This book aims to prospectively conjecture about what the coming decades may hold for human rights. The authors in this volume discern where current trends are likely to lead and try to make sense of the future they herald. Human rights – as a legal, political, and social practice – have experienced significant achievements and successes, some notable setbacks and failures, and numerous unprecedented and unforeseen events and developments. Sceptics even claim that the idea of human rights has failed to deliver on its radical promise of emancipation. The chapters in this volume deal with ways to reimagine the existing human rights framework, the future of the African human rights system, the place of human rights in economic policy-making, reparations for chattel slavery, and the right to free education for all children. The thematic and disciplinary breadth of contributions makes this book a resource for scholars, practitioners, and students alike. In analysing and critically discussing matters of climate change, right to a healthy environment, preventing disasters and building resilience, and resource management it provides timely and important contributions. However, the book does not limit itself to discussing current-day challenges, it also covers issues concerning the regulation of artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision-making, as well as potential paths in the future relationship between the African and the European Human Rights Court. Reflections on the Future of Human Rights will be beneficial to students, scholars, and researchers interested in international law, human rights, and politics. Overall, the book is suitable for anyone interested in human rights and their evolution in theory and practice. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Nordic Journal of Human Rights.

With authoritarian states and global culture wars threatening human rights, this volume weighs hopes the for effective human rights advocacy.

This insightful book offers a critical reflection on the sustainability and effectiveness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its legacy over the last 70 years. Exploring the problems surrounding universality, proliferation and costs, it asks the provocative question, can we still afford human rights?

Every state in the world has undertaken human rights obligations on the basis of UN treaties. Today's challenge is to enhance the effectiveness of procedures and institutions established to promote the accountability of governments. The six treaty bodies that monitor and evaluate state policies and practices play a vital role, but the whole system has been stretched almost to breaking point. It is under-funded, many governments fail to report or do so very late or superficially, there is a growing backlog of individual complaints, broad reservations have been lodged by many states, and the expertise of committee members has been questioned. This volume contains detailed analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the system, written by leading participants in the work of the treaty bodies. Their recommendations provide a blueprint for far-reaching reform of a system of major importance for the future of international efforts to protect human rights.

We already observe the positive effects of AI in almost every field, and foresee its potential to help address our sustainable development goals and the urgent challenges for the preservation of the environment. We also perceive that the risks related to the safety, security, confidentiality, and fairness of AI systems, the threats to free will of possibly manipulative systems, as well as the impact of AI on the economy, employment, human rights, equality, diversity, inclusion, and social cohesion need to be better assessed. The development and use of AI must be guided by principles of social cohesion, environmental sustainability, resource sharing, and inclusion. It has to integrate human rights, and social, cultural, and ethical values of democracy. It requires continued education and training as well as continual assessment of its effects through social deliberation. The “Reflections on AI for Humanity” proposed in this book develop the following issues and sketch approaches for addressing them: How can we ensure the security requirements of critical applications and the safety and confidentiality of data communication and processing? What techniques and regulations for the validation, certification, and audit of AI tools are needed to develop confidence in AI? How can we identify and overcome biases in algorithms? How do we design systems that respect essential human values, ensuring moral equality and inclusion? What kinds of governance mechanisms are needed for personal data, metadata, and aggregated data at various levels? What are the effects of AI and automation on the transformation and social division of labor? What are the impacts on economic structures? What proactive and accommodation measures will be required? How will people benefit from decision support systems and personal digital assistants without the risk of manipulation? How do we design transparent and intelligible procedures and ensure that their functions reflect our values and criteria? How can we anticipate failure and restore human control over an AI system when it operates outside its intended scope? How can we devote a substantial part of our research and development resources to the major challenges of our time such as climate, environment, health, and education?

Beth Simmons demonstrates through a combination of statistical analysis and case studies that the ratification of treaties generally leads to better human rights practices. She argues that international human rights law should get more practical and rhetorical support from the international community as a supplement to broader efforts to address conflict, development, and democratization.

The Right to Development (RTD) is a new and highly contested right. Its emergence is linked to the demand for a `new international economic order’ by developing countries. Composite in nature and integrating civil and political rights with economic, social and cultural rights, the RTD approach underscores participation, a fair sharing of benefits, transparency and non-discrimination. The present volume explores the theoretical and practical aspects of RTD as an alternative to existing approaches to development. It brings together the reflections and insights of some of the finest scholars on the specific aspects of RTD.