The Foundation delivers Human Rights Workshop in the Southern Province in cooperation with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka
From 30 August – 1 September 2019, the Max Planck Foundation conducted a workshop in Hambantota, Southern Province of Sri Lanka in partnership with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka. The workshop was attended by 25 Judges of the District, Magistrate and High Courts.
The Director of the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka and Supreme Court Justice, Hon L.T.B. Dehidenya, gave opening remarks at the workshop. After which, the Foundation made presentations on various aspects of international human rights law with a focus on civil and political rights. Supreme Court Justice, Hon Shiranee Tilakawardane, also presented on the role of the judiciary in Sri Lanka to advance human rights in a highly interactive session.
The workshop programme covered a wide spectrum of civil and political rights, including fair trial rights and qualified rights, as well as the prohibition on torture and enforced disappearances. The trainers also addressed international law pertaining to equality and non-discrimination, women’s rights, children’s rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities. The Judges discussed these rights at both the international, domestic and local level, with a particular focus on cutting edge issues. The Judges considered case studies and came up with innovative ways to ensure access to justice.
This workshop is the first of six to be held in partnership with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka at the provincial level as part of the German Federal Foreign Office funded project, “Capacity Building for Judges and Lawyers in Sri Lanka”. The next workshop is due to take place in the Central Province on 19 – 20 October 2019.