Human rights worthless without enforcement

It is good to have rights in the constitution but if those rights are not enforced, they are worthless and of no value.

This was highlighted at the close of the inaugural workshop on Human Rights for Judges in the PNG Judiciary and Federal Court of Australia.

The two-day workshop ended on Friday afternoon with judges encouraged to be at the forefront in ensuring everyone’s rights are upheld and protected. 

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, in closing the workshop, said human rights are different from other constitutional rights and other laws.

“It is our duty to be vigilant to ensure that those rights continue to be protected, those constitutional rights continue to be protected and other laws should not be watered down by anybody.

“The courts are in the forefront. We are in the forefront to take proactive steps to ensure that those rights are protected,” Sir Gibbs said.

In PNG, the courts have been given the powers to enforce the rights and freedom of the people. The supreme, national and district courts all have the powers to enforce human rights.

“For instance, a person has a right to a reasonable trial after being charged. The District Court has the power to enforce that right, similarly the National Court and the Supreme Court have the powers to enforce that right.

“And so we judges are in the right positions to ensure that the freedoms enjoyed through our constitution, it is our role to ensure that those freedoms are guarded and where breached, they should be enforced,” the Deputy Chief Justice added.

The human rights workshop was part of the work of the PNG Judicial Centre for Excellence and a lot of that centre’s work is dedicated to educational courses for judges.

(Picture: Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika speaking at the closing of the workshop)

Author: 
Sally Pokiton