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Friday, 21 October 2011

The Hon. Michael Kirby will present a special pre-CHOGM lecture on the Human Rights challenges facing the Commonwealth, hosted by the Faculty of Law at The University of Western Australia in partnership with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.

At the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago, Commonwealth leaders were faced with strong criticism about the organisation.

Faced with this, the Commonwealth Heads of Governments formed the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group to examine the options for reform with the aim of making the Commonwealth's institutions stronger and more effective.

As the Commonwealth Heads of Governments deliberate the Eminent Persons' findings, The Hon. Michael Kirby, a member of the Eminent Persons Group, will share his insights into a number of issues, including the Charter of Commonwealth Values, the proposed Commissioner on Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights, and changes to the rules governing the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group tasked with overseeing the Harare Declaration.

The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG served as a High Court judge for thirteen years and has twice been Acting Chief Justice of Australia.  He has been active on various international bodies and has served as President of the International Commission of Jurists, Geneva (1995-8); as a member of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Judicial Reference Group (2007-), and as a member of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights (2004-).  In 2010, Michael Kirby was awarded the Gruber Justice Prize.

The lecture is free and open to the public, no RSVP required.

WHAT: 2011 Ian Constable Lecture

WHEN: 6.00pm -7.30pm Thursday 27 October

WHERE: Law Lecture Theatre, Law Building, The University of Western Australia

PARKING: Car Park 3, Hackett Drive, Entrance 1

Media references

Winthrop Professor Stuart Kaye (+61 8)  6488 2948  /  (+61 4) 20 920 994
(Dean Faculty of Law)
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783

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