Black Lives Matter and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set the scene for a discussion organised by the College of Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).
The event on Racism, Sustainability and the Law drew on legal practices and principles to explain why eliminating racism is essential to developing sustainable societies as envisioned by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Guest speakers addressed how stakeholders in the public and private sectors can achieve the SDGs by protecting the fundamental dignity of all members of society.
The expert speakers were from diverse backgrounds, including Dr Amal al-Malki, founding dean of HBKU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She was joined by Dean Adrien Wing, associate dean for International and Comparative Law Programmes and the Bessie Dutton Murray Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. A private sector perspective was provided by Deborah Majoras, chief legal officer and secretary for The Procter & Gamble Company. The lecture was chaired by Dr Damilola Olawuyi, College of Law associate professor who is an expert on legal aspects of the SDGs.
Dr Olawuyi provided substantive remarks at the outset of the session that put the SDGs in their appropriate legal context.
Susan L Karamanian, dean of the College of Law, said, “The timing of this event could not have been more appropriate. Black Lives Matter has prompted lively discussions about racism and efforts to tackle racial inequality. Equality and dignity are defining features of the SDGs.
Not only did our panellists effectively join the dots between two seemingly contrasting initiatives, they also reminded us of the equally important role that public and private sector stakeholders have in creating fair and just societies.”
Against the backdrop of the webinar, Dr al-Malki commented that “racism is one of the first epidemics that have plagued humanity. Created and circulated by humans and perpetuated by systems they have established to build false sense of prominence of some, and dominance over others.
from Gulf Times https://ift.tt/2Rt1DYk
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