Researching and Championing Social Rights in Britain: From International Law to Everyday Life

Access to an adequate housing, education, health, food, social security and an adequate standard of living are globally recognised as human rights. The UK has ratified a number of international treaties that say so, the most important of which is the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, by and large these rights have not been incorporated into national laws and policies. What are the pitfalls to enforce economic and social rights effectively? What are the opportunities to bring them home? The speaker will present his experience and analysis of the UK mission of the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights in November 2018. The speaker accompanied the UN Special Rapporteur and his team in London and Newcastle.

 

Dr Koldo Casla is a Research Associate at the Institute of Health & Society of Newcastle University. He holds a PhD in European and International Studies from King’s College London (2017), a Fulbright MA in International Studies from the University of Denver (2011), a MA in Theory and Practice of Human Rights from the University of Essex (2009), and a Law Degree from the University of the Basque Country (2008). Between 2011 and 2013, Koldo was the Chief of Staff of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Basque Country (“Ararteko”). He has worked as a researcher for Amnesty International on the rights to health, education and housing in Spain. Koldo is also the Policy Director of Just Fair, an organisation that monitors and campaigns for economic and social rights in the UK. He tweets here.