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Prof Michael O'Flaherty

BCL, BPH, STB, MA, MPhil, Solicitor,FRSA

Contact Details

EST PROFESSOR IN HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
School of Law
NUI Galway
T: -
E: MICHAEL.OFLAHERTY@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

Professor Michael O'Flaherty has been Established Professor of Human Rights Law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway from February 2013.  He was Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission until November 2013.  He served as Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights from 2013 until 2015. From 2004-2012, he was a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, latterly as a Vice-Chairperson. Professor O’Flaherty is a member of the UK Foreign Office’s advisory bodies on freedom of expression and the prevention of torture and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs’ human rights advisory committee. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and sits on the advisory boards of numerous human rights groups and journals internationally.

Professor O’Flaherty read law at University College Dublin, theology and philosophy at the Gregorian University, Rome, international relations at the University of Amsterdam and is a Solicitor of the Irish Courts.  Professor O’Flaherty was the principal drafter of the General Comment of the Human Rights Committee on the freedoms of opinion and expression (General Comment 34, adopted in 2011). He was also rapporteur for the development of the Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law with regard to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (the Yogyakarta Principles). He initiated and directed the opening and closing expert consultations of the Dublin Process on the Strengthening of the UN Human Rights Treaty Body System and was rapporteur for its Dublin Outcome Document.  He has been a member of the UN Expert Task Force on Human Rights Indicators that concluded its work in 2012.

Professor O'Flaherty's recent publications include volumes on the law and practice of human rights field operations, the professionalization of human rights field work and on human rights diplomacy.

Professor O’Flaherty came to NUI Galway from the University of Nottingham where he was Professor of Applied Human Rights and Co-director of the Human Rights Law Centre. Previously he held a number of senior posts at the United Nations.  He established the UN human rights field missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994) and Sierra Leone (1998) and subsequently guided UN headquarters support to its human rights programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. He has served as Secretary of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and UN human rights advisor for implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. From 2000 to 2002 he chaired the UN reference group on human rights and humanitarian action.
 

 
 

Research Interests

-Civil and political rights, including freedom of expression
-UN human rights protection system
-Human rights field work
-National human rights institutions
-Human rights diplomacy

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2012) 'Limitations on Freedom of Expression: Growing Consensus or Hidden Fault Lines'
M.O'Flaherty (2012) 'Limitations on Freedom of Expression: Growing Consensus or Hidden Fault Lines'. Proceedings Of The 98th Annual Meeting, American Society Of International Law, 106 (-):347-349 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Freedom of Expression: Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Human Rights Committee’s General Comment No 34'
M.O'Flaherty (2012) 'Freedom of Expression: Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Human Rights Committee’s General Comment No 34'. Human Rights Law Review, 12 (4):627-654 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'The Dublin Statement on the Process of Strengthening of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System'
M.O'Flaherty (2010) 'The Dublin Statement on the Process of Strengthening of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System'. Netherlands Quarterly Of Human Rights, 28 (1):--- [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'The Professionalization of Human Rights Field Work'
M. O'Flaherty (2009) 'The Professionalization of Human Rights Field Work'. Journal of Human Rights Practice, 2 (1):1-27 [DOI] [Details]
(2008) 'Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualizing the Yogyakarta Principles, with John Fisher'
M.O'Flaherty, J.Fisher (2008) 'Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualizing the Yogyakarta Principles, with John Fisher'. Human Rights Law Review, 8 (2):207-248 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'The Reform of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies: A Critique of the High Commissioner’s Concept Paper'
M.O'Flaherty, Claire O'Brien (2007) 'The Reform of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies: A Critique of the High Commissioner’s Concept Paper'. Human Rights Law Review, 7 (1):141-172 [DOI] [Details]
(2006) 'The Concluding Observations of Human Rights Treaty Bodies'
M.O'Flaherty (2006) 'The Concluding Observations of Human Rights Treaty Bodies'. Human Rights Law Review, 6 (1):27-52 [DOI] [Details]
(2006) 'Towards integration of United Nations human rights treaty body recommendations: the rights-based approach model'
M.O'Flaherty (2006) 'Towards integration of United Nations human rights treaty body recommendations: the rights-based approach model'. Netherlands Quarterly Of Human Rights, 24 (4):589-606 [DOI] [Details]
(2004) 'The Role of the Human Rights Community in the Sierra Leone Peace Process'
M.O'Flaherty (2004) 'The Role of the Human Rights Community in the Sierra Leone Peace Process'. Human Rights Law Review, 26 (1):29-62 [DOI] [Details]

Books

  Year Publication
(2012) National and regional human rights mechanisms, background paper and report of the 11th ASEM seminar on human rights.
M. O'Flaherty, K. Fitzpatrick (2012) National and regional human rights mechanisms, background paper and report of the 11th ASEM seminar on human rights. Prague/Singapore: ASEM. [DOI] [Details]
(2002) Human Rights and the UN: Practice Before the Treaty Bodies.
M. O'Flaherty (2002) Human Rights and the UN: Practice Before the Treaty Bodies. Leiden: Brill - Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(1996) Human Rights and the UN, Practice Before the Treaty Bodies.
M. O'Flaherty (1996) Human Rights and the UN, Practice Before the Treaty Bodies. London, UK: Sweet and Maxwell. [DOI] [Details]
(1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: International Human Rights Law in Ireland.
M. O'Flaherty, Liz Heffernan (1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: International Human Rights Law in Ireland. London, UK: Brehon/Sweet and Maxwell. [DOI] [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2014) 'UN Treaty Bodies. The concluding observations of United Nations human rights treaty bodies'
O'Flaherty, Michael (2014) 'UN Treaty Bodies. The concluding observations of United Nations human rights treaty bodies' In: The United Nations System for Protecting Human Rights, Vol. IV. Surrey: Ashgate. [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Foreword'
Michael O’Flaherty (2013) 'Foreword' In: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Cases, Materials and Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'International Human Rights Law in Field Operations'
Michael O’Flaherty and Daria Davitti (2013) 'International Human Rights Law in Field Operations' In: Handbook of International Human Rights Law. Routledge/UK: Routledge. [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity'
Michael O’Flaherty (2014) 'Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity' In: International Human Rights Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Saving and Strengthening the United Nations Human rights Treaty Body System'
Michael O'Flaherty (2014) 'Saving and Strengthening the United Nations Human rights Treaty Body System' In: Vienna +20 Advancing The Protection of Human Rights. Cambridge: intersentia. [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'International Human Rights Field Operations: A fast developing human rights tool'
M. O'Flaherty, D. Davitti (2014) 'International Human Rights Field Operations: A fast developing human rights tool' In: Routledge Handbook of International Human Rights Law. London, UK: Routledge. [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'The High Commissioner and the Treaty Bodies'
M. O'Flaherty (2013) 'The High Commissioner and the Treaty Bodies' In: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'The United Nations Treaty Bodies as Diplomatic Actors'
M. O'Flaherty (2011) 'The United Nations Treaty Bodies as Diplomatic Actors' In: Human Rights Diplomacy: Contemporary Perspectives. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'Sexual Orientation and Human Rights'
M. O'Flaherty (2011) 'Sexual Orientation and Human Rights' In: International Human Rights Law. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'Periodic Reporting: The Backbone of the UN Treaty Body Review Procedures'
M. O'Flaherty, P.L. Tsai (2011) 'Periodic Reporting: The Backbone of the UN Treaty Body Review Procedures' In: New Challenges for the UN Human Rights Machinery: What Future for the UN Treaty Body System and the Human Rights Council Procedures?. Cambridge, UK: Intersentia. [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'Introduction'
M. O'Flaherty, G. Ulrich (2010) 'Introduction' In: The Professional Identity of the Human Rights Field Officer. Surrey, UK: Ashgate. [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'The Human Rights Field Operation'
M. O'Flaherty (2009) 'The Human Rights Field Operation' In: Festschrift for Jacob Muller. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'The Sierra Leone Peace Process Examined'
M. O'Flaherty (2009) 'The Sierra Leone Peace Process Examined' In: Human Rights and Conflict Resolution in Context: Colombia, Sierre Leone, and Northern Ireland (Syracuse Studies on Peace and Conflict Resolution). USA: Syracuse University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'The Human Rights Field Operation in Partnership for Humanitarian Relief and Reconstruction'
M. O'Flaherty (2007) 'The Human Rights Field Operation in Partnership for Humanitarian Relief and Reconstruction' In: The Human Rights Field Operation: Law, Theory and Practice. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishers. [DOI] [Details]
(2006) 'We Are Failing the Victims of War'
M. O'Flaherty (2006) 'We Are Failing the Victims of War' In: Human Rights Protection in the Field. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(2005) 'Future Protection of Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies: the role of the United Nations'
M. O'Flaherty (2005) 'Future Protection of Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies: the role of the United Nations' In: The United Nations and Human Rights: Protection and Post-conflict Situations. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2000) 'Treaty Bodies responding to States of Emergency'
O'Flaherty, M. (2000) 'Treaty Bodies responding to States of Emergency' In: The Future of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [DOI] [Details]
(2000) 'The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina'
M. O'Flaherty (2000) 'The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina' In: Festschrift for Jacob Muller. The Hague Netherlands: Kluwer. [DOI] [Details]
(1999) 'Report on the Conference on Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Theory to Practice'
M.O'Flaherty (1999) 'Report on the Conference on Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Theory to Practice' In: Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina – From Theory to Practice. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) 'International Human Rights Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina'
M. O'Flaherty (1998) 'International Human Rights Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina' In: Honoring Human Rights; From Peace to Justice. New York, US: Aspen Institute. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) 'The Individual Complaints Procedures under the Convention against Torture and the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination'
M. O'Flaherty (1998) 'The Individual Complaints Procedures under the Convention against Torture and the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination' In: Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations and Human Rights. London, UK: Zed Books Ltd. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) 'The United Nations Treaty Bodies and Bosnia'
M.O'Flaherty (1998) 'The United Nations Treaty Bodies and Bosnia' In: Post-War Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) 'Individual communications: the Convention against Torture and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination'
M. O'Flaherty (1998) 'Individual communications: the Convention against Torture and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination' In: Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations and Human Rights. London, UK: Zed Books Ltd. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) 'The Reporting Procedure of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Form of Racial Discrimination'
M.O'Flaherty (1998) 'The Reporting Procedure of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Form of Racial Discrimination' In: Indigenous People, the United Nations and Human Rights. London, UK: Zed Books Ltd. [DOI] [Details]
(1997) 'The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as and Implementation Agency'
M. O'Flaherty (1997) 'The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as and Implementation Agency' In: Anti-Discrimination Law Enforcement: A Comparative Perspective. Surrey, UK: Ashgate Publishers. [DOI] [Details]

Edited Books

  Year Publication
(2011) Human Rights Diplomacy: Contemporary Perspectives.
M. O'Flaherty, Z. Kedzia et. al (Ed.). (2011) Human Rights Diplomacy: Contemporary Perspectives Human Rights Diplomacy: Contemporary Perspectives. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill -Martinus Nijhoff. [DOI] [Details]
(2010) The Professional Identity of the Human Rights Field Officer.
M. O'Flaherty and G. Ulrich (Ed.). (2010) The Professional Identity of the Human Rights Field Officer The Professional Identity of the Human Rights Field Officer. Surrey, UK: Ashgate. [DOI] [Details]
(2007) The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice.
M. O'Flaherty (Ed.). (2007) The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate. [DOI] [Details]
(1999) Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina – From Theory to Practice.
Wolfgang Benedek, Heike Alefsen, Michael O'Flaherty, Ermin Sarajlija (Ed.). (1999) Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina – From Theory to Practice Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina – From Theory to Practice. The Hague, The Netherlands: Kluwer. [DOI] [Details]
(1998) Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
M. O'Flaherty, G. Gisvold (Ed.). (1998) Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Netherlands: Martinus Nijhof. [DOI] [Details]

ANET/COS

  Year Publication
(2013) Effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests: a background paper, OHCHR Seminar on effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, 2nd of December 2013.
Michael O’Flaherty (with research assistance by Mesenbet Assefa Tadeg and Thamil Venthan Ananthavinayagan) (2013) Effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests: a background paper, OHCHR Seminar on effective measures and best practices to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, 2nd of December 2013. -: ANET/COS [DOI] [Details]
(2013) The Implementation of UN Conventions and the Interpretation of Human Rights Treaties, in: International Symposium on the Domesticalization and Practice of International Human Rights Instruments, Taiwan, 26th -27th of November 2013.
Michael O'Flaherty (2013) The Implementation of UN Conventions and the Interpretation of Human Rights Treaties, in: International Symposium on the Domesticalization and Practice of International Human Rights Instruments, Taiwan, 26th -27th of November 2013. -: ANET/COS [DOI] [Details]

Other Item

  Year Publication
(2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 40 Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee on State Party Periodic Reports under article 40 ICCPR.
M. O'Flaherty (2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 40 Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee on State Party Periodic Reports under article 40 ICCPR. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 86 Views of the Human Rights Committee under the ICCPR Optional Protocol.
M. O'Flaherty (2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 86 Views of the Human Rights Committee under the ICCPR Optional Protocol. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2012) The Application for African States of the UN Human Rights Enforcement and Protection Systems, Think Africa Press.
O'Flaherty, M. (2012) The Application for African States of the UN Human Rights Enforcement and Protection Systems, Think Africa Press. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2011) Introductory and Advanced Human Rights Training Manuals for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
O'Flaherty, M. (2011) Introductory and Advanced Human Rights Training Manuals for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Other Item [Details]
(2011) General Comment Number 34, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, United Nations Human Rights Committee, UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/34.
O'Flaherty, M. (2011) General Comment Number 34, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, United Nations Human Rights Committee, UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/34. Other Item [Details]
(2010) International Treaty Body Reform Should Protect Human Rights on the Ground, Human Rights Law Resource Centre Bulletin 51.
O'Flaherty, M. (2010) International Treaty Body Reform Should Protect Human Rights on the Ground, Human Rights Law Resource Centre Bulletin 51. Other Item [Details]
(2010) Annotations to the Yogyakarta Principles, on-line publication.
O'Flaherty, M. (2010) Annotations to the Yogyakarta Principles, on-line publication. Other Item [Details]
(2010) Annotations to the Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Operations, online publication.
M. O'Flaherty (2010) Annotations to the Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Operations, online publication. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2009) The Rule of Law Tool for Post-Conflict States on National Consultations on Transitional Justice.
M. O'Flaherty (2009) The Rule of Law Tool for Post-Conflict States on National Consultations on Transitional Justice. New York, Geneva: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2008) REFORM OF THE PERIODIC REPORTING PROCEDURES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, United Nations.
M. O'Flaherty (2008) REFORM OF THE PERIODIC REPORTING PROCEDURES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, United Nations. UN Publication: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2006) Sierra Leone Research Paper, in the collaborative research project, Negotiating Justice? Human Rights and Peace Agreements, International Council on Human Rights Policy.
M. O'Flaherty (2006) Sierra Leone Research Paper, in the collaborative research project, Negotiating Justice? Human Rights and Peace Agreements, International Council on Human Rights Policy. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2006) Manuals and Related Training Tools for the Iraq Human Rights Ministry.
M. O'Flaherty (2006) Manuals and Related Training Tools for the Iraq Human Rights Ministry. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2006) Human Rights Field Operations: An Introductory Analysis, in The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice, op cit.
O'Flaherty, M. (2006) Human Rights Field Operations: An Introductory Analysis, in The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice, op cit. Other Item [Details]
(2006) The Sierra Leone Special Court: Undermining Possibilities for Partnerships Between Human Rights and Humanitarian Operations,with K. Turner; Humanitarian Exchange, Number 23, 2006.
M. O'Flaherty, K. Turner (2006) The Sierra Leone Special Court: Undermining Possibilities for Partnerships Between Human Rights and Humanitarian Operations,with K. Turner; Humanitarian Exchange, Number 23, 2006. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2005) Human Rights Training Module for Senior UN Field Managers.
M. O'Flaherty (2005) Human Rights Training Module for Senior UN Field Managers. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2005) United Nations Human Rights Guidelines for Humanitarian Coordinators.
M. O'Flaherty (2005) United Nations Human Rights Guidelines for Humanitarian Coordinators. UN Report: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2005) Human Rights Manual of the Iraq Human Rights Ministry.
M. O'Flaherty (2005) Human Rights Manual of the Iraq Human Rights Ministry. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2004) Human Rights Field Operations; Challenges for the UN, Disarmament Forum.
M. O'Flaherty (2004) Human Rights Field Operations; Challenges for the UN, Disarmament Forum. UN Journal: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2003) Developments in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Forum.
M. O'Flaherty (2003) Developments in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Forum. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(2000) Human Rights Treaty Bodies and the Former Yugoslavia, in, Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit.
O'Flaherty, M. (2000) Human Rights Treaty Bodies and the Former Yugoslavia, in, Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit. Other Item [Details]
(2000) International Human Rights Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit.
M. O'Flaherty (2000) International Human Rights Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1998) Doing justice for victims at the International Criminal Court, Redress.
M. O'Flaherty (1998) Doing justice for victims at the International Criminal Court, Redress. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1998) Human Rights for Legal Practitioners, Law Society of Ireland, 1994, 1995, and 1998.
M. O'Flaherty (1998) Human Rights for Legal Practitioners, Law Society of Ireland, 1994, 1995, and 1998. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, A Guide for Preparation of Independent Submissions, Irish Commission for Justice and Peace, Dublin (1991), Costa Rica and Australia (1992), Russian Federation (1995).
O'Flaherty, M. (1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, A Guide for Preparation of Independent Submissions, Irish Commission for Justice and Peace, Dublin (1991), Costa Rica and Australia (1992), Russian Federation (1995). -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1994) The Reporting Obligation under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Lessons Learned from the Consideration by the Human Rights Committee of Ireland’s First Report, Human Rights Quarterly, 16.
O'Flaherty, M. (1994) The Reporting Obligation under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Lessons Learned from the Consideration by the Human Rights Committee of Ireland’s First Report, Human Rights Quarterly, 16. -: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1993) Ireland Before the UN Human Rights Committee.
M. O'Flaherty (1993) Ireland Before the UN Human Rights Committee. Dublin, Ireland: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1992) Towards Effective Engagement of the United Nations Human Rights Protection Systems.
M. O'Flaherty (1992) Towards Effective Engagement of the United Nations Human Rights Protection Systems. Dublin, Ireland: Other Item [DOI] [Details]
(1991) The International Protection of Human Rights and the Legal Practitioner, Irish Law Times.
M. O'Flaherty (1991) The International Protection of Human Rights and the Legal Practitioner, Irish Law Times. Dublin, Ireland: Other Item [DOI] [Details]

Online Multimedia

  Year Publication
(2014) Strengthening UN treaty bodies: some modest steps forward.
O'Flaherty, Michael (2014) Strengthening UN treaty bodies: some modest steps forward. -: Online Multimedia [DOI] [Details]

Policy Contribution

  Year Publication
(2014) Policy Brief. The Outcome of the General Assembly’s Treaty Body Strengthening Process: An Important Milestone on a Longer Journey.
O'Flaherty, Michael and Broecker, Christen (2014) Policy Brief. The Outcome of the General Assembly’s Treaty Body Strengthening Process: An Important Milestone on a Longer Journey. -: Policy Contribution [DOI] [Details]

Report

  Year Publication
(2011) Speaking Up – Promoting Adolescents Right to Freedom of Expression, UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report.
O'Flaherty, M. (2011) Speaking Up – Promoting Adolescents Right to Freedom of Expression, UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report. -: Report [DOI] [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2011 University of Nottingham Vice Chancellor’s Achievement Medal University of Nottingham

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
see "Other" - 01-JAN-94 / 01-JAN-14

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
see "Other" - 01-JAN-94 / 01-JAN-14

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
UN Centre for Human Rights, Geneva, Zagreb and Sarajevo Desk Officer for Former Yugoslavia/ Initiator and first field-based coordinator of the UN human rights field presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 01-OCT-93 / 31-JAN-95
UN Centre for Human Rights, Geneva Secretary, (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Coordinator, Human Rights Programme, UN Graduate Studies Program. 01-JAN-95 / 30-MAR-96
OHCHR, Sarajevo (Seconded to the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina) Expert Advisor on Human Rights 01-MAR-96 / 28-FEB-98
UN Mission in Sierra Leone Chief of the UN human rights programme in Sierra Leone 01-APR-98 / 31-JAN-00
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights various positions 01-JAN-01 / 31-OCT-02
ICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, Italy Senior Research Officer (Child Rights) 01-OCT-02 / 31-DEC-04
University of Nottingham Professor of Applied Human Rights and Co-director, the Human Rights Law Centre 01-DEC-03 / 31-JAN-13
United Nations Human Rights Committee Member and Vice-Chairperson 01-SEP-04 / 30-SEP-12
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission 19-SEP-11 / 31-OCT-13

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
1987 Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome Bachelor of Theology Theology
1984 Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophy
1993 University of Amsterdam Master of Arts Master of Arts in International Relations
1993 University of Amsterdam MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY Master of Philosophy (human rights)
1980 University College Dublin Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Civil Law

Languages

  Language
Italian
French
English

Other Activities

  Description

Advisor to Several national and international human rights non- governmental organizations; OSCE; UNOHCHR; UNICEF; Sierra Leone Special Court; UN Missions in various countries; International Telecommunications Union; Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

-Vice-Chairperson-elect, Universal Rights Group, Geneva. -Fellow, The Royal Society of the Arts, United Kingdom. -Member, General Assembly of L’Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture. -Member, General Assembly of Geneva for Human Rights. -Member, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary of State’s advisory bodies on the combat of torture and on freedom of expression on the internet. -Member, Council of the European Inter-university Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation, Venice. -Member of international advisory boards: The European Roma Rights Centre, Budapest; Diplomacy Training Programme, Sydney; UN-UK Association, London; National Forum for Human Rights, Freetown, Sierra   Leone; University of Sarajevo Human Rights Centre, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Hilda Back Education Fund, Nairobi; Project advisory board, Brookings Institution; Project advisory board, The Equal Rights Trust; Project advisory board, Fair Trials Abroad; Project advisory board, German Institute of Human Rights. -Member, the International Research Network on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution. -Member, editorial boards: The Human Rights Law Review; EIUC Studies in Human Rights and Democratization Book Series; The Irish Yearbook of International Law; The European Yearbook on Human Rights; The International Journal of Human Rights; The Nottingham Studies in Human Rights book series, Revue Trimestrelle des Droits de L’Homme.

-Galway Platform on Irish Foreign Policy: Convened and chaired the consultation process that developed this position paper of the Irish Civil Society for the 2014 review of Irish Foreign Policy-Author, Human Rights Committee General Comment 34 on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. Rapporteur (author of the first draft and principal author of the negotiated text) for this most recent General Comment of the Human Rights Committee, comprising an extensive jurisprudential statement of the content and the application of article 19, International Covenant on Civil and political Rights.  -Director, The Dublin Process on Strengthening the Human Rights Treaty Body System: initiated and facilitate this multi-year global project on reform of the UN human rights treaty body system.  -Rapporteur, The Yogyakarta Principles: served as the Rapporteur (principal drafter) of the Principles for the Application of Human Rights Law Regarding Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.   -Director, Consolidating a Profession:  The Human Rights Field Officer. Initiated and led this global project of research, capacity building and training to map the professional identity and functions as well as the ethical and legal frameworks of the human rights field worker.  -Member, UN Expert Panel on Human Rights Indictors.  The panel met from 2008-2011 to develop a comprehensive set of indicators to be used by governments and civil society to assess the state of application of the international human rights norms at the national level.  -Expert Witness, Sierra Leone Special Court. From 2005-2009 expert evidence on a number of occasions before trials at the Sierra Leone Special Court, including, in 2008, the Charles Taylor trial. 

Teaching Interests

-Civil and political rights, including freedom of expression
-UN human rights protection system
-Human rights field work
-National human rights institutions
-Human rights diplomacy

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2014/2015 Human Rights Field Work: Law and Practice LW547
2014/2015 Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity LW548
2014/2015 Introduction to Human Rights Law LW451

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