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Morning Plenary: Keynote Speeches
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The conference opened with a plenary session, rights can be an agent of change. For this to
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giving delegates the opportunity to hear from happen, however, two key factors must be in
and question speakers about the importance of place: firstly, those in power must understand that
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public understanding of human rights. their power is limited by the necessity to uphold
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Opening Address: Ceri Goddard,
human rights; and secondly, all human beings

must be able to assert and claim their rights and
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Acting Director of BIHR
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respect the rights of others. If these factors were
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Ceri Goddard said that BIHR’s aim of bringing
in place, there would emerge a culture of respect
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human rights to life reinforces the idea of
for human rights in the UK. A
human rights as both a powerful underpinning
Ceri then turned to the obstacles preventing R
framework and an active instrument of change
this culture from emerging, asking why human
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that benefits every single one of us, and
rights are often misunderstood, narrowly
particularly the UK’s most vulnerable groups.
represented and viewed as positively unattractive.
But why is it necessary to ‘change the
She said that many people in power wrongly
face’ of human rights? Ceri clarified that the
see rights as undermining our democracy. Rights
fundamentals of human rights and the range of
are viewed as unpopular, contentious, and in
rights they encompass were not up for debate
need of balancing with ‘responsibilities’ through
because, whilst not all rights are absolute, they
legislation. The media are complicit when they
nevertheless “define our humanity.” The focus of
actively attack or only partially report human
the conference would be on how human rights
rights stories, feeding negative perceptions by
are actually seen, understood and talked about
perpetuating myths about human rights.
in the UK today. After all, how human rights are
It isn’t yet clear what the wider public think, though
perceived will determine their effectiveness in
polls suggest that people are receptive to human
bringing about change. As long as human rights
rights when they are properly understood. What
are viewed narrowly, inaccurately, unambitiously,
is certain, however, is that many people still have a
or negatively, they will not fulfil their purpose.
limited awareness of human rights.
Ceri identified three of the many ‘faces’ of
And what of the most vulnerable and
human rights:
marginalised? When you are homeless, ignored,
• The first is of human rights as a basic,
treated with disdain or as less than human, it is
common set of values and ideals representing
hard to believe you have rights or that they have
conditions we would like to create in society:
any worth. Ceri said: “Unless this starts to change,
respect, dignity, fairness, diversity and equality.
human rights cannot change us.”
• The second face is of human rights as a set
BIHR would like to see a future in which
of binding international and domestic laws
our political leaders announce an unswerving
setting out minimum legal standards and
commitment to human rights and where
rights that express these values. They hold
this would not be “met with controversy or
government and public bodies accountable
political attack, media outcry or silence or public
through the courts and also provide a practical
indifference, but instead it would be taken for
and effective guiding framework for developing
what it should be–a given and a very good thing.”
policies, taking decisions, and designing and
delivering services.
“As long as human rights are viewed narrowly,
• The third face – and BIHR’s greatest focus
inaccurately, unambitiously, or negatively, they will not
– is the placing of human rights and rights
fulfil their purpose.”
based approaches into practice beyond the
Ceri Goddard
courtroom and into people’s everyday lives.
Whilst this remains a work in progress, Ceri said,
“for those who have seen or chosen to look
Keynote speech: Professor Monica
at the possibilities, the initial evidence of the
impact, enthusiasm and momentum building for
McWilliams, Chief Commissioner for
a step change that really brings human rights
Human Rights in Northern Ireland
7
from principles into practice, is gathering pace”. Drawing on the recent experiences of Northern
These three faces clearly show that human Ireland, Professor Monica McWilliams emphasised
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