Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE PBL5032

 
TITLE Human Rights Obligations and State Institutions

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Public Law

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will study the structure, role, work and purpose of some State Institutions which play an important role in ensuring that level of governance which is respectful of human rights. It will focus on analysing how national structures, established in the Constitutional and national ordinary legislation play a role in ensuring the effective protection of human rights. The study will include an analysis of methods of scrutiny and accountability of Constiutional and government institutions. The Unit will consider the role of Constituioanl and other national bodies (such as the Ombudsman, the Auditor General, the Broadcasting Authority, the Equality Commissions), and the role of judicial proceedings (such as that of judicial review, proceedings before the Administrative Tribunal, and human rights procedures) in the protection of human rights.

Study-Unit Aims:

The study-unit will analyse the role, structure and work of national bodies, established under the Constitution and ordinary legislation, as to their contribution and effectiveness in protecting human rights.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Identify national bodies that play a role in the protection of human rights;
- Analyse the effectiveness of their work and structure in the protection of human rights;
- Take cognisance of the principles by which national bodies are accessed on governance in the human rights field.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Provide a written analysis of the work, role and structure of national bodies in the protection of human rights;
- Make a critical analysis of the effectiveness of national bodies in protecting human rights.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts

- Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles), adopted by General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/StatusOfNationalInstitutions.aspx

Supplementary Readings

- National Leglislation, case law and opinions.

These documents are publications of the national bodies which will be reviewed and are freely accessible online.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Tonio Borg
Therese Comodini Cachia
Ivan Sammut
Francis Zammit Dimech

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit