Welcome to AHRI's January newsletter. As we begin a new calendar year and a new semester, we here at AHRI hope that you feel reinvigorated for new opportunities, new connections and new research in the field of human rights. We hope that you find this months newsletter insightful and helpful. 

- AHRI Secretariat 

AHRI Announces Collaboration with the Graphix Project

The mission of the Graphix Project (GP) is to collaborate to develop open sourced, multi-lingual human rights education materials available free to activists and partners world-wide in 2023. GP is developing an interactive online platform and a graphic history of human rights book.

Through a partnership agreement, AHRI has committed to assisting GP’s human rights research and advocacy by sharing opportunities to get involved with the project amongst the AHRI Network. 

The GP invites AHRI member institutes and affiliated researchers to:

•    Act as project advisors, informing final project design and implementation
• Contribute to data gathering over the next 6 months, as interviewers or interviewee

 Contribute to effective implementation by disseminating the Project findings/outputs 

• Work with the GP team to explore scope for the project outputs (including interactive online platform) to be integrated in their educational curricula

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and visit the website to stay up to date with more information about the Graphix Project. Further information will also be shared with member institutes by the Secretariat. 

To learn more about the Graphix Project, click the link below. 

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is not a research institution as such. Being an EU agency it is an observer rather than a member with AHRI. FRA is the EU’s independent expert body dealing with fundamental rights. Based on an EU regulationand a Programming Document, FRA carries out its mandate to help safeguard the rights, values and freedoms enshrined in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. The agency collects and analyses law and data; provides independent, evidence-based advice on rights; identifies trends by collecting and analysing comparable data; helps better law making and implementation; supports rights-compliant policy responses; strengthens cooperation and ties between fundamental rights actors.

FRA drafts its comparative reports based on data and analysis submitted by its multidisciplinary research network (FRANET). Moreover, academic actors can interact with FRA via the Fundamental Rights Platform. The latter is a professional network of ca 800 organisations, mostly human rights NGOs. FRA regularly seeks thematic and strategic input from the Platform and offers tools, research output and opportunities to connect for improved capacity. If you wish to connect with FRA, please register with the Platform. As a rather new actor in the field, FRA has raised considerable interest in the academic community (for an overview of references see e.g. here).

To check out the FRA website, use the link below. 

FRA ( European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights ) 

Recent publications:

• 13 December: a list of all 2022 FRA publications. It shows which FRA products were released in 2022 and includes a short description of each report. 

Selected upcoming publications:

• January and February: new 8 language versions of the Charter e-learning courses (on the Charter materials see here)

• February: Report “Justice for All”; online: “Human Rights Cities: Practices to support displaced persons from Ukraine”

Selected recent events:

• On 18 January: FRA coorganised a rule of law dialogue in Croatia. These dialogues aim at encouraging discussions on the rule of law topics in EU Member States.

• On 5 and 6 December 2022 FRA contributed to a multi-stakeholder dialogue conference on civic space. The European Commission presented its newly-published annual report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, which focuses this year on civic space. FRA supported this report by analysing the five stakeholder consultations carried out for the report, including an online consultation with its Fundamental Rights Platform. 

Selected upcoming events:

• 1 and 8 February: FRA contributes to the Human Rights go Local Winter Academy and the International Conference Human Rights go local 

• 24 January: FRA Director will speak in the EP in the context of the Article 17 TEU Dialogue with religious organisations on liberal democracy.

Other information of interest:

•  Check FRA publications here. 
•   Check FRA news here. 
• Subscribe the FRA newsletter here. 
• Subscribe for free to the Charter e-course at: FRA e-learning (europa.eu)

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo, Norway 

News

Nordic Journal of Human Rights 40(2) is now published. 

Nordic Journal of Human Rights issue 40(2) is out and all articles in the celebratory special issue 40(1) are free to access until December 30, 2022.

Nordic Journal of Human Rights published a new general issue 40(2) containing 6 research articles and 3 book reviews. the articles cover a broad area of issues related to human rights including NHRIs and the Paris Principles, constitutional rights in East Asia, a right to adequate shelter for asylum seekers, justice during armed conflict, sexual violence, genocide, the right to abortion after a sexual assault. 

Additionally, we have arranged a free access until the end of the year for our celebratory issue 40(1) "the Future of Human Rights." This issue contains 13 research articles and 3 book reviews. You can access the issues in the link below.

Centre for Human Rights and Peace ( CHRP), University of Nairobi, Kenya

News

Haki Journal of Human Rights

HAKI Journal of Human Rights is an annual peer-reviewed academic journal that seeks to provide researchers, scholars and human rights practitioners with a platform for engaging in human rights theory, practice and advocacy.

The journal’s general aim is to broaden the study and practice of human rights by fostering a critical re-examination of existing approaches from an Afrocentric perspective through discussions on themes on the universal theory and practice of human rights.The Journal invites analytically rigorous papers, articles, comments on cases, legislation, policies and book reviews pertaining to various themes in Human Rights in Kenya.

For more information click the link below. 

• Call: Human Rights and Education: past, present and future, UCD Centre for Human Rights, University College, Dublin, Ireland
• Call: Application for BA ( Hons) Human Rights and Social Justice, Helena Kennedy, Sheffield Hallam University, UK 
• Call: Heads and Tails:' Admissibility and Remedies at the European Court of Human Rights, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM), University of Utrecht, Netherlands
• Call: Workshop on Universities as Sites of Activism and Protection & UNESCO Chair Launch, Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York, UK.

UCD Centre for Human Rights, University College, Dublin, Ireland

Call for Abstracts

Human Rights and Education: past, present and future.

Deadline: 13 March, 2023

The ICEDC annual conference is a meeting place for scholars, researchers, graduate students, education policymakers, and civil society activists from across Europe and internationally.  This year’s annual conference is being organised by the UCD Centre for Human Rights in Dublin, Ireland in association with the journal  Human Rights Education Review (HRER).  The conference will be a unique opportunity to present and discuss current research and policy relating to education for human rights and democratic citizenship. We welcome research papers and poster presentations addressing education for human rights and democratic citizenship from sociology, education, law, history, politics, geography and other relevant disciplines, as well as analyses of policy and case studies of campaigns and curriculum development. 

Abstracts of no more than 300 words including name, institutional affiliation and contact  email should be sent, no later than Monday 13 March 2023 to: Dr. Suzanne Egan, suzanne.egan@ucd.ie. All abstracts will be peer reviewed by members of the ICEDC steering  group (Professor Audrey Osler, Professor Hugh Starkey and Dr. Suzanne Egan). Please indicate whether you would prefer to give an oral or a poster presentation.  Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the review by Tuesday 21 March 2023.  

Registration will open 1 March 2023 (with fees held constant since 2016). 

For the full call, follow the link below. 

Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Call for Applications

BA ( Hons ) Human Rights and Social Justice 

Deadline: 25 January, 2023 

The BA (Hons) Human Rights and Social Justice is a dynamic course designed to give students a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding of human rights and social justice. The course provides a focus on key foundational areas of human rights and social justice, which will underpin students understanding of contemporary issues whilst developing a values informed approach to ethical practice in the field. Students develop the skills and attributes needed for a career in human rights and social justice with significant focus on building confidence, innovative thinking, resilience organisation, reflection, ethical practice, analytical and strategic thinking with strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Application deadline: 25 January 2023, 18:00 UK time (Late applications can be made until 30 June 2023).

You can apply using UCAS and use the link below for more information on the program.

Netherlands Institute of Human Rights ( SIM ), University of  Utrecht, Netherlands

Call for Abstracts

Heads and Tails': Admissibility and Remedies at the European Court of Human Rights' 

Deadline: 15 February, 2023

In recent years, much attention has been given to the position and effectiveness of the European Court of Human Rights. With the aim of helping the Court deal with its heavy case-load, the ‘Interlaken process’ and the entry into force of Protocol 15 ECHR have brought about important changes in the formal rules on access to the Court as well as the Court’s working processes. For example, Protocol 15 has tightened the timeframe within which applicants have to submit their applications and has eased the requirements for holding applications inadmissible because the applicant did not suffer any significant disadvantage. In addition, the Court itself has invested in streamlining and improving its working processes, for instance by changing the application form, amending its priority rules and offering (better) reasoning in Single Judge decisions. It also has resorted to a new system for negotiating friendly settlements and it has proved to be increasingly willing to accept unilateral declarations, all to the effect that there is no need to decide these cases on their merits.

This workshop brings together a number of expert researchers working on the ECHR system, from different perspectives, and using different methods. The invitation to them is to address particular developments and changes in the Court’s approach to admissibility, strike-off decisions and remedies and critically review them in the broader light of the objectives and nature of the ECHR system. The workshop is set up to foster dialogue and discussion and to allow for the various developments to be compared and contrasted, so as to allow for a bigger picture to arise.

We invite abstracts of maximum 350 words together with a cover letter by February 15, 2023, in one single PDF document. The cover letter should include a 1 paragraph CV (maximum 200 words) and explain in a few sentences the context of the paper: e.g. whether it is part of a PhD project, whether it is based on undertaken empirical research or part of ongoing research etc. Accepted contributors will be asked to provide a core draft paper with the main arguments, to be presented in the workshop. After the workshop we will invite a selected number of authors to finalise their paper with a view to compile a special issue of an international, peer-reviewed journal.

The workshop will be held at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. We are unfortunately not able to cover any costs of travel and accommodation, but we will offer an option for online presentations for those otherwise unable to attend. 

Please submit the pdf with your abstract, CV and context explanation in one unified document by sending an email with the header ‘ECHR Heads and Tails Workshop’ before 15 February 2023 to: montaignecentrum@uu.nl

To read the full call and see a full timeline, please use the link below.

Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York, UK.

Call for Participation 

Workshop on Universities as Sites of Activism and Protection & UNESCO Chair Launch

13- 14 March, 2023

We are delighted to invite you to a workshop on University-Civil Society Collaboration to Protect Activists and Enhance Political Space, to be hosted by the Human Rights Defender Hub, Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR), University of York, on 13-14 March 2023.

Universities have much to contribute to activism and protection. They have legitimacy, status, access to knowledge and resources, and local and global networks. But universities are also elite and complex institutions, characterised by value clashes, contradictory pressures and hosting multiple actors (students, academics, management, admin staff). While not ignoring the challenges, this workshop will showcase the progressive potential of university-civil society collaborations: at the frontline of protests (Turkey, Iran); integrating activists into teaching and research to provide new forms of knowledge and support activism; and providing various forms of protection (of activists, values, and different forms of knowledge).

The event will include the launch of the UNESCO Chair in Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Expansion of Political Space, to be held at CAHR, which particularly focuses on the role of universities. A Working Paper titled Universities as Sites of Activism and Protection will be circulated in advance, and will provide a point of reference for discussions. The workshop will co-produce the first draft of an Action Plan for Universities as Sites of Protection, to outline the future work programme for the UNESCO Chair and its partners. 

You can reserve a place for the vent using the link below.

• Event: Next Generation Networking Event, University of Graz, Austria
• Call for Applications: Human Rights Program LLM, Central European University, University of Vienna, Austria
• Call for Survey: New FRA survey to capture the experiences of people fleeing the war in Ukraine
• Call: Application for Mobility Program in Human Rights, Åbo Akademi University,  Finland

European Training- and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, University of Graz, Austria

Event

Next Generation Networking Event

3 February, 2023

Are you a human rights professional in the making? Do you want to engage and connect with established human rights experts and practitioners? Then join us for our Next Generation Networking Event and learn about the realization of human rights at the local level with particular focus on public administration.  

 The online networking event, taking place in the framework of the 2023 Academy and Conference: Human Rights Go Local - What works, seeks to establish a link between today's stakeholders and tomorrow's actors: Exchange practical knowledge of working in the broad field of human rights, discuss the realization of future perspectives and aspirations, and gain insights into professionalization opportunities in human rights at the local level - a sphere gaining ever-more importance in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and the international human rights agenda!

For whom? The event is organised for members of the next generation. Students of all disciplines, young professionals and career beginners can exchange with established human rights experts. 

When?   Friday, 3 February 2023 between 13:30 and 15:30 CET (GMT+1), exact time and schedule to be specified

Where?  Online using BigBlueButton (Links will be provided one day before the event) 

If you want to learn about different human rights careers at the local level, particularly those in public administration, register using the link below.

Central European University, University of Vienna, Austria

Call for Applications

Human Rights Program LLM

Deadline: 1 February, 2023

Apply for the Human Rights Programs at Central European University, Vienna, Austria

The main goal of the LL.M. in Human Rights program (1-year, full time) is to provide theoretical and practical training for future scholars and professionals in human rights, with special emphasis on the legal aspects of human rights protection. Our highly qualified and diverse faculty prepares students to engage in comparative and inter-disciplinary analysis of complex human rights problems. The program offers practical instruction in the specific legal mechanisms and institutional processes which may be used by national human rights organizations to effectively approach human rights issues that transitional and also established democracies confront. 

The MA in Human Rights Program (1-year, full time) combines social science, policy-based approach with legal science and it aims to provide theoretical and practical training in human rights for students who do not have a legal background. The problem-focused curriculum and the strong interdisciplinary and comparative approach offer students ample opportunities to understand the theoretical and legal foundations of human rights and engage with the challenges of human rights protection in the age of skepticism and populism.

The LLM and the MA Programs in Human Rights are committed to research-based teaching.

For more information on the program and application use the link below. 

Institute for Human Rights, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

Call for Applications

Deadline: 31, January, 2023

Mobility Program for Human Rights

The Institute for Human Rights at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU), Finland, invites applications for short-term research mobility in 2023 (1 week – 3 months). The objectives of the mobility program are to promote research collaboration between researchers at ÅAU and partner universities, to develop new and deepen existing research and development initiatives, and to support the internationalization of research training in human rights.

The following thematic areas are prioritized:
• Localization in international human rights law
• The interaction between international human rights law and national criminal law with a particular focus on the rights of the ‘vulnerable’
• Human rights education
• Human rights, migration, mobility
• Socio-economic rights, in particular, social protection and social innovation

The call is targeted at scholars on different academic levels (Professors, Postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral candidates). Priority is given to scholars in law, or scholars from other disciplines with an interest in law as a social and/or cultural phenomenon.

Accepted mobility researchers are offered scholarships covering travel, accommodation and living costs.

For more information on the mobility program, scholarships and the application process, including the application form, see the webpage of the program using the link below. 

For inquiries about the call, please contact humanrights@abo.fi.