Â鶹ÊÓƵ this event
The Centre for European Law and Internationalisation at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ warmly invites you to its Annual Lecture 2026 — an engaging public event: What have human rights ever done for us? Quite a lot, actually!, exploring one of the most important debates shaping the UK today.
This event is open to everyone and designed for a wide audience. We especially welcome members of the public from across the region, including school pupils interested in current affairs, law, politics, and society, to join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and accessible discussion.
- 4.30pm: Tea and cakes
- 5.00pm: Welcome by Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Henrietta O’Connor, followed by the lecture
Public debate often focuses on criticism of human rights and the European Court of Human Rights, sometimes portraying them as distant from everyday life. At a time when some are calling for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights — something no democracy has ever done — this lecture asks a timely question: what have human rights actually contributed to our society?
Using real-world examples and accessible discussion, the lecture will explore how human rights protections affect ordinary people, shape UK law, and influence democratic life today. It will also consider what may be at stake if those protections are weakened or removed.
How to attend
In person: .
Online: Join just before 5pm on the day of the lecture.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ the speaker
We are delighted to welcome , Professor of Human Rights Law at Middlesex University and former BBC journalist. Her work focuses on human rights, democracy, and public understanding of the European Convention on Human Rights.
She has recently co-authored two reports published by the Bonavero Institute aimed at informing public debate in the UK about the European Convention on Human Rights, one on the  and another .
Alice is also a Trustee of Just Fair, which campaigns for the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights in the UK.