Module overview
This module explores and compares three regional human rights frameworks: the European Convention on Human Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Looking at their history, scope and powers, this module considers how successful these instruments have been in ensuring the effective promotion and protection of human rights, often in the face of state apathy or outright resistance.
The module will be in two parts. The first will give students a detailed understanding of each framework and their legal and political contexts. It will compare individual, NGO and state access to courts and other institutions; the role and powers of courts and reporting, fact finding and enforcement mechanisms. The second, and larger part will examine specific rights in detail, using a thematic approach to compare the law on issues such as gender and LGBT equality, economic and social rights and positive obligations of states to protect people from serious harms caused by others. It will critically engage with the law and practice in each system to compare different understandings of the scope of each right and the effectiveness of protection across each system.