Prof Michael O'Flaherty BCL, BPH, STB, MA, MPhil, Solicitor,FRSA
Contact Details
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Biography:
| Professor Michael O'Flaherty was appointed as Established Professor of Human Rights Law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights in February 2013. He is also Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). While in post at the NIHRC he is on a partial leave of absence from the university with Professor Ray Murphy serving as co-director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights. From 2004-2012, Professor O’Flaherty was a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, latterly as a Vice-Chairperson. He is a member of the UK government's advisory bodies on freedom of expression and the prevention of torture. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. He sits on the advisory boards of numerous human rights groups and journals internationally. He read law at University College Dublin, theology and philosophy at the Gregorian University, Rome, international relations at the University of Amsterdam and is a Solicitor of the Irish Courts. Professor O'Flaherty was the principal drafter of the General Comment of the Human Rights Committee on the freedoms of opinion and expression (General Comment 34, adopted in 2011). He was also rapporteur for the development of the Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law with regard to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (the Yogyakarta Principles). He initiated and directed the opening and closing expert consultations of the Dublin Process on the Strengthening of the UN Human Rights Treaty Body System and was rapporteur for its Dublin Outcome Document. He was a member of the UN Expert Task Force on Human Rights Indicators that concluded its work in 2012. Professor O'Flaherty's recent publications include volumes on the law and practice of human rights field operations, the professionalization of human rights field work and on human rights diplomacy. Professor O’Flaherty came to NUI Galway from the University of Nottingham where he was Professor of Applied Human Rights and Co-director of the Human Rights Law Centre. Previously he held a number of senior posts at the United Nations.. He established the UN human rights field missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994) and Sierra Leone (1998) and subsequently guided UN headquarters support to its human rights programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. He has served as Secretary of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and UN human rights advisor for implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. From 2000 to 2002 he chaired the UN reference group on human rights and humanitarian action. |
Books
| O'Flaherty, M (with K. Fitzpatrick) (2012) NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS, BACKGROUND PAPER AND REPORT OF THE11TH ASEM SEMINAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS. Prague/Singapore: ASEM. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2002) Human Rights and the UN: Practice Before the Treaty Bodies. UK: Kluwer. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1996) Human Rights and the UN, Practice Before the Treaty Bodies. UK: Sweet and Maxwell. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. with Liz Heffernan (1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: International Human Rights Law in Ireland. UK: Brehon/Sweet and Maxwell. [Details] |
Book Chapters
| O'Flaherty, M. (2013) 'Human Rights Field Operations' In: N. Rodley and S. Sheeran (eds). ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW. UK: Routledge. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2013) 'The Interim Measures Practice of the Human Rights Committee' In: Y. Haeck et al (eds). INTERIM MEASURES PROTECTION IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW. UK: OUP. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2013) 'United Nations High Commissioners for Human Rights: Their Engagement with the Human Rights Treaty Bodies' In: F. Gaer (eds). THE UNITEFD NATIONA HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. Netherlands: Nijhof. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (with P.L. Tsai) (2011) 'Periodic Reporting: The Backbone of the UN Treaty Body Review Procedures' In: M. Cherif Bassiouni and W.A. Schabas (eds). NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS MACHINERY. UK: Intersentia. [Details] |
| O’Flaherty, M. (2011) 'The United Nations Treaty Bodies as Diplomatic Actors' In: M.O’Flaherty el (eds). HUMAN RIGHTS DIPLOMACY: Contemporary Perspectives. Netherlands: Brill. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2011) 'Sexual Orientation and Human Rights' In: D. Moeckli, S. Shat et al (eds). International Human Rights Law. UK: Oxford. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (with G. Ulrich) (2010) 'Introduction' In: THE PROFESSIONAL IDENITY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OFFICER. UK: Ashgate. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2009) 'The Human Rights Field Operation' In: G. Alfreddson, G. Melander, B. Ramcharan (eds). Festschrift for Jacob Muller Second Edition. Netherlands: Nijhof. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2009) 'The Sierra Leone Peace Process Examined' In: E. Babbitt and E. Lutz (eds). HUMAN RIGHTS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN CONTEXT. USA: Syracuse University Press. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2005) 'Future Protection of Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies: the role of the United Nations' In: N. White and D. Klassen (eds). The United Nations and Human Rights: Protection and Post-conflict Situations. UK: Manchester University Press. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2005) 'We Are Failing the Victims of War' In: B. Ramcharan (eds). Human Rights Protection in the Field. Netherlands: Martinus Nijhof. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) 'Treaty Bodies responding to States of Emergency' In: J. Crawford and P. Alston (eds). The Future of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring. UK: Cambridge. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) 'The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina' In: G. Alfreddson, G. Melander, B. Ramcharan (eds). Festschrift for Jacob Muller. Netherlands: Kluwer. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1998) 'Bosnia and Herzegovina' In: A. Henkin (eds). Honoring Human Rights; From Peace to Justice. New York: Aspen Institute. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1998) 'The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, The Substantive Provisions' In: S. Pritchard (eds). Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations. Australia: Sydney. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1997) 'The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as and Implementation Agency' In: M. Mc Ewen (eds). Anti-Discrimination Law Enforcement: A Comparative Perspective. UK: Aldershot. [Details] |
Edited Books
| O'Flaherty, M. (with Z. Kedzia, et al.) (Ed.). (2011) HUMAN RIGHTS DIPLOMACY: CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES. Netherlands: Brill. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (with G. Ulrich) (Ed.). (2010) THE PROFESSIONAL IDENITY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OFFICER. UK: Ashgate. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M (Ed.). (2007) The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice. UK: Ashgate. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (with G. Gisvold) (Ed.). (1998) Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Netherlands: Martinus Nijhof. [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M (Ed.). (1998) Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina - From Theory to Practice. UK: Kluwer. [Details] |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| O'Flaherty, M. (2009) 'The Professionalization of Human Rights Field Work'. Journal of Human Rights Practice, . [Details] |
Other Item
| O'Flaherty, M. (2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 86 Views of the Human Rights Committee under the ICCPR Optional Protocol. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2013) Principal author (Rapporteur): 40 Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee on State Party Periodic Reports under article 40 ICCPR. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2012) The Application for African States of the UN Human Rights Enforcement and Protection Systems, Think Africa Press. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2012) Human Rights, Freedom of Expression and General Comment 34 of the Human Rights Committee, Human Rights Law Review. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2011) Introductory and Advanced Human Rights Training Manuals for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2011) General Comment Number 34, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, United Nations Human Rights Committee, UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/34. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2010) Annotations to the Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Operations, on line publication. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2010) International Treaty Body Reform Should Protect Human Rights on the Ground, Human Rights Law Resource Centre Bulletin 51. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2010) The Dublin Statement on the Process of Strengthening of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, 28 (1). Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2010) Annotations to the Yogyakarta Principles, on-line publication. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2009) RULE OF LAW TOOLS FOR POST-CONFLICT STATES: MATIONAL CONSULTATIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE, United Nations. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2008) Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualizing the Yogyakarta Principles, with John Fisher, Human Rights Law Review. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2008) REFORM OF THE PERIODIC REPORTING PROCEDURES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, United Nations. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. with Claire O’Brien (2007) The Reform of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies: A Critique of the High Commissioner’s Concept Paper, Human Rights Law Review. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) Sierra Leone Research Paper, in the collaborative research project, Negotiating Justice? Human Rights and Peace Agreements, International Council on Human Rights Policy, 2006, at: www.ichr.org - See also, the hard copy synthesis report, Negotiating Justice? Human Rights and Peace Agreements, ICHR. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) The Human Rights Field Operation in Partnership for Humanitarian Relief and reconstruction, in, The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice, op cit. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) Towards the Integration of Concluding Observations of United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies: The Rights-based Approach Model, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) The Concluding Observations of Human Rights Treaty Bodies, Human Rights Law Review. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) Human Rights Field Operations: An Introductory Analysis, in The Human Rights Field Operation, Law, Theory and Practice, op cit. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) The Sierra Leone Special Court: Undermining Possibilities for Partnerships Between Human Rights and Humanitarian Operations, with K. Turner; Humanitarian Exchange, Number 23. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2006) Manuals and Related Training Tools for the Iraq Human Rights Ministry. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2005) Human Rights Training Module for Senior UN Field Managers. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2005) United Nations Human Rights Guidelines for Humanitarian Coordinators, sole author, drafted in 2005, adopted as UN policy in 2006. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2005) Human Rights Manual of the Iraq Human Rights Ministry. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2004) Human Rights Field Operations; Challenges for the UN, Disarmament Forum. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2004) The Role of the Human Rights Community in the Sierra Leone Peace Process, Human Rights Quarterly. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2003) Developments in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Forum. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) The Reporting Procedure of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, in idem. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) The Individual Complaints Procedures under the Convention Against Torture and the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, in idem. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) Report on the Conference on Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Theory to Practice, in Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina - From Theory to Practice, op cit. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) International Human Rights Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (2000) Human Rights Treaty Bodies and the Former Yugoslavia, in, Post-war Protection of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, op cit. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1998) Human Rights for Legal Practitioners, Law Society of Ireland, 1994, 1995, and 1998. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1998) DOING JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT, REDRESS, London. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1995) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, A Guide for Preparation of Independent Submissions, Irish Commission for Justice and Peace, Dublin (1991), Costa Rica and Australia (1992), Russian Federation (1995). Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1994) The Reporting Obligation under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Lessons Learned from the Consideration by the Human Rights Committee of Ireland’s First Report, Human Rights Quarterly, 16. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1993) Ireland Before the UN Human Rights Committee, Irish Law Times. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1992) Towards Effective Engagement of the United Nations Human Rights Protection Systems, Irish Law Times. Other Item [Details] |
| O'Flaherty, M. (1991) The International Protection of Human Rights and the Legal Practitioner, Irish Law Times. Other Item [Details] |
Report
| O'Flaherty, M. (2011) Speaking Up - Promoting Adolescents Right to Freedom of Expression, UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report. Report [Details] |