Dr. Ragnhildur Helgadóttir, Professor of constitutional law, is the third lecturer in the 2018 RIKK – Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference & UNU-GEST – United Nations University Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme – 2018 spring term lecture series. Her lecture is titled “Human Dignity in Icelandic Law” and will take place on Thursday, 8^th of February, from 12.00-13.00, in the National Museum’s lecture hall.

Ragnhildur is the Dean of the School of Law at Reykjavik University. She is a cand. jur. LL.M and S.J.D. from the University of Virginia. Her main research areas are constitutional law, administrative law and social security law.

The concept of “human dignity” is not frequently found in Icelandic law and there is no mention of it in the constitution. Human dignity is however considered fundamental in constitutional law, i.a. on the basis international conventions, and therefore an important main rule in Icelandic law. This is evident in parliamentary documents on the constitutional bill and in execution. As such, it matters when other rules are interpreted.

The RIKK/UNU-GEST lecture series at the spring term 2018 are dedicated to the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human rights, but year 2018 marks its 70^th anniversary. The declaration has emphasis on gender equality and women’s rights. The objective with the lecture series is to raise awareness of the value that human rights offer as a tool to tackle persistent gender disparities and address factors that perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality.

The RIKK & UNU-GEST lecture series in the spring semester 2018 is held in collaboration with The National Museum of Iceland.

The lecture is in English, open to everyone and admission is free.

The event is on Facebook!