"Human Rights" Journal

Starting with the years 1998-1999, Romania began to face a social phenomenon with deep criminal connotations – human trafficking. The Romanian authorities reacted, and in 2001 they adopted a law designed to define the phenomenon, punish the culprits and create the institutional card designed to assist victims of human trafficking. Law 678 of 2001 is an important document from the perspective of combating and preventing the phenomenon of human trafficking. After almost a quarter of a century, we are far from having eradicated this phenomenon. In a continuous change, human trafficking continues to affect both persons from the vulnerable groups as well as those who do not belong to vulnerable categories. It is a phenomenon that does not take into account ethnic social affiliation, gender identity, or age of individuals. Due to its emotional consequences, health and well-being, respect for human rights, human trafficking represents one of the most serious phenomena of organised crime.

Romania provides a legislative framework to respond to the real need for protection and defence of children who become victims of abuse in various environments, such as family, foster/residential homes, school or community, yet local authorities do not react uniformly or react late to defend children. An analysis carried out at national level on how the General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection (GDSACP) manage the 119 – Child helpline service. At the same time, we studied the reaction of children, victims and adults who have reported an incident, trusting the 119 helpline. At the same time, we tried to highlight the support offered, by a public institution, to Romanian minors who called the child helpline as victims of abuse.

Membership of a particular generation can be a significant indicator in guiding activities that involve sustained inter-human collaboration, such as those carried out in the education system. The skills training and humanistic values education activities in formal education are thus geared to meet the specific developmental needs of Generation Z students.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made an important decision in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and others v. Switzerland, looking at the effects of the climate crisis on the right to private and family life. This decision is significant in the context of the international debate on climate change and the recognition of the right to a healthy environment, an issue also highlighted by the UN General Assembly in 2022. The Court acknowledged the complexity of the climate change problem and stressed that it requires international collaboration. It also underlined the obligation of states to establish and implement a robust legislative and administrative framework to protect human health and lives from the effects of climate change. The decision is an important step in the recognition of the impact of climate change on human rights and underlines the need for effective action by States to protect citizens from these effects.

The review aims to outline the structural elements and content particularities of the work Treatise on Human Rights. The absolute originality, the meticulous presentation of scientific information and the formulation of interpretative scenarios of possible future developments in the field of human rights recommend the work as a fundamental landmark of Romanian doctrine. The review also aims to present the features of the Treatise on Human Rights on the basis of which it stands out as a seminal work of discipline at the level of Romanian legal research in the field. Bringing together under the umbrella of a single work the theoretical aspects (the definitional, principal, ideological and axiological framework of human rights) and practical aspects (analysis of jurisprudence, existing and emerging issues raised by artificial intelligence, the exploration of outer space or the interaction between human rights and animal rights) demonstrates the unique character of the work Treatise on Human Rights.

The guidelines formulated in this document provide a comprehensive set of recommendations for decision-makers and legislators, indicating methods to improve the legislative process to address modern lawmaking challenges and to promote openness, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and participation at all stages of the legislative cycle. These principles are an effective tool to ensure that legislative processes and adopted legislation adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law, are human rights compliant, accessible, non-discriminatory, gender-responsive, and attentive to the needs of diverse social groups.

The publication focuses on a range of human rights issues, reviewing recent developments in areas such as non-discrimination, violence, family law, healthcare, LGBT rights, asylum and employment. The authors of the Report find that access to certain spaces based on gender categories (such as gender discrimination in the sports field) is a topic that often turns into hostile public debates. Those aspects with a specific impact on trans people and their rights, inclusive national programs, sex education programs and the criminalisation of sex work are reviewed. Examples of best practices and policies in the area of ensuring expression and gender identity are also tackled.

“EU Citizenship Law” by Niamh Nic Shuibhne explores the legal framework and developments shaping European Union citizenship. The 640-page book emphasizes the value of solidarity, examining how EU citizenship promotes cooperation and mutual assistance among Member States to address shared challenges and build a cohesive Union. Key topics include the balance between solidarity and financial responsibility, evolving interpretations by the EU Court, and the impact on social cohesion and integration. Concluding with a reflection on EU citizenship's imperfect yet extraordinary nature, Shuibhne underscores its potential to enhance legal protections and uphold European values. This comprehensive work is an essential resource for law students and practitioners across the EU and those aspiring to membership.