Just Fair organised a conference on the topic of ‘Fairness, Justice and Human Rights: Realising Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the UK’ at the Law Society of England and Wales on the 21st and 22nd of October 2011. The conference was organised by Just Fair in partnership with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Law Society of England and Wales and the Human Rights Centre (University of Essex).

Please find all conference materials, including photos, ‘podcasts’, interviews, session plans, power points and papers, in our ‘Information Hub’ under conference materials: http://just-fair.co.uk/hub/fairness_justice_and_human_rights_conference_materials_2011

The conference enabled approximately more than 250 judges, scholars, policy makers, legal practitioners and community representatives to exchange views and consider the problems and prospects for the effective enjoyment of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESC Rights) in the UK.

Key speakers included:

• Andy Slaughter MP (Labour MP and Shadow Justice Minister)
• Justice Albie Sachs (former Justice of the South African Constitutional Court)
• Lady Justice Arden (Lady Justice of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales)
• Professor Geraldine Van Bueren (Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission)
• Kate Green MP (Labour MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty , member of the Work and Pensions Committee)
• Anne McGuire MP (Labour MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Disability Group)
• Age UK, Amnesty International, British Institute of Human Rights, Child Poverty Action Group, Freedom from Torture, Save the Children, UNICEF UK, Crisis, the Refugee Council, Women’s Budget Group and the Poverty Truth Commission
• Justice Juan Carlos Henao Pérez (President, Constitutional Court of Columbia)
• Professor Paul Hunt (Essex Human Rights Centre and former independent expert on the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
• Professor Francesca Klug OBE (Director, Human Rights Futures Project, LSE)
• Baroness Walmsley (Patron, CRAE, co-Chair Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Policy Committee on - Education, Families and Young People and sponsor of the 2009 ROCK Children’s Rights Bill)
• Professor Emeritus Richard Wilkinson (Director, Equality Trust and author ‘The Spirit Level’)
• Baroness Ruth Lister (Professor Emeritus of Social Policy, Loughborough University)

The conference took place over 2 days:

Day one, on 21 October 2011, was a mix of plenary and breakout sessions. The plenaries included discussions on the effect that budget cuts will have and whether ESC rights can be protected by a bill of rights. This day featured keynote speakers such as Professor Francesca Klug OBE, exploring Human Rights and examining whether Civil, Political and ESC rights are indivisible, inalienable and universal. There were also interactive plenary sessions including discussions surrounding budget cuts and the rigthts to adequate housing, healthcare, education and employment. This day ended with an evening drinks reception.

Day two, on 22 October 2011, had more focus on practical working sessions on strategies to protect vulnerable rights and groups. The day included keynotes from Justice Albie Sachs (South Africa) and Chief Justice Henao (Colombia) exploring ESC Rights and a plenary session observing the experiences of ESC rights in other countries.

Both days heralded several workshops covering topics such as ESC Rights Strategies and Vulnerable Rights.