The webinars will be held via Zoom. The number of places is limited.
Registration is required: please register here
Registrants will receive a participation link by e-mail on the day before each event.
For additional information: mchr@savion.huji.ac.il
In the time of pandemic, the social minimum guarantees have been rigorously tested. The global crisis has revealed numerous weaknesses and imperfections of national, regional, and international institutions and mechanisms of the realization of basic human rights that are indispensable for protecting individuals from poverty and enabling them to lead a decent life.
To explore some of these issues, the Minerva Center for Human Rights at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law will host an on-line symposium consisting of two 2-hours webinars, with presentations and discussions by leading international human rights scholars and practitioners – the first on Thursday, June 18, 2020, and the second on Monday, June 22, 2020.
The symposium has three objectives: first, to discuss the most serious problems concerning the territorial and extraterritorial implementation of basic socio-economic rights that humanity is facing during the pandemic; secondly, to explore what lessons should be learned from the global emergency situation; thirdly, to suggest some directions for reforming local and global human rights guarantees of a social minimum.
The Symposium is co-organized by Dr. Elena Pribytkova, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Minerva Center for Human Rights, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and by Prof. Tomer Broude, the Center’s Academic Director.
I. Territorial Guarantees of a Social Minimum in the Time of Pandemic
Thursday, June 18, 15:00-17:00 Jerusalem time (GMT+3)
In the time of pandemic, many states (along with non-state actors) appeared unable or unwilling to provide adequate social support to people, in particular to respect, protect and fulfill basic socio-economic rights. We are witnessing an unexpected paradox: many states that position themselves as welfare states have not demonstrated this during the crisis, while a number of states traditionally skeptical of the social minimum guarantees have taken important measures for social protection of the population. From theoretical and practical perspectives, the webinar will address: problems surrounding secure access to a social minimum during the pandemic; obligations of states and non-state actors corresponding to basic socio-economic rights in the situation of emergency; general measures of social support and special measures to protect the most vulnerable individuals and social groups; the linkage between democratic control over the distribution of budget funds and the realization of socio-economic rights; as well as good and bad practices regarding the implementation of a social minimum.
Chairs/Discussants:
Dr. Elena Pribytkova (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Tomer Broude (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Speakers:
Prof. Yuval Shany (Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Israel Democracy Institute; UN Human Rights Committee):
The Right to Life with Dignity in Times of Pandemic
Prof. Mary Beloff (University of Buenos Aires):
Dignified Living Conditions under the COVID Pandemic in Argentina
Mr. Ignacio Saiz (Center for Economic and Social Rights, New York):
Bringing Human Rights to Bear in Economic Responses to COVID-19
Prof. David Bilchitz (University of Johannesburg):
COVID-19 and the Content of Socio-Economic Rights: Consensus on a Minimum Core Approach?
Mr. Michael Windfuhr (German Institute for Human Rights; UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights):
The Right to Social Security – State Obligations and Responsibilities of Other Actors / Does It Cover Guarantee of a Social Minimum Support?
II. Extraterritorial Obligations to Cooperate and Assist in the Time of Pandemic
Monday, June 22, 14:00-16:00 Jerusalem time (GMT+3)
The global crisis has become a crisis of globalism and a time of increasing glocalisation. In this context, many states and non-state actors disregard their extraterritorial obligations, especially obligations to cooperate and assist in the realization of socio-economic rights. International cooperation and assistance are more important than ever, as many (not only poor) countries are not able to independently protect their populations and ensure their access to a social minimum during the pandemic. Participants of the webinar will discuss the most topical issues concerning extraterritorial obligations to cooperate and assist, including (but not limited to) obligations of states to seek international assistance in the time of pandemics; obligations of various entities (states, intergovernmental organizations, and non-state actors) to cooperate and assist; positive and negative examples of current international cooperation and assistance; as well as possible mechanisms for holding global actors accountable for their breaches of extraterritorial obligations to cooperate and assist.
Chairs/Discussants:
Dr. Elena Pribytkova (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Helmut Aust (Freie Universität Berlin)
Speakers:
Prof. Margot E. Salomon (London School of Economics and Political Science):
Pandemic and the Chronic Crises of International Law
Prof. Wouter Vandenhole (University of Antwerp):
Inequality and Extraterritoriality in the Time of Pandemic
Ms. Judith Bueno de Mesquita (University of Essex):
Moving Towards Global Solidarity for Health through Multilateral Governance in the COVID-19 Response
Dr. Ana Maria Suarez Franco (FIAN International):
Obligations to Cooperate and Assist in the Realization of the Right to Food: The road ahead towards food systems transformation
Prof. Surya Deva (City University of Hong Kong; UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights):
Do Corporations Have Extraterritorial Human Rights Responsibilities?