Third international symposium held by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia

The Max Planck Foundation presents paper on promoting and protecting socio-economic rights

After the success of the two previous symposia in 2017 and 2018, focusing on democracy and constitutionalism respectively, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia issued its third call for papers. Researchers, academics and members of the judiciary from all over the world attend the event, making it an annual international forum to discuss constitutional law issues. The third symposium, entitled “Constitutional Court and Protection of Social and Economic Rights” took place in Bali, Indonesia from 4 to 7 November 2019. The Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor Dr (H.C.) K.H. Ma’ruf Amin, opened the event followed by an introductory lecture by the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr Anwar Usman, S.H., M.H. Senior judges from nineteen different countries then presented on socio-economic rights from the perspectives of Asia, Africa and Europe.

Secretary General of the Constitutional Court, Professor Dr M. Guntur Hamzah, S.H, and Honourable Justice of the Constitutional Court, Professor Dr Saldi Isra, S.H then opened the Call for Papers. The meeting included over twenty presentations, which were followed by question and answer sessions.

Participants to this year’s Call for Papers were from universities in Australia, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Germany, Spain and the USA, as well as from the Constitutional Courts of Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey. Papers covered various topics concerning the constitutional courts’ role in protecting and promoting socio-economic rights – including the application of the right to property, social security issues, the enforceability of environmental rights and claims under labour law. A Country Manager and Research Fellow from the Foundation presented a paper on the first day entitled: “A South Asian Approach to Promoting and Protecting Socio-Economic Rights”. The articles presented at this event will be published in 2020 in a special issue of the Court’s academic publication, the Constitutional Review Journal.