This edited collection addresses some of the most important challenges in contemporary human rights law and practice. Its central theme is the linkage between public finance, particularly budget decisions, and the realisation (or not) of economic and social rights. While much academic and political debate on economic and social rights implementation has focused on the role of the courts, this work places the spotlight squarely on those organs of government that have the primary responsibility and the greatest capacity for giving effect to such rights: namely, the elected branches of government. The major actors considered in this book are politicians, public servants and civil society, with their role in realising economic and social rights the work's key focus. The book thus makes a crucial contribution to remedying the current imbalance in attention paid by economic and social rights scholars to the legislature and executive vis-a-vis the judiciary. Featuring pioneering work by leading experts in the field of human rights and public finance, this multidisciplinary collection will be of great interest to academics, practitioners, public servants and students working in the areas of law, human rights, economics, development and political science.

Refugee law is going through momentous times, as dictatorships tumble, revolutions simmer and the 'Arab Awakening' gives way to the spread of terror from Syria to the Sahel in Africa. This compilation of topical chapters, by some of the leading scholars in the field, covers major themes of rights, security, the UNHCR, international humanitarianism and state interests and sets out to map new contours.The concerns over our security are replacing humanitarian concerns over the plight of others. Securitization, exclusion and the internal relocation of genuine refugees are now the favored polices. Yet, while central idioms of protection, persecution and non-refoulement have changed, there are also new demands on refugee law. The contributors to this book ask whether there are new spheres of protection emerging, for which refugee law must find a clear space, such as the protection of child refugees, trafficked persons, gender-related asylum and conscientious objectors to military service. This timely and valuable book shows that in these uncertain times, refugee law still has an exciting and challenging future ahead. Contemporary Issues in Refugee Law will appeal to academics, researchers, students and practitioners. Contributors: I. Atak, F. Crepeau, C. Dauvergne, C. Harvey, S.S. Juss, S. Kneebone, P. Mathew, S. Mullally, J.M. Pobjoy, J.C. Simeon, R. Wallace

Human rights based budget analysis projects have emerged at a time when the United Nations has asserted the indivisibility of all human rights and attention is increasingly focused on the role of non-judicial bodies in promoting and protecting human rights. This book seeks to develop the human rights framework for such budget analyses, by exploring the international law obligations of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in relation to budgetary processes. The book outlines international experiences and comparative practice in relation to economic and social rights budget analysis and budgeting. The book sets out an ICESCR-based methodology for analysing budget and resource allocations and focuses on the legal obligation imposed on state parties by article 2(1) of ICESCR to progressively realise economic and social rights to 'the maximum of available resources'. Taking Northern Ireland as a key case study, the book demonstrates and promotes the use of a 'rights-based' approach in budgetary decision-making. The book will be relevant to a global audience currently considering how to engage in the budget process from a human rights perspective. It will be of interest to students and researchers of international human rights law and public law, as well as economic and social rights advocacy and lobbying groups.

Human rights based budget analysis projects have emerged at a time when the United Nations has asserted the indivisibility of all human rights and attention is increasingly focused on the role of non-judicial bodies in promoting and protecting human rights. This book seeks to develop the human rights framework for such budget analyses, by exploring the international law obligations of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in relation to budgetary processes. The book outlines international experiences and comparative practice in relation to economic and social rights budget analysis and budgeting. The book sets out an ICESCR-based methodology for analysing budget and resource allocations and focuses on the legal obligation imposed on state parties by article 2(1) of ICESCR to progressively realise economic and social rights to 'the maximum of available resources'. Taking Northern Ireland as a key case study, the book demonstrates and promotes the use of a 'rights-based' approach in budgetary decision-making. The book will be relevant to a global audience currently considering how to engage in the budget process from a human rights perspective. It will be of interest to students and researchers of international human rights law and public law, as well as economic and social rights advocacy and lobbying groups.

This collection examines the role and value of rights in divided and post-conflict societies, approaching the subject from a comparative and theoretical perspective. Societies emerging from violent conflict often opt for a bill of rights as part of a wider package of constitutional reform. Where conflict is fuelled by longstanding ethno-national divisions, these divisions are often addressed through group-differentiated rights. Recent constitutional settlements have highlighted the difficulties in drafting a bill of rights in divided/post-conflict societies, where the aim of promoting unity is frequently in tension with the need to accommodate difference. In such cases, a bill of rights might be a rallying point around which both minorities and the majority can articulate a common vision for a shared society. Conversely, a bill of rights might provide merely another venue in which to play out familiar conflicts, further dividing an already divided society. The central questions that animate the collection are: (1) Can constitutional rights provide a basis for unity and a common 'human rights culture' in divided societies? If so, how? (2) To what extent should divided societies opt for a universalistic package of rights protections, or should the rights be tailored to the specific circumstances of a divided society, providing for special group-sensitive protections for minorities? (3) Is a divided society more or less likely to adopt a bill of rights? (4) How does the judiciary figure in the management or resolution of ethno-national conflict? (5) What are the general theoretical and philosophical issues at stake in a rights-based approach to the management or resolution of ethno-national divisions or other conflicts?

There has been a considerable focus in the last few years on the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998 and its real and potential impact on judges and lawyers. Much has been written on the implications of the new legislation for a variety of areas of law. With the rising level of case-law the emphasis is now turning to the impact of the legislation on specific areas of social life. In this volume the focus is on the practice of human rights and how they are enforced in reality. There is much discussion in the literature of a 'human rights culture' but how precisely is such a culture to be created, and how do we make sense of human rights? In order to address these questions this volume is in two parts. Part I examines general issues surrounding the full and effective implementation of human rights, including their mainstreaming in legal and political life as well as the implications of constitutional change for human rights protection in the UK. Part II explores the implications of human rights standards in particular areas in order to test whether a 'human rights culture' has emerged.

Recent developments in Northern Ireland have correctly been described as historic. While the future of constitutional change is by no means certain,events merit close scrutiny. The Good Friday Agreement 1998 marked a significant departure from incrementalism and thus with the dominant logic of British constitutionalism. The Agreement is in essence a constitutional promise anchored in clear normative principles. Although several aspects of the Agreement are in operation there is no guarantee that this new form of constitutionalism will work. However, the foundations of the settlement are clear. The building blocks reflect a strong commitment to human rights, equality and democratic renewal which encompasses a multiplicity of overlapping relationships. This book examines several key aspects of this complex picture. Developments in Northern Ireland have attracted a large measure of international interest. Reflecting this the contributors demonstrate the links to current controversies in constitutional and human rights law scholarship. At a time when there is much consideration of constitutional change in the UK and beyond, the intention is to offer a collection that both describes the changing legal and political landscape in Northern Ireland and one which provides a significant contribution to current debates on constitutionalism.