India has recognised the Right to Education (“RTE”) as a fundamental right. As distinguished from other social and economic rights (“SER”) to food, health, housing, and land, the right to education has constitutional status as a judicially enforceable right. Despite the justiciability of this right, we are today facing grave challenges with respect to its enforcement and implementation. In this regard, it has become crucial to explore the role of courts as so-called “guardians of the Constitution” as well as the respective roles of the legislature and executive in finding effective ways of systemic recourse, so as to facilitate the realization of the fundamental right to education both in letter and in spirit.
This panel will focus on the challenges faced in the adjudication and systemic enforcement of the fundamental RTE in India. Featuring lawyers, legal academics, economists and civil society groups, both from India and across the globe, this panel will discuss the next stage of the SER struggle, from their recognition as justiciable rights to their effective enforcement.
Speakers:
Kiran Bhatty – Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research (Panel convener and moderator)
Lucy Williams – Professor of Law and co-director of the Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy and the convener of the International Social and Economic Rights Project, Northeastern University, USA
Kevin Murray – Executive Director, Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy, Northeastern University School of Law
Annie Namala – Executive Director of Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion, New Delhi
Henri Tiphagne – Advocate and Executive Director of People’s Watch, a National Human Rights Organization
R. Govinda – Vice Chancellor of National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), New Delhi
Esteban Hoyos – Professor of Law, EAFIT University law school, Medellín, Colombia
Jayna Kothari – Advocate and Founder member of Centre for Law and Public Research, Bangalore
We look forward to your participation in the seminar. Please rsvp at president.cpr@cprindia.org