Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, will explore the decolonisation of human rights. The human rights movement as a whole is facing major challenges today, including from the narratives and actions of “populist” politicians, and the lack of leaders willing to stand up courageously for human rights. From the global refugee crisis, to widespread disregard for civilian protection in conflict, from the erosion of civic freedoms to narratives of “us versus them”, the outlook seems bleak. Yet, according to Salil, the past years have also seen a significant rise in people’s movements and uprisings, bringing real impact – from important gains for women’s rights, to the overthrow of repressive governments. In the year when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70, Salil Shetty will discuss how blending the old model of international solidarity with strengthening the agency of people engaged in local struggles is breathing new life into the human rights movement.

Salil Shetty joined Amnesty International as the organization’s eighth Secretary General in 2010.  A long-term activist on poverty and justice, Salil Shetty leads the movement's worldwide work to end human rights violations. Before joining Amnesty International, he was Director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign from 2003 to 2010, credited with significantly increasing awareness of and accountability for the Millennium Development Goals across the world. From 1998 to 2003, Salil Shetty was Chief Executive of ActionAid, a leading international development NGO.  Salil Shetty studied at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and at the London School of Economics.

Susan Marks joined the LSE in 2010 as Professor of International Law. She previously taught at King’s College London and, prior to that, at the University of Cambridge, where she was a fellow of Emmanuel College. Her work attempts to bring insights from the radical tradition to the study of international law and human rights.