This week's guest is Meetali Jain, an international human rights lawyer and Legal Director at Avaaz. We discuss what disinformation is, how it spreads and whether it can be stopped.  This podcast is the first in a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton. We are grateful to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for a grant through their Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression (#SAIFE) project to support this series. For more resources and show notes go to www.beterhumanpodcast.com

Better Human Podcast

41 - Social media disinformation in the age of Covid

41 - Social media disinformation in a pandemic

This is the latest in my attempts to explain how the Covid-19 regulations work in England. I focus on Christmas Linked Households gatherings which are permitted in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 but not 4. In the second half I am joined by Dr Xand van Tulleken who discusses how to keep as safe as possible over Christmas. Most of this podcast is also available as a video on YouTube (where you can follow along with the regulations) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSDmC5E9TKg  Show notes available at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

40 - Tier 4 and Christmas Linked Households regulations explained

The Covid-19 pandemic helped expose inhumane working practices at garment factories in Leicester, including inhuman conditions and low pay. What can we learn about the human rights duties of businesses from this sorry saga? I am joined by Krishnendu Mukherjee, barrister and Indian advocate. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

39 - The Leicester garment factory scandal

On 5 November, England is entering its second lockdown. In this video, I explain the complex new rules and how you can avoid getting a fine of up to £10,000 for breaching them.   I have also put this up as a video podcast where you can follow along with the text of the regulations - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnCWpoUr6oE For more resources see www.betterhumanpodcast.com   This is not legal advice!

38 - Explaining the new lockdown regulations

There is a bill going through the United Kingdom Parliament which will make it harder to prosecute soldiers for war crimes. Is it justified? How will it impact on human rights? And why now? I am joined by Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive of Freedom From Torture and David Allen Green, solicitor and legal commentator for a fascinating discussion. Show notes are at www.betterhumanpodcast.com 

37 - The plan to give soldiers immunity from prosecution for war crimes

From Monday 28 September anyone in England who breaches Covid-19 self-isolation rules is subject to fines of up to £10,000 and a potential criminal charge. The rules are complex, have been passed into law with no Parliamentary scrutiny and join an ever-growing, and ever-more-complicated, set of coronavirus laws which regulate many aspects of our lives. In this episode I explain the law and how it works. This podcast is also available in video format https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJxVenUfEzQ  Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

36 - Explaining the Covid-19 self-isolation law

Human rights can be illusory if you can't afford to claim them. For 50 years, law centres have been making human rights a reality and helping people experiencing crises to access a lawyer. In this episode, I am joined by  Peter Kandler, founder of the North Kensington Law Centre, Julie Bishop, Director of the Law Centres Network and Annie Campbell,  director of the North Kensington Law Centre. Show notes as always at www.betterhumanpodcast.com 

35 - Fifty years of law centres making human rights a reality

The government has admitted that a new Brexit bill will break international law. Its chief lawyer has resigned. Why does this matter and what, exactly, is the rule of law? I am joined by David Allen Green, lawyer and writer. You can see show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

34 - Why the rule of law matters

I am delighted to be joined again by lawyer and writer David Allen Green to discuss six months of lockdown laws, passed with almost no parliamentary scrutiny and imposing the most stringent restrictions on human rights since the Second World War. Can these be justified by even the most extreme public health crisis in decades? And if not, what is the alternative? You can read show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com.  Nothing in this podcast is intended to suggest that people should not follow government coronavirus guidance or the legal regulations. 

33 - The Covid-19 lockdown and the law (part 5)

Right now, there is widespread and systematic persecution of the over a million Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim people in Xinjiang, China, including forced 're-eduction' in concentration camps. This is surely the kind of state behaviour which the post-war human rights system was designed to prevent. So what is being done to stop it and how can human rights ideas and institutions help? I am joined by Agnès Callamard, United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and Schona Jolley Q.C., barrister and Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

32 - What is happening to the Uyghur Muslims in China?

What responsibilities do businesses have to protect human rights during the COVID-19 crisis? In the second part of this episode I am joined again by barrister Krishnendu Mukherji to discuss the Leicester garment industry revelations and how companies can prevent human misery in their supply chains during this tumultuous time. You can catch the first part here https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/30---Business-and-human-rights-eglbid and get the show notes here www.betterhumanpodcast.com

31 - Business and human rights (Part 2/2)

How can businesses help protect human rights? What is modern slavery? Is the law tough enough on companies when human rights abuses take place in their supply chain? This week I am joined by Krishnendu Mukherjee of Doughty Street Chambers and Rae Lindsay from Clifford Chance. This episode was recorded just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the U.K. Show notes including some updates from recent months are at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

30 - Business and human rights

In this episode I am joined by Katrina Ffrench, CEO of StopWatch and Matthew Ryder QC, a barrister at Matrix Chambers and formerly London's Deputy Mayor. We discuss why Black, Asian and minority ethnic people  are 54% more likely to be fined by the police under Coronavirus powers, how this fits into the bigger picture of stop and search in the UK and what impact the death of George Floyd has had on the fight against racial discrimination in the UK. You can find show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com.

29 - Racial injustice after George Floyd

The police handling of sexual violence is one of the most complex and difficult issues in our society today. Why are rape conviction rates so low? Are the police doing enough to investigate? And how can human rights laws help? This week I’m joined by Harriet Johnson, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers. This episode was recorded before coronavirus so excuse us they a couple of the references are out of date - please check betterhumanpodcast.com for the show notes.

28 - Women, sexual violence and the police

Can human rights make our societies better? This podcast explores the most important human rights issues of the day through engaging and accessible interviews with high-profile guests and straightforward guides to key concepts and key events. Presented by leading human rights lawyer Adam Wagner.

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Better Human Podcast

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