Governments spend huge amounts of money buying goods and services - but how far should their spending power be used to promote human rights and social justice?

That's the question human rights expert Professor Christopher McCrudden of Oxford University will address when he speaks at the University of Ulster's Belfast campus on Monday 12 November.

The event has been organised by Ulster's Transitional Justice Institute.

Professor McCrudden, who is Fellow and Tutor in Law at Lincoln College, Oxford, teaches and researches in the areas of public law and human rights, and is interested in the relationship between international economic law and human rights.

His recently published book Buying Social Justice: Equality, Government Procurement and Legal Change is about the relationship between public procurement and equality.

Professor Christine Bell, Director, Transitional Justice Institute said:

"On the 25th of October, the Assembly published ‘Building a Better Future’ - its programme for government - and committed to ‘delivering fair outcomes and social improvements’ in implementation of its policies and programmes. The draft budget and Northern Ireland Investment strategy also have an emphasis on achieving equality and social inclusion.

"Key to equality and social justice is the issue of how government procures its own goods and services, and the question of whether in buying these services it can buy social justice at the same time.

"The idea is an exciting one, and Professor McCrudden’s lecture is will assist all those concerned to engage constructively with the draft Programme of Government and Budget, with a view to ‘Building a Better Future’.

"We are delighted to have Professor McCrudden, the world’s foremost expert on human rights and procurement, and who has been extensively involved in this issue in Northern Ireland over a long period of time, to speak to us.

"We are very glad that through this lecture and book launch, the Transitional Justice Institute can play a vital role in informing local debate, and encouraging engagement with our devolved government. We think the lecture will be a landmark one in setting out the potential for harmonising questions of human rights and equality, with economic matters, and would encourage all those interested in both issues to attend and be part of the dialogue.

Notes for editors:

Professor McCrudden is available for interview. Contact him via David Young, University of Ulster Press Office, on 07808 911 343

The event takes place at: 6pm, 12 November 2007, in the Conor Lecture Theatre, Belfast (York Street) Campus, University of Ulster.

Professor Christopher McCrudden

Professor Christopher McCrudden is Fellow and Tutor in Law, at Lincoln College, Oxford; Professor of Human Rights Law in the University of Oxford; a non-practicing Barrister-at-Law (Gray's Inn, Northern Ireland); and an Overseas Affiliated Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School.

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young