HU200-5-FY-CO:
Human Rights, Regional Systems & Global Challenges
2025/26
Human Rights Centre (Essex Law School)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 26 June 2026
30
28 April 2025
Requisites for this module
HU100
(none)
(none)
SC233
HU300
BA V1L2 History with Human Rights,
BA V1L8 History with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V1LF History with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA V1LG History with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA T7M8 Latin American studies with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA T7M9 Latin American Studies with Human Rights,
BA V5M8 Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V5M9 Philosophy with Human Rights,
BA V5MX Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA V6M9 Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA VLM8 Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA L219 Politics with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA L2M9 Politics with Human Rights,
BA LFM9 Politics with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA L3J9 Sociology with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA L3M9 Sociology with Human Rights,
BA LMJ9 Sociology with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
LLB MM20 Law with Human Rights,
LLB MM20WS Law with Human Rights,
LLB MM21 Law with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
LLB MM22 Law with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
LLB MM30 Law with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA P570 Journalism with Human Rights,
BA P571 Journalism with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA P572 Journalism with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA LL37 Social Anthropology with Human Rights,
BA LL38 Social Anthropology with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA LL39 Social Anthropology with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA L914 Global Studies with Human Rights,
BA L916 Global Studies with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA L917 Global Studies with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA L918 Global Studies with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA V301 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights,
BA V302 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V303 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA V304 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Year Abroad)
The module provides a comprehensive analysis of a selection of the most important domestic, regional and universal human rights agreements, as well as the bodies and organisations entrusted with the legal obligation to uphold and enforce those international human rights standards and protections. Human rights are analysed from a multidisciplinary perspective.
The aims of this module are:
- To develop deeper knowledge of core human rights.
- To foster a broader understanding of human rights in context, including their historical and social influences.
- To cultivate a nuanced understanding of the different ways to achieve justice after human rights violations.
- To develop understanding of regional human rights systems.
By the end of the module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Understand human rights and social justice issues by reference to their social, political, and historical contexts.
- Understand and critically evaluate attempts to achieve justice after human rights violations.
- Understand and critically evaluate the key United Nations bodies involved in setting, implementing and enforcing states’ human rights obligations.
- Understand and critically examine the structure and role of regional human rights systems.
- Understand and critically examine the primary institutions and mechanisms designed to ensure compliance with human rights standards at the domestic level and their relationship to regional and international bodies.
- Be able to apply skills and knowledge to analyse the role of human rights in society.
The module examines universal, regional and domestic mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights, analysing rights across the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies, the United Nations Charter System: The Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the major regional human rights systems.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecture/seminar per week.
-
'Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations' (no date). Available at:
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights.
-
Basak Çali (2022) 'Regional Protection', in. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198860112.003.0020.
-
Greer, S. and Graham, L. (2022) 'Europe', in
International Human Rights Law. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198860112.003.0022.
-
Rainey, B., McCormick, P. and Ovey, C. (2021a) 'Interpreting the Convention', in
Jacobs, White, and Ovey: The European Convention on Human Rights. Eighth. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198847137.001.0001.
-
Rainey, B., McCormick, P. and Ovey, C. (2021d) 'Protecting Family Life', in
Jacobs, White, and Ovey: The European Convention on Human Rights. Eighth. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198847137.001.0001.
-
Rainey, B., McCormick, P. and Ovey, C. (2021b) 'Limitations Common to Articles 8 to 11', in
Jacobs, White, and Ovey: The European Convention on Human Rights. Eighth. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198847137.001.0001.
-
Rainey, B., McCormick, P. and Ovey, C. (2021c) 'Prohibition of Ill-Treatment', in
Jacobs, White, and Ovey: The European Convention on Human Rights. Eighth. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198847137.001.0001.
-
-
-
Heri, C. (2022) 'Climate Change before the European Court of Human Rights: Capturing Risk, Ill-Treatment and Vulnerability',
European Journal of International Law, 33(3), pp. 925–951. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chac047.
-
Human Rights in Middle East and North Africa | Amnesty International (no date). Amnesty International. Available at:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/.
-
Kuran, T. (2023) 'The Modern Middle East's Authoritarian Face', in
Freedoms Delayed. Cambridge University Press, pp. 1–44. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009320009.002.
-
Shikova, N. (2023)
Self-Determination and Secession. 1st ed. 2023. Cham: Springer International Publishing AG. Available at:
https://link-springer-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/book/10.1007/978-3-031-34322-3.
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Heyns, C. and Killander, M. (2022) 'Africa', in D. Moeckli, S. Shah, and S. Sivakumaran (eds)
International Human Rights Law. Fourth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198860112.003.0023.
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Kioko, B. (2020) 'Perspective from the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights',
Journal of Human Rights Practice, 12(1), pp. 163–170. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa015.
-
Waschefort, G. (2023) 'The subject-matter jurisdiction and interpretive competence of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in relation to international humanitarian law',
African Human Rights Law Journal, 22(2), pp. 1–37. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1996-2096/2020/v20n1a2.
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Advisory Opinion No.002/2013 On the Standing of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Requested by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (no date).
-
General Assembly Resolution 48/134 (1993)
Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles). Office of the High Commissioner. Available at:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/principles-relating-status-national-institutions-paris.
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Byrnes, A. and Renshaw, C. (2022) 'Within the State', in
International Human Rights Law. Oxford University Press, pp. 482–502. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198860112.003.0024.
-
Murray, R. and De Vos, C. (2020) 'Behind the State: Domestic Mechanisms and Procedures for the Implementation of Human Rights Judgments and Decisions',
Journal of Human Rights Practice, 12(1), pp. 22–47. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa004.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Autumn Essay (HU200 Human Rights and Social Justice) |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
Spring Essay (HU200 Human Rights and Social Justice) |
|
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Patricia Palacios Zuloaga, email: p.palacioszuloaga@essex.ac.uk.
Various academics
Law Eductaion Administraton Team - lawschoolug@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 42 hours, 42 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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