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Prof. Dr. Eva Brems

Professor of Human Rights Law

  • Academic Title Prof. Dr.
  • Email eva.brems[@]ugent.be
  • Phone +32 (0)9 264 69 11 (HRC Secretariat)
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Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' Bio

Prof. Dr. Eva Brems joined the Ghent University Law Faculty in September 2000 as the first holder of the then newly created chair of Human Rights Law. Before that, she studied law at the University of Namur (Bachelor, 1989), the University of Leuven (Master, 1992) and Harvard University (LL.M., 1995). She was a PhD Researcher at the University of Leuven (1995 – 1999) and a Lecturer at Maastricht University (1999 – 2000). At Ghent University, she founded the Human Rights Centre.

Eva’s research interests cover most areas of human rights law in European and international law as well as in Belgian and comparative law, with a particular emphasis on the protection of the rights of non-dominant groups and individuals. She has a keen interest in multi- and interdisciplinary research.

Eva has been an activist in the board of several Belgian human rights NGOs, including as the Chair of the Flemish section Amnesty International (2006 – 2010), and she was briefly active in politics as a Member of the Belgian Federal Chamber of Representatives (2010 – 2014).

Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' Publications

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Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' Professional Positions

  • Head of the Human Rights Centre
  • Since 1 June 2014: Hoogleraar (full professor) 100% of Human Rights Law, Ghent University, Belgium
  • Guest professor at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, 2017-2021
  • 1 October 2010 – 1 June 2014: Hoogleraar (full professor) 50% of Human Rights Law, Ghent University, Belgium
  • 2009 – 2014: European Research Council Starting Grant holder
  • July 2010 – May 2014: Member of the Belgian federal Parliament
  • 1 October 2008 – 1 October 2010: Hoofddocent 100%, of Human Rights Law and non-Western Law, Ghent University, Belgium
  • October 2005 – September 2007: Docent (100%) of Human Rights Law and non-Western Law, Ghent University, Belgium
  • October 2000 – September 2005: Docent (First rank of Professor) of Human Rights Law (40%), Ghent University, Belgium
  • October 2001 – September 2005: Post-Doctoral Researcher, FWO (Research Foundation – Flanders) at Human Rights Centre, Ghent University
  • October 1999 – September 2001. Research Assistant (20%), Institute of Constitutional Law, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
  • September 1999 – December Lecturer of Constitutional and Administrative Law, in particular Comparative Administrative Law, University of Maastricht, Netherlands
  • October 1995 – August 1999. Doctoral Researcher, Fellow of Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (Research Foundation – Flanders), at the Institute for Human Rights, Law Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
  • September 1992 – June 1994. Project Researcher, Law Department Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, project “Burger en Rechtsbescherming” (“Citizens and Judicial Protection”): Modelcode beginselen algemeen procesrecht (Model Code of Principles of General Procedural Law). Supervisors: prof. P. Van Orshoven and prof. P. Lemmens

Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' Education

University Degrees

  • Graduate Studies: Law School
  • Candidature en droit: Facultés Universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix (FUNDP), Namur, 1989: magna cum laude
  • licentie rechtsgeleerdheid: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven) 1992: magna cum laude
  • Master of Laws: Harvard Law School, U.S.A., 1994 – 1995 as Van Waeyenbergh fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation
  • D. in Law: Doctor in de Rechten: KU Leuven, 29 October 1999. Thesis: “Human Rights: Universality and Diversity”. Supervisor: Prof. Paul Lemmens

Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' Other Activities

  • Member of selection panel ‘Law & Criminology’ of FWO (Research Fund Flanders) 2018
  • Member of the Human Rights Policy Committee, Ghent University
  • Member of the ‘Scholars at Risk’ Steering Group, Ghent University
  • Executive Committee member and chair of the roundtable committee, International Association of Constitutional Law
  • Board member, Plan International Belgium
  • Member of the Honorary Council, Vereniging voor de Verenigde Naties
  • Member of the Errera Council for advice on foreign affairs to the Flemish adminstration

Involvement in law journals

  • Member of the editorial board, Revue trimestrielle des droits de l’homme
  • Member of the editorial board, ECHR law review
  • Member of the editorial board, L’Europe des Libertés/Europe of Rights and Freedoms”
  • Member of the editorial board, European Journal of Human Rights/Journal Européen des Droits de l’Homme
  • Member of the editorial board, Tijdschrift voor Bestuurswetenschappen en Publiekrecht
  • Member of the editorial board, Belgian Review of International Law
  • Member of the editorial board, Tegenspraak
  • Member of the advisory board, Human Rights Quarterly
  • Member of the advisory board, International Journal of Children’s Rights
  • Member of the advisory board, Journal of Constitutional Law (Turkey)
  • Member of the advisory board, Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies
Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' work details
  • Contact Hours: On appointment
  • Visiting Address: Paddenhoek 5, 1st floor, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
  • Postal Address: Ghent University, Campus Aula, Human Rights Centre, Universiteitstraat 4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Prof. Dr. Eva Brems' expertise
  • Integrated and cross-cutting perspectives on international human rights law
  • Legal reasoning in the European Court of Human Rights case law
  • Universality and diversity in human rights law
  • Human rights and tradition-based law/legal pluralism
  • Human rights of specific groups (women, children, minorities…)

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