Leading human rights lawyer, Hina Jilani delivered the 2009 Hal Wootten lecture to a full house in the UNSW Law Theatre on Thursday 17 September.

In her lecture titled ‘Human Rights and International Peace and Security’, Hina Jilani reflected on contemporary national responses to international terrorism. She spoke of increasing militarization, use of national security to narrow down the space for the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and measures to counter terrorism that exceed the acceptable limitations on rights. She also spoke of the contributions of global civil societies and human rights communities to protect the international human rights and humanitarian law framework from erosion.

The former envoy of the UN’s Secretary General for Human Rights defenders was a member of the recent UN Commission investigating breaches of human rights and international law in Gaza.

Founding Dean, Hal Wootten thanked Hina Jilani for delivering the 2009 lecture and commended her on her contributions to the advancement of human rights in her native Pakistan and the international world.

The 2009 Hal Wootten lecture also marked the 40th anniversary of Hal Wootten’s appointment as founding Dean of the UNSW Faculty of Law in October 1969. Current Dean of the Faculty, Professor David Dixon announced that a scholarship would be set up to commemorate the anniversary and Hal Wootten’s contributions to the Faculty of Law.

Listen to the audio of the lecture