Human rights are often associated with international courts, legal experts and independent investigations. Yet one of the world's most significant human rights monitoring systems takes a very different approach, relying on countries to review one another's records.
This free event will introduce audiences to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the United Nations process through which all member states have their human rights record examined every four-and-a-half years by other states.
Led by Dr Michael Lane, Lecturer in Law at the University of Worcester, the session marks the launch of his latest book and will explain how this global review system operates, why it was created, and what it reveals about the relationship between human rights, international politics and state accountability.
Although the UPR is the only global human rights monitoring system with universal participation, it has often attracted debate and criticism because countries are evaluating one another rather than being assessed by independent judges or experts.
Although the book is aimed at students and academics, this event will be very accessible and is aimed at the general public.
The event offers an opportunity to engage with contemporary issues in international law and gain a clearer understanding of a global process that influences how countries are held accountable for their human rights commitments.