This collection of commentaries by experts in the science and human rights interface provides a variety of perspectives and additional context on the ISC’s ‘interpretation of the right to participate in and benefit from science‘ – an important milestone for the advancement of rights and obligations associated with science.
Human rights investigators have historically been the vanguard for democratizing newly accessible scientific advances – from forensic anthropology to identify victims of genocide, to genetic identification of missing persons, to satellite imagery analysis of mass atrocities, to computational analysis of massive data sets to document forced labor. For many years, the idea of “science in the service of human rights” has motivated scientific associations to build volunteer programs, universities to establish science and human rights centers, and launched new approaches to human rights evidence that have made profound impacts.
By centering the right to participate in science, and then describing what that means in practice, the ISC’s interpretation moves away from service, which unfortunately was sometimes seen through a “savior” lens, to the kinds of partnerships that were always at the heart of the best examples of science and human rights collaborations. True participation builds understanding through co-creating the research questions and methodology and then carrying the study out together. Participatory human rights-based research prioritizes those who are most vulnerable and their needs for new findings. Properly framed human rights research questions can define the common good and separate it from partisan agendas.
For many years, scientists engaged in human rights-related research have called for professional standards and codes of conduct that highlight participation on science, but too often human rights are seen as “service” rather than research. This is yet another way of defining “service” as something set aside from one’s primary research. The ISC’s guidance places human rights squarely within the scope of scientific responsibility and, if taken up by scientific societies and national academies of science, has the potential to change professional expectations for the better.
Theresa Harris, Program Director, AAAS Center for Scientific Responsibility and Justice, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC USA.
The International Science Council (ISC) has released its interpretation of the “right to participate in and benefit from science,” providing a clear framework for understanding this fundamental right.
The interpretation outlines the key obligations and responsibilities required to ensure universal access to science and scientific knowledge, while emphasizing the protection of scientific freedoms and the promotion of education. Aligned with the ISC’s Principles of Freedom and Responsibility in Science, it reinforces the vision of science as a Global Public Good.
The Right to Science
The International Science Council believes that there is a universal human right to participate in and enjoy the benefits of science, and that it is a responsibility of governments to create and sustain the opportunities of citizens to use this right.
The Right to ScienceDisclaimer
The information, opinions and recommendations presented in our guest blogs are those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the values and beliefs of the International Science Council
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