Human Rights Seminar 2: 'Accountability'

This seminar is part of the seminar series Human Rights in Essential Public Service Provision, presented by the Groningen Centre for Law and Governance and the Groningen International School of Law.

In international law and governance the notion of 'accountability' is increasingly used to ensure greater transparency in the realization of common goals or to ensure the actual or effective implementation of shared/public interests in international legal arrangements. This is especially the case when also non-state actors are involved in the implementation of various goals, such as human rights, or public essential services.

Such actors include individuals, private companies, international organisations or various public bodies and interest groups each serving to protect a particular public or private interests. Generally, 'accountability' is considered to be one of the cornerstones of 'good governance', as well a 'virtue' in its own right despite practical problems to ensure 'accountability'. Yet, although used widely, it is still a nebulous concept with connotations that seem to change with the context and agenda. In this seminar we will explore what 'accountability' could mean as a governance concept in public service provision, from a human rights perspective.

Full programme of seminar Accountability.

If you want to attend the seminar and for catering purposes, please register with the secretariat of the Department of International Law at stair rug.nl.

Keynote speakers:

Professor Mark Bovens (University of Utrecht) on 'accountability'

In-house speakers:

Eva Zhang and Marlies Hesselman

Relevant research programme: