"Despite the apparent universal existence of the friendly settlement procedure it has not been extensively used in the African regional system. Against this background, this study is a comparative analysis of the provisions and application of the friendly settlement procedure in the African, Inter-American and European regional systems. The study further examines in detail the practice and jurisprudence of the three regional systems on a comparative basis. The comparative analysis is relevant for the following reasons. Both Africa and South America share common historical backgrounds in terms of socio-economic development and the nature of human rights violations. Europe has the oldest human rights system and if experience is anything to go by, then there might be lessons to be learnt by the younger counterparts. The establishment of the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights (African Court) to complement the protection mandate of the African Commission on Human and Poeoples' Rights (The African Commission) further justifies the comparative analysis as the other regional systems also have regional human rights courts. ... Chapter 1 is an introduction of the study on the effectiveness and propriety of friendly settlements. The ensuing chapter traces the foundations and sets up the conceptual and theoretical framework of friendly settlements. Having established the existence of the procedure, chapter 3 examines the institutional and legal provisions of friendly settlements in international and regional human rights instruments on a factual level. The detailed and critical analysis of the frienldy settlement procedure is presented in chapter 4. The author makes use of the jurisprudence of the three regional human rights bodies and examines how the procedure has been applied in practice. The practice of the three regional bodies is analysed on a comparative basis to assess the effectiveness of the procedure. The last chapter makes conclusions and gives recommendations regarding the application of the friendly settlement procedure as an alternative method of dispute resolution." -- Introduction. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2006. / Prepared under the supervision of Dr. Henry Ojambo, Faculty of Law, University of Makerere, Uganda / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

No contexto crescente de migrações forçadas e a consequência de refugiados e deslocados internos, evidencia-se o descumprimento dos Estados das obrigações internacionais e se mostra necessário a busca de meios para se efetivar uma proteção e prevenção eficazes. Baseado na complementaridade entre as vertentes de proteção da pessoa humana em sua função operacional, os órgãos de supervisão de direitos humanos se mostram como uma saída para a situação de descaso dos Estados para com as questões migratórias. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo verificar o modo pela qual o Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos atua nas questões migratórias dos Estados membros da OEA por meio de seus órgãos de supervisão e se há alguma complementaridade possível do Sistema Interamericano para com o tratamento relativo aos refugiados e deslocados internos nos Estados. Primeiramente realiza-se um estudo das duas dimensões que caracterizam o resultado da migração forçada, o refugiado e o deslocado interno, as legislações internacionais e regionais pertinentes e os respectivos deveres dos Estados. No segundo momento, o Sistema Interamericano é estudado, juntamente com as suas possibilidades de interferência nas questões de migração forçada através da atuação da Comissão e da Corte Interamericana. / In the context of increasing consequence of forced migration and refugees and IDPs, there is evidence of noncompliance with the State’s international obligations and to seek ways proves necessary to effect an effective protection and prevention. Based on complementarity between the strands of protection of the human person in its operational role, the supervisory bodies of human rights appear as an exit to the situation of neglect of States on migration issues. This study aims to determine the way in which the Inter-American Human Rights System operates in migration issues of OAS member states through their supervisory bodies and if there is any possible complementarity of the Inter- American relating to treatment with refugees and IDPs in the States. First carried out a study of the two dimensions that characterize the result of forced migration, refugee and internally displaced person, relevant international and regional laws and the respective duties of states. In the second phase, the inter-American system is studied, along with their possibilities of interference in issues of forced migration through the action of the Commission and the Court.

No contexto crescente de migrações forçadas e a consequência de refugiados e deslocados internos, evidencia-se o descumprimento dos Estados das obrigações internacionais e se mostra necessário a busca de meios para se efetivar uma proteção e prevenção eficazes. Baseado na complementaridade entre as vertentes de proteção da pessoa humana em sua função operacional, os órgãos de supervisão de direitos humanos se mostram como uma saída para a situação de descaso dos Estados para com as questões migratórias. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo verificar o modo pela qual o Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos atua nas questões migratórias dos Estados membros da OEA por meio de seus órgãos de supervisão e se há alguma complementaridade possível do Sistema Interamericano para com o tratamento relativo aos refugiados e deslocados internos nos Estados. Primeiramente realiza-se um estudo das duas dimensões que caracterizam o resultado da migração forçada, o refugiado e o deslocado interno, as legislações internacionais e regionais pertinentes e os respectivos deveres dos Estados. No segundo momento, o Sistema Interamericano é estudado, juntamente com as suas possibilidades de interferência nas questões de migração forçada através da atuação da Comissão e da Corte Interamericana. / In the context of increasing consequence of forced migration and refugees and IDPs, there is evidence of noncompliance with the State’s international obligations and to seek ways proves necessary to effect an effective protection and prevention. Based on complementarity between the strands of protection of the human person in its operational role, the supervisory bodies of human rights appear as an exit to the situation of neglect of States on migration issues. This study aims to determine the way in which the Inter-American Human Rights System operates in migration issues of OAS member states through their supervisory bodies and if there is any possible complementarity of the Inter- American relating to treatment with refugees and IDPs in the States. First carried out a study of the two dimensions that characterize the result of forced migration, refugee and internally displaced person, relevant international and regional laws and the respective duties of states. In the second phase, the inter-American system is studied, along with their possibilities of interference in issues of forced migration through the action of the Commission and the Court.

No contexto crescente de migrações forçadas e a consequência de refugiados e deslocados internos, evidencia-se o descumprimento dos Estados das obrigações internacionais e se mostra necessário a busca de meios para se efetivar uma proteção e prevenção eficazes. Baseado na complementaridade entre as vertentes de proteção da pessoa humana em sua função operacional, os órgãos de supervisão de direitos humanos se mostram como uma saída para a situação de descaso dos Estados para com as questões migratórias. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo verificar o modo pela qual o Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos atua nas questões migratórias dos Estados membros da OEA por meio de seus órgãos de supervisão e se há alguma complementaridade possível do Sistema Interamericano para com o tratamento relativo aos refugiados e deslocados internos nos Estados. Primeiramente realiza-se um estudo das duas dimensões que caracterizam o resultado da migração forçada, o refugiado e o deslocado interno, as legislações internacionais e regionais pertinentes e os respectivos deveres dos Estados. No segundo momento, o Sistema Interamericano é estudado, juntamente com as suas possibilidades de interferência nas questões de migração forçada através da atuação da Comissão e da Corte Interamericana. / In the context of increasing consequence of forced migration and refugees and IDPs, there is evidence of noncompliance with the State’s international obligations and to seek ways proves necessary to effect an effective protection and prevention. Based on complementarity between the strands of protection of the human person in its operational role, the supervisory bodies of human rights appear as an exit to the situation of neglect of States on migration issues. This study aims to determine the way in which the Inter-American Human Rights System operates in migration issues of OAS member states through their supervisory bodies and if there is any possible complementarity of the Inter- American relating to treatment with refugees and IDPs in the States. First carried out a study of the two dimensions that characterize the result of forced migration, refugee and internally displaced person, relevant international and regional laws and the respective duties of states. In the second phase, the inter-American system is studied, along with their possibilities of interference in issues of forced migration through the action of the Commission and the Court.

The realization, promotion and protection of human rights are processes that have received both negative and positive reactions globally. The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly paved the way for the creation of similar instruments nationally, sub-regionally and regionally. These instruments are specific to issues of human rights in the particular states, sub-regions and regions in which they are adopted. Africa, Europe and America have established regional systems and adopted instruments as well as mechanisms to cater for the needs of their specific regions. Unlike general human rights, women‟s rights were not a priority and so their development began as recently as the 1980s. In Africa, the progress of the rights of women was majorly influenced by the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against women, an international instrument adopted in 1979/81. Followed by its Protocol, this instrument specifically addressed the rights of women globally. Consequently, instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Protocol on the Rights of Women, the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and other mechanisms which include Commissions and Courts were established to address the rights of women in Africa. This study highlights the composition or make up of the African human rights system and its access to women. The central problem in this study is the question “Why women have not been able to access the system despite the prevalent cases of violation of their rights”. This question is emphasized by the fact that so far, no women have take any cases alleging violation of their rights to the African Commission of Human and Peoples‟ Rights. The study also critically analyses the obstacles and challenges that hinder women from accessing the system and discusses how these factors eventually limit the prevalence of women‟s rights. The study concludes by suggesting possible remedies and reforms both legal and beyond that can be enforced to boost the African human rights system to ensure that women freely enjoy and exercise the rights to which they are entitled. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Public Law / unrestricted

Some worry has been expressed in human rights circles that the human rights archetype has for some time now, disproportionately preoccupied itself with the culture of rights and claims at the expense of individuals? duties and responsibilities. A claim is made that while rights are individualistic, self-seeking, unworldly, self-indulgent and anti-social, individual duties and responsibilities are collective, social, humane, nuanced and associated with correct traditional and social behaviour and human values. The language of rights has dominated the texts of bills of rights in constitutions, and international instruments, and many view this rhetoric as unproblematic. Others, however, consider the currency of that language as overlooking, with dire consequences to human society, the concept of duty as the missing link of human dignity. There have, accordingly, been calls for a renewed focus on individual duties and responsibilities in the human rights discourse. The question is whether focussing on individual responsibility is necessary to counterbalance what is viewed by some as a bias towards rights. Efforts to raise international consciousness of what is regarded as the limitation of a purely rights-based approach to human rights has been spearheaded by, among others, faith based organisations. These have advocated not only a more visible recognition of individual duties and responsibilities generally, but an international declaration of human responsibilities as a ?common standard for all people and all nations.? The calls being made are premised on, first, a view that a device in the form of an international declaration ? a set of international rules ? should be developed to change the current human rights architecture. This code of ethical obligations is necessary to guide and change individual behaviour. Second, a belief that greater emphasis should be laid on individual duty responsibility to supplement existing international human rights norms and standards, and finally, that human rights principles alone are inadequate for modern societies to regulate themselves well. With particular reference to perspectives from the African Charter based human rights system, this project interrogates these concerns regarding duties with a view to ascertaining whether there is justification in them. Using as a reference point the concept of duties in the African Charter and to a small extent that in the African Children's Charter, which represents the older ii and more established part of the African human rights system, the project concludes that although individuals? duties are important and deserve greater attention, there is no convincing case for the calls that are being made in this regard. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Centre for Human Rights / LLD / Unrestricted

For over a century, corporations engaged in the extractive industries in Africa have operated without ethical rules. They have been notoriously fingered for rampant environmental, labour, health and human rights violations, including land despoliation, forced displacement, environmental pollution, cultural infringements and, sometimes, deaths. While the responsibility for regulating companies and protecting human and peoples’ rights primarily rests with states, they have often been unable or unwilling to do so effectively. Amidst these persisting challenges, the phenomenal rise of transnational corporations in the global economy have rendered more complex the gaps in global governance by presenting new challenges that make territorial regulation by single countries impracticable. While victims groan, contestations about the human rights obligations of corporations have allowed extractive and other companies to fly below the radar of accountability; thereby, enabling extractive businesses to ride roughshod over communities and the environment. After several United Nations-led initiatives to address the adverse impacts of corporations, they have proven insufficient to hold companies accountable for violations in the extractive sector. This thesis, therefore, is a dispassionate attempt to explore the role of the African regional human rights system as an important complementary level of normative and institutional governance for regulating abusive corporate conduct and advancing human rights accountability in the extractive industries. It adopts an African approach to corporate human rights accountability in critically evaluating the contours of the corporate accountability discourse. It problematises the near-total reliance on inadequate domestic action in host states for regulating powerful corporate conglomerates in this age of globalisation and highlights the limits of extraterritorial regulation by home states in addressing transborder abuses. After a careful assessment, it finds that African human rights norms and regional mechanisms can play a key part in regulating abusive corporate practices and protecting the human rights and environmental wellbeing of resource-rich communities affected by the extractive industries in Africa. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2021. / German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - DAAD) / Centre for Human Rights / LLD / Unrestricted

O objetivo primordial deste trabalho é fazer uma apresentação do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos (SIDH) aos operadores jurídicos do Brasil, em especial aos juízes brasileiros. Para isso, noticia-se a mudança de rumo mundial a partir de 1948, com uma nova concepção dos direitos humanos. A soberania do Estado se relativiza. A ONU é criada, conformando o Sistema Global de Proteção aos Direitos Humanos e na sua esteira, os sistemas regionais são instituídos. De maneira pontual, o Sistema Regional Europeu, o Sistema Regional Africano e a incipiência do Árabe e do Asiático são referidos e contextualizados. Nesse ponto da pesquisa, debruça-se sobre o Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos, sistema regional das Américas, fazendo alusão ao seu surgimento, órgãos e instrumentos normativos. Dentre os órgãos, situa-se a Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos como intérprete final dos vários instrumentos normativos do sistema. O mais importante deles é a Convenção Americana de Direitos Humanos (CADH). Denominada também de Pacto de San José da Costa Rica, esta convenção cria um sistema próprio e eficiente de responsabilização estatal a violadores de seus preceitos. Nos termos da CADH, a porta de entrada das denúncias perante o SIDH é a Comissão Interamericana de Direitos Humanos, cujas atribuições são também estudadas. Com o desejo de dotar o leitor de um conhecimento aprofundado acerca da garantia do juiz independente, imparcial e préconstituído, o segundo capítulo do trabalho adentra na jurisprudência da Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos. São relatados vários casos contenciosos e uma opinião consultiva, buscando dotar o leitor de uma precisa noção do entendimento do tribunal interamericano sobre tais garantias. No terceiro capítulo, a partir dos conceitos no Brasil de juiz independente, imparcial e pré-constituído, faz-se um paralelo com a jurisprudência da Corte, demonstrando-se o imperativo de que o juiz brasileiro tenha ciência da jurisprudência do SIDH para necessariamente aplicá-la sob pena de responsabilização do Estado brasileiro. Temas como a hierarquia dos tratados internacionais no Brasil, controle de convencionalidade e diálogo das Corte são tratados, buscando dar uma ampla visão dos reflexos do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos no direito brasileiro. / Tem main objective of this work is to present the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS) to the legal professionals in Brazil, in particular to Brazilian judges. To accomplish that, we review the worldwide change of perspective concerning human rights that transpired as of 1948, by means of a new conception thereof. State sovereignty is relativized. The UN is organized, the Global Human Rights Regime is formatted, and, in its wake, the regional human rights regimes are also established. One by one, the European, African, and the incipient Arab and Asian regional human rights regimes are referred to and contextualized. At this point of the research, we focus on the Inter-American Human Rights System, the regional human rights regime of the Americas, and point out its origin, organs and normative instruments. Among its organs, we highlight the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as the court of last resort for the interpretation of the several normative instruments of the system, among which we point out the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) as the most important. Also known as Pact of San José, Costa Rica, this convention establishes a unique and efficient system of state responsibility for the infringement of its precepts. Pursuant to the ACHR, complaints under the IAHRS shall be made before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, whose competences are also reviewed. In order to grant to the reader an in-depth knowledge on the guarantees of an independent, impartial, and preappointed judge, the second chapter of this work focuses on the case law of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. We set forth several litigation cases and one advisory opinion to convey to the reader a precise notion of the Inter-American Court of Human Rightss construction of such guarantees. In the third chapter, from the concepts of an independent, impartial and pre-appointed judge in Brazil, we make a comparison with the Inter-American Court of Human Rightss case law and demonstrate that it is essential that Brazilian judges be acquainted with the IAHRS case law to necessarily apply it, whereas failing to do so may subject the State of Brazil to international responsibility. Themes such as the hierarchy of international treaties in Brazil, control of conventionality, and communication among courts are also reviewed in order to provide the reader with a broad perspective of the influence of the IAHRS on the Brazilian Laws.

O objetivo primordial deste trabalho é fazer uma apresentação do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos (SIDH) aos operadores jurídicos do Brasil, em especial aos juízes brasileiros. Para isso, noticia-se a mudança de rumo mundial a partir de 1948, com uma nova concepção dos direitos humanos. A soberania do Estado se relativiza. A ONU é criada, conformando o Sistema Global de Proteção aos Direitos Humanos e na sua esteira, os sistemas regionais são instituídos. De maneira pontual, o Sistema Regional Europeu, o Sistema Regional Africano e a incipiência do Árabe e do Asiático são referidos e contextualizados. Nesse ponto da pesquisa, debruça-se sobre o Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos, sistema regional das Américas, fazendo alusão ao seu surgimento, órgãos e instrumentos normativos. Dentre os órgãos, situa-se a Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos como intérprete final dos vários instrumentos normativos do sistema. O mais importante deles é a Convenção Americana de Direitos Humanos (CADH). Denominada também de Pacto de San José da Costa Rica, esta convenção cria um sistema próprio e eficiente de responsabilização estatal a violadores de seus preceitos. Nos termos da CADH, a porta de entrada das denúncias perante o SIDH é a Comissão Interamericana de Direitos Humanos, cujas atribuições são também estudadas. Com o desejo de dotar o leitor de um conhecimento aprofundado acerca da garantia do juiz independente, imparcial e préconstituído, o segundo capítulo do trabalho adentra na jurisprudência da Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos. São relatados vários casos contenciosos e uma opinião consultiva, buscando dotar o leitor de uma precisa noção do entendimento do tribunal interamericano sobre tais garantias. No terceiro capítulo, a partir dos conceitos no Brasil de juiz independente, imparcial e pré-constituído, faz-se um paralelo com a jurisprudência da Corte, demonstrando-se o imperativo de que o juiz brasileiro tenha ciência da jurisprudência do SIDH para necessariamente aplicá-la sob pena de responsabilização do Estado brasileiro. Temas como a hierarquia dos tratados internacionais no Brasil, controle de convencionalidade e diálogo das Corte são tratados, buscando dar uma ampla visão dos reflexos do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos no direito brasileiro. / Tem main objective of this work is to present the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS) to the legal professionals in Brazil, in particular to Brazilian judges. To accomplish that, we review the worldwide change of perspective concerning human rights that transpired as of 1948, by means of a new conception thereof. State sovereignty is relativized. The UN is organized, the Global Human Rights Regime is formatted, and, in its wake, the regional human rights regimes are also established. One by one, the European, African, and the incipient Arab and Asian regional human rights regimes are referred to and contextualized. At this point of the research, we focus on the Inter-American Human Rights System, the regional human rights regime of the Americas, and point out its origin, organs and normative instruments. Among its organs, we highlight the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as the court of last resort for the interpretation of the several normative instruments of the system, among which we point out the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) as the most important. Also known as Pact of San José, Costa Rica, this convention establishes a unique and efficient system of state responsibility for the infringement of its precepts. Pursuant to the ACHR, complaints under the IAHRS shall be made before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, whose competences are also reviewed. In order to grant to the reader an in-depth knowledge on the guarantees of an independent, impartial, and preappointed judge, the second chapter of this work focuses on the case law of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. We set forth several litigation cases and one advisory opinion to convey to the reader a precise notion of the Inter-American Court of Human Rightss construction of such guarantees. In the third chapter, from the concepts of an independent, impartial and pre-appointed judge in Brazil, we make a comparison with the Inter-American Court of Human Rightss case law and demonstrate that it is essential that Brazilian judges be acquainted with the IAHRS case law to necessarily apply it, whereas failing to do so may subject the State of Brazil to international responsibility. Themes such as the hierarchy of international treaties in Brazil, control of conventionality, and communication among courts are also reviewed in order to provide the reader with a broad perspective of the influence of the IAHRS on the Brazilian Laws.

This study contributes to the debate surrounding the suitability of Regional Economic Community (REC) courts as avenues for protection of human rights in view of the economic focus of RECs. Recommends adjustments that can be made within the African Human Rights System (AHRS) to deal with the challenges associated with the development of REC courts both in the interim and in the long-term. / A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Dr. Jacqui Gallinetti, Faculty of Law, University of Western Cape. / LLM Dissertation (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa -- University of Pretoria, 2009. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM