Essex Human Rights Centre

18/03/2026

Taught in cohorts of no more than 11 people, the Human Rights Leadership Lab is a supportive and reflective learning space to develop your leadership presence, skills and impact.

The course will address the following themes:
 Values-Based Leadership & Organisational Culture
 Leadership Styles & Emotional Intelligence Framework
 Coaching to Empower, Inspire & Motivate
 Open Space Leadership Lab Work
 Leading Yourself & Others Doing Human Rights Work
 Self-Leadership & Self-Care

Limited spaces are available:

The Essex Human Rights Centre presents a live online course for Human Rights Leaders. This is a practical professional development course, comprising six four-hour modules.

06/03/2026

Join the HRInAsia Conference team tomorrow for the first of three events! Not to be missed, join in person and online!

https://www.essex.ac.uk/centres-and-institutes/human-rights/events/human-rights-in-asia-conference

05/03/2026

Essex Law graduate, Kola Alapinni, who has successfully overturned a death sentence in Nigeria, has been recognised for his achievements at the Study UK - British Council Alumni Awards.

Kola won this year's Social Action Award in Nigeria for his significant contributions, which have seen him also save countless lives through his advocacy work.

05/03/2026

Yesterday, colleagues from Essex Law School and Essex Human Rights Centre, Jessica Lawrence, Anil Yilmaz and Geoff Gilbert visited UNHCR headquarters in Geneva to take part in discussions on business, finance and forced displacement.

This visit highlights Essex Law School’s ongoing commitment to human rights, international law and real-world impact.

05/03/2026

Do you want to strengthen your leadership for Human Rights impact?

Comprising of six four-hour modules and delivered in an online interactive format in April/May 2026, the Human Rights Leadership Lab is the ideal professional development course.

What you’ll gain:
 Individual and organisational strategies for leading in complex human rights environments
 Practical tools to further develop your leadership style
 Enhanced emotional intelligence through greater self-awareness and self-reflection
 Confidence to empower, motivate and support staff using a coaching approach

Apply now:

The Essex Human Rights Centre presents a live online course for Human Rights Leaders. This is a practical professional development course, comprising six four-hour modules.

01/03/2026

Applications are now open! Join the Essex Human Rights Online Summer School from Monday 22 June to Friday 3 July 2026.

This live online programme (delivered via Zoom) covers a wide range of topics linked to human rights research and professional practice — including research methods, advocacy and campaigning strategies, and professional development. Sessions run Monday to Friday, 1pm to 4.30pm BST.

Find out more and apply here: https://www.essex.ac.uk/short-courses/human-rights-summer-school

26/02/2026

Do you want to become a human rights practitioner? 🌍⚖️
At the Essex Human Rights Centre, human rights aren’t just studied – they’re practised.

Our MA and LLM programmes place experiential learning and clinical work at the heart of your studies. You’ll gain hands‑on experience through real‑world projects that prepare you for a career in human rights practice.

As a student, you can take part in Human Rights Centre Clinic module‑based projects, or join specialist initiatives such as:
🔹 Arbitrary Detention Redress Unit (ADRU)
🔹 Business and Human Rights Unit (BHRU)
🔹 Digital Verification Unit (DVU)

Find out more and apply 👉
🔗 https://www.essex.ac.uk/centres-and-institutes/human-rights/our-courses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6c3FCboA_8

Dr Sabina Garahan shares key moments from the June 2025 Human Rights Centre Clinic Conference, where students, alumni, and staff came together to reflect on ...

06/02/2026

We’re hosting an important event on Thursday 12 March, 13.00–14.30, bringing together experts to discuss UN CESCR norm setting and country monitoring.

Hear from Joo‑Young Lee and Julieta Rossi, both members of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as they unpack:
✔ The role of civil society in UN human rights accountability
✔ How people with lived experience of poverty can be heard in global monitoring processes
✔ The future of the UN’s human rights work during challenging political and financial times

Join us on campus or online via Zoom.
All are welcome!

👉 Full details and sign‑up:

UN CESCR, norm setting and country monitoring: General Comment No. 27 and the UK review.

29/01/2026

We are glad to share two great new blog posts from the Essex Human Rights Centre

Legislating Emotion: The Crime and Policing Bill and the Right to Offend by Dr Rachel Bosler
https://hrcessex.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/legislating-emotion-the-crime-and-policing-bill-and-the-right-to-offend/

and

Local Human Rights Reporting and Review in Mongolia by Bolorsaikhan Badamsambuu https://hrcessex.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/local-human-rights-reporting-and-review-in-mongolia/

Please get in touch with us if you'd like to write for us! More details here: https://hrcessex.wordpress.com/about/

Essex Human Rights Centre The Human Rights Centre based at the University of Essex boasts a global reputation for excellence in the promotion of world-leading interdisciplinary human rights educati…

26/01/2026

Human Rights Leadership Lab
21, 22, 28 April and 5, 12, 19 May 2026
Early Bird Discount ending soon!

Led by Liz Griffin, Leadership Coach and Essex Human Rights Centre Fellow, this professional development course explores leadership through a human rights–centred lens, focusing on both organisational impact and personal sustainability.

Find out more and apply now: https://www.essex.ac.uk/short-courses/human-rights-leadership-lab

Don’t miss out on the early bird discount - book before 31 January 2026!

The Essex Human Rights Centre presents a live online course for Human Rights Leaders. This is a practical professional development course, comprising six four-hour modules.

23/01/2026

The Essex Human Rights Centre and Essex Law School are running the successful short course Law and Technology: Human Rights in the Digital Age for the second year.

Digital technology is a dynamic field which is a rapidly changing, and is increasingly prevalent in our lives. Its impact and regulation are critical issues for scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and students.
Led by Dr Giulia Gentile, Professor Audrey Guinchard, and Dr Matthew Gillett, the Law and Technology: ‘Human Rights in the Digital Age’ short course takes place in an online, live interactive format. The course will address new opportunities and challenges in relation to Digital Technology, AI, Law and Society. It will look at current and emerging challenges in digital regulation (social media platforms, AI regulation, data regulation) and will include the following topics:

🔹 Concepts: digital technology, AI, and human rights
🔹 Legal framework: human rights and digital technology (including the public/private dichotomy and fundamental rights)
🔹 AI, technology and online safety and freedom of expression
🔹 AI, technology and privacy
🔹 AI, technology and criminal justice rights
🔹 AI, technology and non-discrimination
🔹 AI, technology and the environment
🔹 AI, technology and the gig economy and labour rights
🔹 AI, technology and democratic participation

Please view our webpage for more information https://www.essex.ac.uk/short-courses/law-and-technology

Payments are available via our university webshop or by using your Proficio funds. Early Bird discount closes 14 February 2026.

22/01/2026

Come join us!! "Io Capitano" online event, 29 January 2026, 16-18 CET (15-17 UK; 10-12 EST). We will be featuring screenings from the film and have a great panel of experts to help us engage with the issues. More info here on the event and how to register: https://www.essex.ac.uk/events/2026/01/29/me-captain

To access the film:
▶️ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Io-Capitano-Matteo-Garrone/dp/B0D2K###XS
▶️ https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/io-capitano/umc.cmc.1ncniht0covjqjd8yva4lhptz?action=play
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkytK2yEw0w

This is the 2nd event of the series: Human Rights Through Art, an independent initiative we are supporting with Cinephia. More info on the series here https://www.essex.ac.uk/centres-and-institutes/human-rights/events/human-rights-through-art