Contemporary challenges to international human rights law and the role of human rights education

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Authors

Viljoen, Frans

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Pretoria University Law Press (PULP)

Abstract

In hierdie bydrae word vier hedendaagse uitdagings aan international menseregte onder die loep geneem. Hierdie uitdagings is: (1) Die internasionale menseregte-sisteem is oormatig ingewikkeld en gefragmenteerd, dog steeds onvolledig in die substantiewe beskerming wat dit bied. (2) Internasionale menseregte het nie voldoen aan die beloftes wat dit voorgehou het nie. (3) Die staats-gesentreerde aard van menseregte gee aanleiding daartoe dat state die paradoksale posisie inneem as beide menseregte-beskermer en menseregte-skender. (4) Internasionale menseregte het nie voldoende aandag geskenk aan die behoeftes van die mees behoeftige lede van samelewings nie. Hierdie artikel maak die argument uit dat elkeen van hierdie uitdagings beter verstaan en benader kan word indien ´n multidissiplinêre, eerder as ´n streng judisiële of regsgebaseerde benadering gevolg word. Die inhoud van menseregte-opleiding moet dus krities heroorweeg word, en toelatingsvereistes vir meseregte-programme behoort aangepas te word om so ´n multidissiplinêre benadering te vergestalt.
This address explores the broader idea of human rights, and reflects on contemporary challenges to international human rights law and their relevance for human rights education. Under the term “international human rights law”, I understand the human rights treaties and other documents and related institutions and processes at both the global level (under the auspices of the United Nations) and at the regional level (under the African Union).

Description

Reworked version of an inaugural address, delivered as head of department (‘Director’) of the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, on 11 May 2011. A revised version of this address was also presented on 14 November 2011 at the Second International Conference on Human Rights Education, held from 14 to 16 November 2011, in Durban.

Keywords

International human rights law, Human rights education

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Viljoen, F 2011, 'Contemporary challenges to international human rights law and the role of human rights education', De Jure, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 207-231.