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Could Nottingham become a human rights city?

Improving the human rights of Nottingham residents, such as ensuring access to decent work, housing and food, will be discussed at a special event which brings together researchers, community organisations and local authority representatives.

    Market Square Nottingham
    The event will explore what becoming a human rights city means for Nottingham

    The one-day workshop on Thursday 20 June will explore whether Nottingham can follow in the footsteps of other cities across the world in declaring itself a human rights city.  A report will be produced after the event that will inform further action regarding human rights in Nottingham.

    To become a human rights city, local authorities are expected to take concrete action, for example in support of women and marginalised groups and the consideration of human rights in different areas of urban policy.

    Led by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) senior lecturer in Sociology, Dr Michele Grigolo, the event is based on work by NTU researchers, whose report, Economic and Social Rights in Nottingham: Work, Housing, Food - co-authored by Nottingham Housing Justice Forum and the United Private Hire Drivers union - was recently submitted to Philip Alston, the UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty.

    Dr Grigolo, from NTU’s School of Social Sciences, said: “A human rights city is a city where human rights set the terms of how a city should be organised, how its people should behave and how its institutions should operate. City councils often declare themselves a human rights city to signal their commitment to human rights and tackling inequality.”

    Those attending Building human rights in the city: what about Nottingham? will also hear from Professor Paul Gready, director of the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York, who was instrumental in York becoming the first UK city to declare itself a human rights city in 2017.

    Dr Grigolo added: “Speaking the language of human rights is important because it is about improving people’s lives and local conditions, such as fighting discrimination, taking action against structural inequalities, and promoting good work, decent housing and quality education.”

    The event will conclude with the official launch of Dr Grigolo’s book The Human Rights City: New York, San Francisco, Barcelona, which will offer the opportunity for a more general reflection on human rights cities, where they come from, what kind of human rights they engage with and the place of local authorities in the construction of human rights in the city.

    For further information and/or to register for the event, please email Dr Grigolo

    • Notes for editors

      Press enquiries please contact Helen Breese, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8751, or via email.

      About Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students. NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

      The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

      It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook

      The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 88% satisfaction score in the 2018 National Student Survey.

      NTU is also one of the UK’s most environmentally friendly universities, containing some of the sector’s most inspiring and efficient award-winning buildings.

      NTU is home to world-class research, and won The Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2015 – the highest national honour for a UK university. It recognised the University’s pioneering projects to improve weapons and explosives detection in luggage; enable safer production of powdered infant formula; and combat food fraud.

    Published on 17 June 2019
    • Category: Nottingham Civic Exchange; Press office; School of Social Sciences