UK charity Human Rights at Sea and global law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP have partnered on a project to facilitate the resolution of disputes concerning human rights at sea using international arbitration. The project’s chief aim is to provide those living, working and transiting at sea with an effective remedy for human rights abuses, while also combating impunity for the perpetrators of such abuses
The project reached its first significant milestone on 24 March 2020, when Human Rights at Sea and Shearman & Sterling jointly issued a White Paper (available in both English and French) setting out the broad parameters of the arbitration-based system being proposed and identifying the main benefits such a system is expected to generate, as well as potential challenges that its development and implementation might entail
The Webinar will hone in on certain key issues raised in the White Paper and subject them to focused discussion led by experts from various fields, including the legal, maritime and banking sectors. The principal goals are twofold:
• to facilitate the project’s further development through results-oriented brainstorming on critical legal and practical challenges; and
• to further socialize the project, thereby fostering its acceptance as well as the involvement of necessary stakeholders.
In addition to having the potential to effect real change for human rights abuse victims, the Webinar will also contribute to the study and practice of international arbitration and human rights law, as leading experts will address topics of great academic and practical significance in both fields.
