International Human Rights Law

Sumudu Atapattu, PhD

This course provides an introduction to international human law. It will examine its history, evolution, structure, remedies and effectiveness and the relationship with other areas of international law. It will discuss legal and institutional framework at international and regional levels – UN human rights institutions (Charter based and treaty based) and regional systems of human rights. It will examine: (a) substantive and procedural rights and obligations (b) actors and beneficiaries including the role of businesses; (c) principles such as universality, non-discrimination and non-retrogression; (d) protection of groups such as women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, minorities and specialized fields such as genocide, torture and terrorism; and (e) remedies. The course also discuses emerging areas of rights such as environmental rights and rights of nature, critiques of human rights, and domestic incorporation of rights.