Protecting rights in the Pacific

A senior lecturer at Victoria University’s Law Faulty is organising a timely and targeted conference on human rights in the Pacific.

Dr Petra Butler is Associate Director of the New Zealand Centre of Public Law as well as senior lecturer. Her specialist areas are human rights, German law and private international law. She is active in the international human rights community, doing consultancy work for organisations such as the UK's Liberty and the Human European Consultancy.

"The reports prepared for the conference constitute the first extensive analysis of the human rights situation in the Pacific. Most Pacific nations haven't signed up to major international human rights treaties, which require regular reporting," says Dr Butler.

The reports will be on the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Kiribas.

"They will be an amazing resource for the future," says Dr Butler.

The conference is invitation only and participants have been chosen who have a sound and demonstrated commitment to human rights law. A high level of analysis is anticipated.

"A major aim of the conference is to give human rights a real presence in the Pacific region," says Dr Butler. "One desired outcome is the creation of strategies for strengthening national, regional and international mechanisms for the enhanced protection of human rights there."

The conference begins in late April and is being held in Apia.

A keynote speaker is Imrana Jalal, a well-respected Fijian human rights lawyer and activist. Speakers from Africa, Canada, England and Asia are also scheduled, along with several from New Zealand universities.