Human Rights

In this post, the author reflects on judge Cançado Trindade’s last separate opinion to an Order concerning the Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), of September 2020. This opinion provides an example of his views on the role of International Law and his believe that jus gentium must be at the service of the people. As a former judicial fellow of the International Court of Justice, the author presents a personal and powerful testimony of judge Cançado Trindade.

In this post, the author highlights the main contributions of judge Cançado Trindade in academia and as a judge. The author highlights his concerns about putting a person at the centre of International Law and how, in his separate opinions at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice, he advocated for the humanization of International Law.

In this post, the author highlights the contributions of Cançado Trindade as a judge and academic. While discussing his work as a judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice, the author highlights his efforts to transform procedural and substantive norms as tools, not barriers, for victims to access Justice.

Judge Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade was a towering figure of contemporary international and public law. An internationally renowned jurist, he was judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights between 1995 and 2008 and its President between 1999 and 2004. In February 2009, he was elected as judge of the International Court of Justice, a position he held until his passing in May 2022. This symposium has been organized to honour the memory of Judge Trindade by engaging with his legacy and ideas.

This brief contribution intends to analyse the three proposals, with a particular focus on how each proposal provides for, or fails to provide for (as the case may be), the participation of global south voices in the due diligence processes. Ultimately, I argue that as the draft makes its way through the legislative process, it appears that the EU seems to have taken one step forward but two steps backward as regards the provisions on the participation of global south rightsholders.

This blog examines the relationship between Data Protection and Human Rights. It argues that the State has a duty to respect the privacy rights of its citizens and this duty includes an obligation to conduct Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) in cases of high-risk processing of personal data.

This blog provides an interesting perspective to the emerging roles of the African Sub-Regional Courts in protecting human rights in the African continent. It argues that Sub-regional courts such as the ECOWAS Court and East Africa Court are assuming crucial roles in protecting human rights on the Internet by expanding the institutional protection of human rights, flagging online human rights violations, fostering digital rights norms and setting the boundaries of acceptable behaviour for states on access to the Internet. It notes, however, that much still needs to be done in terms of enforcing these judgments in the continent.

With the growth of e-commerce, a core human right concern pervading this “novel” form of trade is the right to privacy. This article makes a case for recognising privacy and its derivative, data protection in the AfCFTA’s E-Commerce Protocol and subsequent e-commerce-related agreements concluded by Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and states members.

October 2, 2022

Tenure Track Assistant Professor in International and Comparative Law, International Organization, and Human Rights

Posting Details

Position Title: Tenure Track Assistant Professor in International and Comparative Law, International Organization, and Human Rights

Department: Political Science Department

Equitable access to medicines and vaccines are key determinants of a country’s resilience to emerging health threats. As the world tries to figure out how to live alongside the SARS-CoV2 virus with the constant threats of emerging variants and new waves, several challenges remain globally for the supply of and access to medicines. For example, the AIDS drugs access crisis, which highlighted the challenges in accessing lifesaving medicines and vaccines. People all over the world are affected by the crisis which is a result of either unavailability or unaffordability.