The George Washington University Law School is hosting an International Law Review Symposium on the Identity and Future of Human Rights. The symposium will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2016 from 9:00am-4:15pm (EST).
The modern human rights project began with the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the drafting of the two Covenants on Civil and Political and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Following this, special agreements started being drafted, applicable specifically to groups such as racial minorities, women, migrants, and others. Are these special agreements simply a reflection of special interest politics that undermine the notion of universal human rights or do they reinforce universal norms? How much do these specific treaties call for accommodation or exemptions from otherwise applicable laws? Are regional systems part of the subdivision of human rights to reflect regional identity or do they provide effective means to enforce global standards?
