The Foundation delivers Human Rights Workshop in the Western Province in cooperation with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka
From 29 February – 1 March 2020, the Max Planck Foundation conducted a workshop in Negombo, Western Province of Sri Lanka in partnership with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka.
The workshop was attended by 24 Judges of the District, Magistrate and High Courts in the Western Province. It commenced with an engaging session by Supreme Court Justice, Hon Shiranee Tilakawardane, on the role of the judiciary in advancing human rights in Sri Lanka. This was followed by presentations made by the Foundation on various aspects of international and comparative human rights law with a focus on civil and political rights.
The 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 speakers also addressed international law pertaining to non-discrimination, gender equality, children’s rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities. The Judges engaged in robust discussion of these rights at the international, national and local level, with a particular focus on cutting edge issues that have come up in their daily work. There was particular interest in children’s rights session, with participation of a Judge from the Juvenile Court making the discussion especially rich. Throughout the sessions, the Judges considered case studies and devised innovative ways to strengthen human rights protections at the provincial level.
This workshop is the fifth 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“.