The 2013 Zimbabwean Constitution offers great promises to both citizens and foreign nationals who live within the country's territorial borders. These promises range from an almost exhaustive list of enforceable fundamental rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, to the creation of a number of independent and state institutions supporting democracy (i.e. the Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission and the Anti-corruption Commission). However, amid these promises lie challenges. The people's enjoyment of the promises of the Declaration of Rights will mainly depend on multiple factors, including the presence of a vibrant civil society, empowered citizenry and an accountable government that is politically willing to translate the promises into reality. In this panel, Zimbabwean academics and professionals, with a moderator from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, will discuss the promises, challenges and opportunities in this regard.

Centrum för Sociala Rättigheter (The Center for Social Rights) will host a lecture that will build on the organizations experiences of working with the law as a tool to support vulnerable groups in society and their claim for their rights.

Children with disabilities, like all children, have the right to participate in society and express their views. Yet their views are often ignored or overlooked. How can we provide the spaces for children with disabilities to truly take part in the decision making processes that affect their lives?
The seminar will be interpreted to sign language.

Women are exposed to various forms of violence during conflict and transitions. Apart from murder, torture and rape, gender violence and internal displacement increase for instance. In Burma and Colombia women's redress is caught between conflict and transition. How can women's rights be ensured?

The global number of displaced persons are currently historically high. The capacity to provide refugee protection in conformity with international human rights standards is being tested not just in Sweden and Europe, but even more so in countries in the region of origin, which continue to host the vast majority of the world’s refugees. At the same time, many developed countries are ducking their responsibilities. Draconian immigration policies are put in place and borders re-erected both within and around Europe. Based on current research conducted at Lund University and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute this panel discusses what could and should be done to improve refugee protection, locally, nationally, regionally and globally.

The right to adequate food is a human right. Still, more than 800 million people suffer from hunger, while half a billion suffer from obesity. Is the global food system of today consistent with human rights? What are the alternatives? It´s time to listen to the peasants!

Professor Cynthia Enloe, American professor of Political Science at Clark University, has done research about militarism from a feminist perspective for about 50 years. Why is such a perspective important and which measures are important to take in order to break militaristic structures?

The right to food, health care, housing and education are examples of human rights that states are obliged to protect, respect and fulfill. But what do these rights entail and why are economic, social and cultural rights still often treated as non justiciable, how does the lack of complaint mechanisms impact the possibility to fulfill them? What does the legal framework look like and what can you do if you are being denied your rights?

During 2016 SKL and RWI invited researchers, practitioners and NGO:s to explore the HR-city aproach. Listen to international practice, experiences and conclusions.

The state has a responsibility to protect against violations of human rights by private actors. Does Sweden's responsibility cover acts of Swedish companies abroad, and would such responsibility include economic and social rights, like the right to water and food or human rights in the workplace?

Opening remarks from the organizers followed by an opening panel about the situation for human rights in the world. Josette Bushell-Mingo sings Nina Simone.