CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HUMAN RIGHTS LAW SOCIETY

ABOUT US

The Cambridge University Human Rights Law Society (CUHRLS) is a forum for students committed to human rights and global justice. We aim to focus on a wide range of human rights law, diplomacy, democratisation and policy.

Our talks and panels feature leading Cambridge and international speakers, from academics and human rights lawyers to diplomats and practitioners working at the forefront of rights protection. We also host networking and outreach events that help members connect with professionals in the sector and support applications to internship and placement schemes worldwide.

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Blog Entries

Automated Law Enforcement and Human Rights: Should We Eliminate Crime Through Technology?

Automated law enforcement of the criminal law promises to shift enforcement from reacting to wrongdoing after the event to preventing it altogether. This blog argues that, although such systems may seem attractive where technology can reduce harm, they raise serious concerns when implemented through impossibility structures. In particular, automated enforcement may intensify the effects of overinclusive offences.

AI’s influence on human rights in Africa: catalyst for growth or false panacea?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become interwoven into the fabric of everyday life across Africa, from precision agriculture to autonomous weapon systems, shaping all aspects of life. On the 4th of April 2025, the first Global AI Summit on Africa was held in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. This culminated in the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence which outlines how AI can be leveraged to engender growth and ensure its ethical adoption to protect the human rights of Afri

"The Grey Zone of Childhood Statelessness - The Paradigmal Decision on Shamima Begum"

Statelessness is an amorphous concept. What and who constitutes “stateless people” is unclear and unquantifiable. Foundationally, it simply encompasses those who have no legal affiliation to any country (nationality). Such status essentially excludes a person from social integration by creating a barrier to accessing education, healthcare, work, and perhaps most profoundly, a dignified official burial upon death. While the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates 4.4 million peop

Ten Years in Limbo: Immigration Delays and Canada’s Humanitarian and Compassionate Applicants

In Canada, foreign nationals who want to stay in the country can make applications for permanent residence under the humanitarian and compassionate stream, if there are compelling circumstances in their case. These circumstances include, for example, mental and physical health challenges, concerns over family violence, hardship in their country of origin, and the best interests of any children involved. H&C applications fill an important gap in the immigration system, because

‘IncarcHERated’: An In-depth Analysis of Women’s Incarceration and Prison Policies

Male-centric prison policies promote the marginalization of women prisoners where prison facilities deem them victims to stereotypical notions of the ideal woman. In cases where social rules are not adhered to, women experience exacerbated pains of punishment, such as psychological and physical trauma induced through violent strip searches often carried out by male officers. This alerts us to question how societal perceptions and correctional policies impact the way women are

Aligning Data Protection Principles with Emerging Tech

It is established that in a digitised world such as ours, data rights are human rights. With this pretext, we write this article to caution against the adoption of Artificial Intelligence ('AI') and its seemingly inevitable integration into our daily lives. Chat GPT recently became the fastest-growing consumer application in history, amassing 100 million+ active users in under two months, a feat that prominent social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram took 2.5 months an

Dignity of Elderly: An Indian Judicial Perspective

‘Dignity’, a non-negotiable tenet of the Indian Constitution, repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court, includes within its ambit – the right to health, shelter, and subsistence. Recently, the Supreme Court reiterated these rights for the elderly under ‘social justice’ of the Preamble of the Constitution, the right to dignity under Article 21, Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), and statutory rights and obligations in Dr Ashwani Kumar vs Union of India, (2019) 2 SCC

Cyber Harassment of Women in Power

With the penetration of technology in every sphere of our lives, cyber harassment has given a new dimension to violence committed against women. One might wonder about the audacity of the perpetrators and deficient infrastructure when even the most powerful segment of females falls prey to this harassment. It was also found that female politicians are more likely to be targeted online than their male counterparts. The susceptibility of the same was 12% more on Facebook and 15

Artificial Intelligence and Courtrooms: A threatening interaction

Freepik: AI Cloud with Robot Head Courtrooms are on the precipice of replacing judges with black-robed robots. To integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into every aspect of judicial functioning at its peak, the Supreme Court of China recently updated its software to mandate that judges consult AI on every matter and rely on its recommendations. Disputes involving e-commerce product liability, copyright/trademark rights, domain ownership, and trademark infringements are heard

Speaker Events

Is modern left-wing progressive politics to blame for the current rise of the far-right? Hear from renowned Activist Peter Tatchell as he discusses the rising tide of the far right and why progressive politics has struggled to stem this tide and safeguard human rights in response.