This seminar examines the contemporary challenges of human rights protection within three key systems: the United Nations treaty-based framework, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and the European Union. It begins with the United Nations system, covering Treaty-based mechanisms such as the Human Rights Committee (ICCPR) and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The course then focuses on regional human rights protection systems in Europe, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (EUCFR). Students will critically examine human rights challenges such as discrimination, and the erosion of democratic institutions, using landmark case law from international and regional bodies to ground analysis and discussion.