Law and Development Research Group, Law Faculty, University of Antwerp
First annual international expert seminar of the IAP 'The Global Challenge of Human Rights Integration: Towards a Users’ Perspective' (HRI) - Localising human rights: towards empirical research
Date: Wednesday 14 March 2013
Venue: Klooster van de Grauwzusters • Lange St. Annastraat 7 • B-2000 Antwerp

Background
The research programme 'Localising Human Rights' of the Law and Development Research Group of the University of Antwerp analyses the effectiveness of human rights for marginalised communities in non-Western societies. This is a long-term interdisciplinary project combining insights from law, political and social sciences. An international workshop (2007) and international conference (2008) were held in Antwerp. A conference book entitled 'The Local Relevance of Human Rights' was published in 2011 with Cambridge University Press.

The seminar 'Localising human rights: towards empirical research' of 14 March 2013 aims to move beyond theoretical analyses and desk studies. It brings together experts from different disciplines to share experiences on empirical human rights research. It will function as a kick-off for various case studies on how rights holders navigate through the complex architecture of human rights law, to be carried out in the Global South (China, India and DRC), at institutional level (Human Rights Council) and in Europe (foreigners’ perspectives).

These case studies are embedded in Work Package 2 'Analysing users’ trajectories in human rights law' of the IAP 'The Global Challenge of Human Rights Integration: Towards a Users’ Perspective' (HRI).
HRI is an Interuniversity Attraction Pole (IAP) funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office (2012-2017). The research network aims to study human rights law as an integrated whole from a users’ perspective. It consists of Universiteit Gent, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Universiteit Antwerpen, Facultés Universitaires Saint-Louis and Universiteit Utrecht.


Programme
Chairman: Prof. Wouter Vandenhole, Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp

9:30 – 10:00
Registration and coffee

10:00 – 10:10
Welcome and general introduction
Dr Ellen Desmet, Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp / Human Rights Centre, Ghent University

10:10 – 10:30
The IAP 'The Global Challenge of Human Rights Integration: Towards a Users’ Perspective': Research premises and objectives
Prof. Eva Brems, Human Rights Centre, Ghent University

10:30 – 11:00
The localisation of human rights
Prof. Koen De Feyter, Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp

11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break

11:30 – 12:00
Localising human rights methodology: an evolving framework, challenges and potential
Ms Gaby Oré Aguilar, Deputy Director, Center for Economic and Social Rights, New York/ Lima

12:00 – 12:30
The Awas Tingni research
Prof. Felipe Gómez Isa, Pedro Arrupe Human Rights Institute, University of Deusto (Bilbao

12:30 – 13:00
Debate

13:00 – 14:00
Lunch

14:00 – 14:30
Legal pluralism and localising human rights: the rise of human rights cities
Prof. Barbara Oomen, Utrecht University and dean of the Roosevelt Academy

14:30 – 15:00
How perceptions of human rights and democracy affect migration aspirations
Prof. Christiane Timmerman, CeMIS – Centre for Migration and Intercultural Studies, University of Antwerp

15:00 – 15:30
Coffee break

15:30 – 17:00
Panel & debate – Presentation of research projects
Chairs: Prof. Emmanuelle Bribosia, Institute for European Studies, Université Libre de Bruxelles and Prof. Isabelle Rorive, Perelman Centre for Legal Philosophy, Université Libre de Bruxelles

The right to education of rural-urban migrant households in Chongqing (China)
Dr Jingrong Chen, Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp / Chongqing University

Les villages assainis d’UNICEF au Bas-Congo (RDC)
Richard Lumbika, Centre des droits de l’homme, Université Kongo

Right to water for the urban poor in New Delhi (India)
Dr. Maheshwar Singh and Nawneet Vibhaw, National Law University Delhi

The United Nations Human Rights Council from below
Arne Vandenbogaerde,Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp

Foreigners in the labyrinth of human rights
Moritz Baumgärtel, Perelman Centre for Legal Philosophy, Université Libre de Bruxelles

17:00 – 18:00
Reception

Registration
Registration is free for HRI members and amounts to € 30 for non-HRI members (including coffee breaks, lunch and conference documentation).

Please register online before 25 February 2013.
Contact: Ellen Desmet, Project manager IAP ‘Human Rights Integration’ Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp • Venusstraat 23 • B-2000 Antwerp • tel: +32 3 265 53 48 • e.desmet@ua.ac.be.