Call for Paper IACL Roundtable: Envisioning the Future of Human Right: Strengthening Human Rights Through Empowerment and Solidarity
/8-9 December 2025
Meiji University, School of Law
Tokyo, Japan
Conference Subject-Matter
The IACL Roundtable 2025 seeks to critically examine the implementation of human rights frameworks within constitutional systems, envisioning a future where human rights are strengthened through empowerment and solidarity. The discussion will explore the role of the constitutional and international institutions as well as emerging actors, in advancing —or impeding—the realisation of human rights.
Beyond traditional constitutional bodies such as legislatures, judiciaries, and executives, the Roundtable will assess the role of the so-called “fourth branch,” including national human rights institutions, monitoring bodies, and even private entities engaging with frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. A Central question is whether constitutional systems genuinely uphold rights they enshrine and provide a meaningful avenue for individuals to have their voices heard.
In today’s world, human rights face unprecedented challenges from pandemics, war, economic instability, technological innovation (notably artificial intelligence), and climate change. While human rights are extensively codified in constitutions and international treaties, these crises have exposed significant gaps in implementation—leading some to argue that we are witnessing the erosion, or even the demise, of human rights as a global framework.
Over time, human rights have evolved across three generations: civil and political
rights (first generation), social and economic rights (second generation), and collective rights such as the right to development (third generation). Yet, constitutional institutions often provide only minimal implementation and, in some cases, actively undermine these rights. In response, international institutions—including the United Nations and regional human rights bodies—have sought to reinforce protections. The UN Paris Principles, for example, emphasize the importance of independent national human rights institutions, while initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights highlight the role of private actors in safeguarding human rights.
At the same time, grassroots movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter have demonstrated the power of individual voices in driving systemic change. These movements underscore the role of activism and collective action in reshaping legal norms and societal structures, reinforcing the idea that human rights are not merely abstract principles but lived experiences and struggles.
Focus and Objectives
The Roundtable aims to empirically and critically assess the extent to which constitutional and international human rights frameworks reflect and amplify the voices of individuals. Are constitutional institutions successfully providing avenues for individuals to realize their rights, or are these systems falling short?
Far from being mere abstract concepts grounded in philosophy or ethics, human rights represent the lived struggles, protests, and demands of real people.
To address these questions, the Roundtable will focus on three key sub-themes (three sessions):
Indigenous Peoples (Session 1): How have constitutional systems addressed the unique rights and challenges of indigenous communities? What measures have been effective, and where are the gaps?
Gender (Session 2): What progress has been made in ensuring gender equality? How effectively are constitutional institutions responding to gender-based rights violations? What measures have been effective, and where are the gaps?
Artificial Intelligence and Vulnerable Groups (Session 3): How does the rise of AI impact vulnerable populations? What constitutional and international safeguards exist to prevent harm and ensure equitable treatment?
By bringing together legal scholars, policymakers, human rights practitioners, and activists, this Roundtable aims to generate critical insights and practical strategies for strengthening human rights protections through empowerment and solidarity.
Eligibility and Topics to be Addressed
Submissions are invited from senior and junior scholars in English or French.
We particularly welcome abstracts that:
Explore innovative ways of realizing human rights across various thematic areas.
Move beyond the classic theory of judicial review to examine how constitutional institutions, in collaboration with international organizations and non-state actors, function as mechanisms for advancing human rights.
Introduce novel approaches and methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative) in comparative constitutional law scholarship.
Please note that we do not encourage abstracts that simply describe the development of human rights in a single country without broader analytical engagement.
Abstract Submission
Applicants are required to submit their short CVs and abstracts in English or French (not exceeding 500 words) by 31 st May 2025 (GMT+9/Japan time) at https://forms.gle/rJW7HooBxVypCbVY6.
Notifications will be sent out by mid-June 2025.
Costs, Travels, and Accommodation
There is no fee for submitting papers. Speakers and participants bear their own travel and accommodation costs. Coffee and lunch will be provided during the Roundtable for speakers.
The Call for Papers aims to foster and support the participation of junior scholars. We offer three nights of accommodation for junior scholars whose papers are accepted. Additionally, we wish to make available a limited number of economy-class airfare grants for selected junior scholars, but availability is subject to budgetary constraints and will be finalized at a later date. If you wish to apply for this support, please indicate your interest when submitting your abstract.
Junior scholars are PhD candidates or junior scholars who are within seven years of completion of their PhD (or equivalent degree).
Dates and Venue
Scholars whose papers are selected for presentation in the conference will be informed in advance about the schedule and location of their presentations.