Rosa Freedman

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+44 (0) 118 378 7507
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Professor of Law Conflict and Global Development
- Research Division Lead
- REF Co-Lead
Areas of interest
Professor Freedman researches on the United Nations, and has a number of interests within that area: human rights bodies, creation and implementation of international human rights law, human rights of vulnerable groups (with specific focus on women's rights, SOGI rights, and freedom of religion/belief), accountability for human rights abuses committed by UN actors, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse in conflict and crisis zones, and the intersection between international law and international relations.
Rosa has published extensively on the United Nations Human Rights Council and on the United Nations Special Procedures system, as well as on the Haiti Cholera Claims and on sexual exploitation and abuse committed by peacekeeping personnel and humanitarian actors. She fuses doctrinal and empirical research methods, and she deploys interdisciplinary lenses to inform and underpin her findings and analysis. Her work has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, and the Society of Legal Scholars.
Rosa joined the University of Reading as the inaugural Chair of Law, Conflict and Global Development and the Director of the Global Development Division, having previously taught at Birmingham Law School and at Queen Mary University of London. She is a Research Fellow at the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. Rosa hold various advisory positions, including being a member of the UN Secretary-General's Civil Society Advisory Board on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, a member of the FCDO Steering Committee on the Global Framework, and the Civil Society Workstream Lead on the Prevention Project. Rosa works with a broad range of stakeholders, including international organisations, national governments, and civil society actors, and is regularly invited to provide expertise to those actors. She frequently appears in appears in print, online, radio, TV and documentary media.
Teaching
Rosa currently teaches on the following modules:
- Criminal Law
- Disaster Risk Management
- Dissertation
- Gender and Law
- Human Rights Law, Policy, and Practice
- Land Law
- International Human Rights Law
- Research Writing Credit
Rosa is currently supervising seven PhD students, including co-supervision with colleagues from Archaeology, International Development, and International Relations.
Research centres and groups
Publications
- Auchmuty, R. and Freedman, R. (2023) Sex and gender in law. In: Sullivan, A. and Todd, S. , (eds.) Sex and Gender: A Contemporary Reader. Routledge ISBN: 9781032261201
- Freedman, R. and Gordon, S. (2022) Civil society and the UN human rights system. In: Ramcharan, B. , Brett, R. , Clark, A. , Parker, P. , (eds.) The Protection Roles of Human Rights NGOs. International Studies in Human Rights Brill (140). pp. 132-148. ISBN: 9789004516779 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004516786_009
- Freedman, R. and Auchmuty, R. (2022) Die Wahl der Geschlechtsidentität untergräbt den Feminismus. Schweizer Monat , 1092 (66). ISSN: 0036-7400
- Broecker, C. and Freedman, R. (2022) Office of the high commissioner for human rights. In: Binder, C. , Nowak, M. , Hofbauer, J. , Janig, P. , (eds.) Elgar Encyclopedia of Human Rights. Edward Elgar ISBN: 9781789903614 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4337/9781789903621.office.high.commissioner.human.rights
- Lemay-Hébert, N. and Freedman, R. (2021) Appraising the socio-economic turn in reparations: transitional justice for Cholera victims in Haiti. International Journal of Transitional Justice ISSN: 1752-7716 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijab020
- Freedman, R. , Lemay-Hebert, N. , Monroy-Santander, L. (2021) Seeking justice for the victims of cholera in Haiti: framing the reparations debate through transitional justice. Human Rights Quarterly , 43 (3). pp. 567-585. ISSN: 0275-0392 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2021.0040
- Freedman, R. and Gordon, S. (2021) An international law perspective on the challenges confronting the Human Rights Council. In: von Arnauld, A. , von der Decken, K. , Matz-Lück, N. , (eds.) German Yearbook of International Law. Duncker & Humblot
- Freedman, R. , Lemay-Hebert, N. , Wills, S. (2021) The law and practice of peacekeeping: foregrounding human rights. Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9781108763776 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108763776
- Freedman, R. (2020) Transnational engagements: cultural and religious practices related to menstruation. In: Maharaj, T. and Winkler, I. , (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Springer pp. 163-174. ISBN: 9789811506147 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_15
- Freedman, R. (2020) The council and commission on human rights. In: Mégret, F. and Alston, P. , (eds.) The United Nations and Human Rights: A Critical Appraisal. Oxford University Press ISBN: 9780198298373
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2020) The Security Council in practice: Haiti, cholera, and the elected members of the United Nations Security Council. Leiden Journal of International Law , 33 (1). pp. 157-176. ISSN: 1478-9698 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0922156519000633
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2019) Between a rock and a hard place – immunities of the United Nations and human rights. In: Ruys, T. , Angelet, N. , Ferro, L. , (eds.) The Cambridge Handbook of Immunities and International Law. Cambridge University Press pp. 579-594. ISBN: 9781108283632 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108283632.029
- Freedman, R. and Houghton, R. (2019) Dissecting the institution: A response to Jan Klabbers. In: Fassbender, B. and Traisbech, K. , (eds.) The Limits of Human Rights. Oxford University Press pp. 167-174. ISBN: 9780198824763
- Blakemore, S. and Freedman, R. (2019) Safeguarding in conflict and crisis. Forced Migration Review (61). pp. 52-55. ISSN: 1460-9819
- Blakemore, S. , Freedman, R. , Lemay-Hébert, N. (2019) Child safeguarding in a peacekeeping context: lessons from Liberia. Development in Practice , 29 (6). pp. 735-747. ISSN: 1364-9213 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2019.1614148
- Freedman, R. and O'Donoghue, A. (2018) United Nations Gender Network: United Nations policy proposal on gender equality and parity. United Nations Gender Network | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3114056
- Freedman, R. , O'Donoghue, A. , Doherty, S. (2018) UN gender network workshop III: report. United Nations Gender Network | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3106897
- Freedman, R. , Blakemore, S. , Dressler, A. , Lemay-Hébert, N. (2018) Safeguarding children from UN peacekeeper sexual exploitation and abuse in Haiti. University of Reading
- Freedman, R. , Blakemore, S. , Dressler, A. , Lemay-Hébert, N. (2018) Safeguarding children from UN peacekeeper sexual exploitation and abuse in Uruguay. University of Reading
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2018) Hydridity. In: Di Leo, J. , (eds.) The Bloomsbury Handbook of Literary and Cultural Theory. Bloomsbury pp. 521-522. ISBN: 9781350012806
- Freedman, R. (2018) UNaccountable: a new approach to peacekeepers and sexual abuse. European Journal of International Law , 29 (3). pp. 961-985. ISSN: 1464-3596 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chy039
- Freedman, R. , O'Donoghue, A. , Doherty, S. (2017) United Nations gender network: second workshop report. United Nations Gender Network
- O'Donoghue, A. and Freedman, R. (2017) United Nations gender network: first workshop report. United Nations Gender Network | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2990391
- Freedman, R. , Blakemore, S. , Barker, C. (2017) Safeguarding children from UN peacekeeper sexual exploitation and abuse in Liberia. University of Reading
- Freedman, R. and Houghton, R. (2017) Two steps forward, one step back: politicisation of the Human Rights Council. Human Rights Law Review , 17 (4). pp. 753-769. ISSN: 1744-1021 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/hrlr/ngx027
- Lemay-Hebert, N. and Freedman, R. , eds. (2017) Hybridity: Law, culture and development. Routledge pp 320. ISBN: 9781138673427
- Nolan, A. , Freedman, R. , Murphy, T. (2017) The United Nations Special Procedures system. Brill pp 472. ISBN: 9789004304697 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004304703
- Freedman, R. and Lottholtz, P. (2017) Peace as a hybrid human right: a new way to realise human rights, or entrenching their systematic failure?. In: Lemay-Hébert, N. and Freedman, R. , (eds.) Hybridity: Law, Culture and Development . Routledge ISBN: 9781138673427
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2017) Critical hybridity: exploring cultural, legal and political pluralism. In: Lemay-Hebert, N. and Freedman, R. , (eds.) Hybridity: Law, Culture and Development. Routledge , Abingdon. pp. 3-14. ISBN: 9781138673427
- Freedman, R. and Crepeau, F. (2017) Supporting or resisting? The relationship between global north states and special procedures. In: Nolan, A. , Freedman, R. , Murphy, T. , (eds.) The United Nations Special Procedures System. Nottingham Studies on Human Rights Brill ISBN: 9789004304697
- Nolan, A. , Freedman, R. , Murphy, T. (2017) The United Nations Special Procedures system: introduction. In: Nolan, A. , Freedman, R. , Murphy, T. , (eds.) The United Nations Special Procedures System. Nottingham Studies on Human Rights Brill ISBN: 9789004304697
- Freedman, R. and Mchangama, J. (2016) Expanding or diluting Human Rights? The proliferation of United Nations Special Procedures mandates. Human Rights Quarterly , 38 (1). pp. 164-193. ISSN: 1085-794X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2016.0012
- Freedman, R. (2016) UN-Accountable? A response to Devika Hovell. AJIL Unbound , 110
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2015) Towards an alternative interpretation of U.N. immunity: a human rights-based approach to the Haiti cholera Case. QIL - Questions of International Law , Zoom-in (19). pp. 5-18. ISSN: 2284-2969
- Freedman, R. and Lemay-Hebert, N. (2015) ”Jistis ak reparasyon pou tout viktim kolera MINUSTAH”: the United Nations and the right to health in Haiti . Leiden Journal of International Law , 28 (3). pp. 507-527. ISSN: 1478-9698 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0922156515000278
- Freedman, R. (2015) Hybrid human rights. In: Jackson, P. , (eds.) Handbook of international security and development . Edward Elgar , Cheltenham. pp. 386-401. ISBN: 9781781955529
- Freedman, R. (2014) Third generation’ rights: is there room for hybrid constructs within International Human Rights Law?. Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law , 2 (4). pp. 935-959. ISSN: 2050-1714 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.7574/cjicl.02.04.134
- Freedman, R. (2014) UN immunity or impunity? A human rights based challenge. European Journal of International Law , 25 (1). pp. 239-254. ISSN: 1464-3596 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ejil/cht082
- Freedman, R. (2014) Failing to protect: the UN and the politicisation of human rights. Hurst & Company , London. pp 238. ISBN: 9781849044103
- Freedman, R. (2013) The UN Human Rights Council: a critique and early assessment . Routledge , London. pp 332. ISBN: 9780415640329
- Freedman, R. (2012) The United Nations Human Rights Council: More of the same?. Wisconsin Journal of International Law , 31 (2). pp. 209-251.
- Freedman, R. (2011) New Mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council. Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights , 29 (3). pp. 289-323.
- Heinze, E. and Freedman, R. (2010) Public Awareness of Human Rights: Distortions in the Mass Media. International Journal of Human Rights , 14 (4). pp. 491-523.
- Freedman, R. (2010) The United States and the Human Rights Council: an early assessment. St Thomas Law Review , 23 (1). pp. 23-70.
- Freedman, R. (2009) Improvement on the Commission?: The UN Human Rights Council’s Inaction on Darfur. University of California-Davis Journal of International Law & Policy , 16 (1). pp. 81-129.