On September 15, YSU Center for European Studies hosted Veronica Gomez, President of the Global Campus of Human Rights, who delivered a lecture for students of the center on the topic "Human Rights in the Americas."
During the lecture, Veronica Gomez presented the historical foundations of the development of human rights protection in the Americas, tracing its evolution from the colonial period to modern international mechanisms. She highlighted the consequences of European colonization, including the mass extermination of indigenous peoples, forced labor, and the system of slavery, as well as their socio-economic and legal implications.
Particular attention was given to the legal foundations established in the field of human rights protection, ranging from the "New Laws" of the 16th century to international initiatives of the 20th century. Gomez emphasized the significance of the 1948 Bogotá Conference and the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, which laid the groundwork for the regional human rights protection system.
The lecture also addressed the functioning of the Inter-American human rights system, including the roles of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in preventing and addressing human rights violations.
At the end of the lecture, Veronica Gomez raised pressing questions: Can legal mechanisms effectively overcome structural inequalities, and does the persistence of such inequalities threaten the legitimacy of democracy?
This event offered students of YSU Center for European Studies an opportunity not only to explore the American experience in human rights protection but also to discuss globally significant issues with an international expert.
