Human Rights Policy

Ghent University’s human rights policy assesses institutional partnerships for compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law.

The human rights policy of Ghent University is inspired by the UN Basic Principles on Business and Human Rights and the recommendations of the Flemish Inter-University Council.

To define human rights violations, Ghent University relies on the United Nations' key human rights instruments, the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation, the human rights conventions of the Council of Europe and other regional human rights organisations, international customary law and jus cogens.

To define international humanitarian law Ghent University relies on the law of armed conflict, as set forth in the Geneva Conventions (“Red Cross Conventions”) and their accompanying protocols, as well as in customary international humanitarian law. Serious violations of international humanitarian law include war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Principles

Ghent University will not enter into a collaboration if any of the following three situations is likely to occur:

1. The activity violates human rights or international humanitarian law.
2. The results will be misused for violations of human rights or international humanitarian law.
3. The partner itself seriously or systematically violates human rights or international humanitarian law or clearly contributes to such violations.

Prior to collaboration: the human rights assessment

Ghent University researchers are required to conduct a human rights assessment prior to any national or international institutional cooperation that Ghent University enters into in the field of research, teaching or services. Examples include a joint PhD, a research consortium, a student exchange, a capacity-building project, or a joint master’s programme.

The human rights policy also applies to gifts, donations, and sponsorships of 10,000 euros or more, as well as to endowed chairs and framework agreements that Ghent University concludes for the purchase of goods or services.

The human rights assessment applies to all agreements signed by Ghent University as an institution, regardless of the entity entering the collaboration (university departments, faculties, research groups, or individual researchers). It is irrelevant whether the collaboration involves academic or non-academic partners.

Although it is not mandatory, the human rights assessment may, be applied by researchers to individual collaborations (e.g. publications, guest lectures, visits or membership in doctoral advisory or examination committees), collaborations that do not involve specific research, teaching or service activities, internships or master’s theses.

Where possible, risk-mitigation measures are taken (changing a partner, modifying the research design or region, adding specific contractual clauses, etc.). If a collaboration is not in line with Ghent University’s human rights policy, the collaboration cannot proceed.

Ghent University researchers can find practical guidelines for assessing human rights risks on the intranet.

Procedure

Ghent University researchers are required to conduct a human rights assessment prior to entering into a collaboration. In addition, the university administration systematically assesses collaborations with partners located in conflict regions and regions characterised by serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law.

In case risks are detected, the university administration will do a thorough assessment of the collaboration and advise the researcher and the rector on the planned collaboration. Complex cases are referred to the Committee on Human Rights and Defence Research. The Committee operates confidentially and does not make the information it receives public.

Promoting human rights

Ghent University also supports and develops activities that promote the application of human rights. The initiatives below are some examples of this:

• The interdisciplinary research consortium ‘Human Rights Research Network’.
• The yearly Amnesty Chair at Ghent University, which goes to a person who has made a significant contribution in the field of human rights.
• The university-wide elective course 'human rights: multidisciplinary perspectives'.
• An annual Human Rights Week
• Membership of Scholars at Risk, through which persecuted academics are offered a temporary position at Ghent University.

Contact: mensenrechtenbeleid@ugent.be