

We live in a deeply divided world. While there has never been a better opportunity to finally rid the world of extreme poverty, the great divide between the haves and the have-nots seems to be here to stay. Technological developments will change everyone’s lives, both rich and poor. The future will bring opportunities that were previously unheard of. Access to electricity and connectivity is already improving and with that come improved economic opportunities and hopefully improved health and education. The future also brings many challenges. Some of these challenges are already well known, such as climate change. Others are as yet unknown.

How can we move to a more equal world without environmental degradation on a scale that would threaten our very existence? How can the playing field be levelled so that migration comes to mean ‘opportunity’ and not ‘threat’? What do the challenges and opportunities of the future mean for human rights, in particular socio-economic rights?

Socio-economic rights are recognised in international treaties and in many national constitutions. Even where they have not been included in constitutions they have been recognised as fundamental by courts and other actors. The right to life is increasingly understood as not only meaning a right to physical existence but also the right to live life in dignity. How can we ensure that these rights. can be claimed by all without discrimination? What is the role of various actors to ensure the actual implementation of these rights (by governments, parliaments, courts, traditional and social media, corporations, NGOs etc) now and in the future?

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our newsletter