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Professor Sigrun Skogly

Impact and Visibility

Professor of Law, Head of the Law School, Member of the editorial boards of Human Rights Law Review and Nordic Journal of Human Rights, Member of the Steering Committee of the International Consortium of NGOs and Academic Institutions on States’ Extraterritorial Human Rights Obligations, Member of the AHRC Peer Review College.

Sigrun’s research interests are primarily focused in international human rights law, particularly human rights obligations and economic, social and cultural rights.

International Human Rights

Sigrun co-edited Universal Human Rights and Extraterritorial Obligations (University of Pennsylvania Press), which was published in 2010.  This book ‘[e]xamines both the international and domestic foundations of human rights law and addresses how states’ actions or omissions may affect the human rights of individuals in foreign states’ (University of Pennsylvania Press).

Sigrun has also written Beyond National Borders: States’ Human Rights Obligations in their International Cooperation which was published in 2006 by Antwerp, Intersentia. This book ‘[g]ives a comprehensive analysis of extraterritorial obligations in international human rights law by placing the discussion in a larger international law context, interpreting obligations in the various sources of international human rights law, and discussing the way in which extraterritoriality has been approached by international courts and human rights implementation bodies in the United Nations and regional systems.’  

Sigrun’s book The Human Rights Obligations of the World Bank and the IMF was published in 2001 by Cavendish Publishing. ‘This book explores the human rights obligations of two of the largest international financial institutions ... Based on international legal methodology, this book addresses these two institutions in public international law, and assesses the extent to which international law provides foundations for obligations in the field of human rights. This book analyses any possible obligations related to the effect of the two institutions own programmes and projects. The core of this analysis is focused on the two institutions' international legal personality, and addresses their relationship to international law as legal subjects, rather than as a collectivity of states with international legal personality.’ (Google books)

Sigrun has also written book chapters and published journal articles on this area of her research. The complete list can be found on Sigrun's research profile.

Importance of work outside academia

Impacts on practitioners and professional services:

Sigrun presented a paper at the Nobel Symposium, Oslo, October 13-15th, 2003; 'The role of the international financial institutions in a rights-based approach to the process of development.'

After the publication of her book, The Human Rights Obligations of the World Bank and the IMF, Sigrun was invited to give a presentation to the Lawyers Forum of the World Bank in Washington DC in May 2001. She was also invited to a private meeting with the Legal Department in the World Bank at that time to discuss her findings.

Sigrun presented 'The Human Rights Obligations of the World Bank and the IMF' at the conference on 'World Bank, IMF and Human Rights,' organised by Globus, the Institute for Globalisation and Sustainable Development of Tilburg University, CEDAR (Centre for Dignity and Rights) and the Netherlands School of Human Rights Research, 11-13th October, 2001.

Sigrun was invited to participate at a World Bank roundtable on the revision of the World Bank’s operation directive on indigenous peoples, Washington DC, 15-16th November, 2001.

Influencing the work of NGOs:

Sigrun presented a paper to the Amnesty International hosted conference in Stockholm, November 2010; 'Addressing the accountability gap: the roles of states, international financial institutions and TNCs in light of human rights violations.'

Sigrun’s work on extraterritorial human rights obligations has had direct impact upon the work of a number of NGOs.  In 2007, she took initiative, together with FIAN International, to the establishment of a Consortium of academics and NGOs (currently comprising more than 70 NGOs and academics) worldwide.  The Consortium has been the driving force behind the adoption by a group of experts (including Sigrun) of the Maastricht Principles of Extraterritorial State Obligations in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in September 2011.  These Principles are now actively used in the work of a large number of NGOs.  Sigrun remains on the Steering Committee for the Consortium.

Enhancements to policy and practice for securing poverty alleviation:

Sigrun was invited as a participant at the expert meeting on 'Guidelines on Human Rights and Poverty Eradication', organised by the UN Independent Expert on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights; hosted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, 2010.

Sigrun presented the 4th volume of a book series on Freedom from Poverty as a Human Right (UNESCO, 2010) at a book launch during the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on 9th June. Sigrun co-authored with Dr Amanda Cahill-Ripley, a contribution to volume 4 on 'The Right to Adequate Food and to Clean Sufficient Water' (pp. 113- 138.)

Impact on the work of the United Nations:

Sigrun’s book The Human Rights Obligations of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund was referred to in paragraph 46 of the following document: UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Right to Development, High Level Task force on the implementation of the right to development, Sixth session Geneva, 14th-22nd January 2010, Implementation Of The Recommendations Of The Working Group On The Right To Development, Endorsed By The Human Rights Council In Resolution 12/23: Right To Development Criteria and Corresponding Operational Sub-Criteria 'Bringing Theory into Practice: Operational Criteria for Assessing the implementation of the Right to Development', Maria Green and Susan Randolf. UN Doc. A/HRC/15/WG.2/TF/CRP.5, 14th January 2010.

Sigrun’s chapter 'The Position of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the Human Rights Field' in An Introduction to the International Protection of Human Rights: A Textbook, eds. Hanski, Raija & Markku Suksi (Turku/Abo, Institute for Human Rights, Abo Akademi, 1999), p. 231-251, was cited in footnote 39 in UN, General Assembly, Human Rights Council; Promotion And Protection Of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social And Cultural Rights, Including The Right To Development 'Report of the independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, Cephas Lumina.' UN Doc. A/HRC/11/10, 3rd April 2009.

Sigrun’s book The Human Rights Obligations of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund was cited in footnote 23 of the following document: UN Commission on Human Rights; Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 'The Right to Food' Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Jean Ziegler. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/47, 24th January 2005.

On the basis of the work Sigrun had done on the human rights obligations of the World Bank and the IMF, she was asked to prepare a concept paper for the Expert seminar on 'Human Rights and Poverty', convened by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.  She also served as Rapporteur for the meeting.  She later assisted in the drafting of a Resolution adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights, 2002.

View Sigrun's full profile.

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