China’s Challenge to Human Rights

Date and Time: 10:15-11:30, Monday November 4

Venue: Room 5 in the University of Helsinki’s Main Building

In recent years, China has increased its stakes in global governance, including global institutions. Human rights is one policy area in which a more proactive stance has been notable. It has systematically sought to remove human rights from the centre of the international order by launching alternative human rights concepts, blocking human rights financing at the UN, and hindering civil society involvement in human rights scrutiny. This lecture will discuss China’s recent actions in international human rights fora as well as the implications thereof both for the UN Human Rights System and third states.

About the speaker

Katja Creutz is Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in the Global Security programme. Her main field of expertise is international law and especially issues of responsibility, human rights and global governance. Ms Creutz holds a Doctor of Laws and Master of Laws programme degrees from the University of Helsinki and a Master of Political Science degree from Åbo Akademi University. Ms Creutz has previously worked as Research Fellow at the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights of the University of Helsinki.