Sandra Fredman, FBA, KC (hon)
Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the United States
Biography
Sandra Fredman is Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the USA at Oxford University, and a professorial fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford. She was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2005 and became a QC (honoris causa) in 2012. She has written and published widely on anti-discrimination law, human rights law and labour law, including numerous peer-reviewed articles. She has authored four monographs: Comparative Human Rights (OUP, 2018); Human Rights Transformed (OUP 2008); Discrimination Law (2nd ed, OUP 2011); and Women and the Law (OUP 1997), as well as two co-authored books: The State as Employer (Mansell, 1988), with Gillian Morris, and Labour Law and Industrial Relations in Great Britain (2nd ed Kluwer, 1992) with Bob Hepple. She has also edited several books: Human Rights and Equality in Education (Policy Press, 2018, with Meghan Campbell and Helen Taylor); Discrimination and Human Rights: The Case of Racism (OUP, 2001); and Age as an Equality Issue (Hart, 2003 with Sarah Spencer). She was awarded a three year Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship in 2004 to further her research into socio-economic rights and substantive equality. She is South African and holds degrees from the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Oxford. She has acted as an expert adviser on equality law and labour legislation in the EU, Northern Ireland, the UK, India, South Africa, Canada, Malaysia and the UN; and is a barrister practising at Old Square Chambers. She founded the Oxford Human Rights Hub in 2012, of which she is the Director.
Publications
Van Belle J-P and others, ‘Fair work in South Africa’s gig economy: A journey of engaged scholarship’ (2023) 5 Digital Geography and Society 100064
Fredman S and others, ‘Recognizing early childhood education as a human right in international law ’ (2022) 22(4) Human Rights Law Review
Fredman S, ‘Inching Forward: Preliminary Victory for Equal Value at Tesco and Asda’ (2022) 51(1) Industrial Law Journal 166
Richter L and others, ‘Measuring and forecasting progress in education: what about early childhood?’ (2021) 6 Npj Science of Learning
Fredman S, ‘A human rights approach: the right to education in the time of COVID-19’ (2021) 92(5) Child Development e900
Fredman S and others, ‘International Regulation of Platform Labor: A Proposal for Action’ (2021) 1(1) Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society w1.1.4
FREDMAN S, CAMPBELL M and REEVES A, ‘Palliation or Protection: How Should the Right to Equality Inform the Government’s Response to Covid-19?’ (2020) 20(4) International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 183
FREDMAN S, ‘Tolerating the Intolerant: Religious Freedom, Complicity and the Right to Equality’ [2020] Oxford Journal of Law and Religion
FREDMAN S, du Toit D and GRAHAM M, ‘Towards legal regulation of platform work: Theory and practice’ [2020] Industrial Law Journal (Juta)
FREDMAN S and others, ‘Thinking out of the Box: Fair work for Platform Workers’ [2020] King’s Law Journal
Graham M and others, ‘The Fairwork Foundation: strategies for improving platform work in a global context’ (2020) 112(2020) Geoforum 100
Fredman S, ‘Reviving Indirect Discrimination: Essop v Home Office’ [2018] The UK Supreme Court Yearbook
Fredman S, ‘Reimagining power relations: hierarchies of disadvantage and affirmative action’ [2017] Acta Juridica
Fredman S, ‘Women and Poverty: A Human Rights Approach’ [2016] African Journal of International and Comparative Law
Fredman S, ‘"Substantive Equality Revisited: Rejoinder"’ [2016] International Journal of Constitutional Law.
Fredman S, ‘Substantive Equality Revisited’ [2016] International Journal of Constitutional Law
Fredman S, ‘Procedure or Principle: The Role of Adjudication in Achieving the Right to Education’ [2016] Constitutional Court Review
Fredman S, ‘The Reason Why? Unravelling Indirect Discrimination’ [2016] Industrial Law Journal
Fredman S, ‘Emerging from the Shadows: Substantive Equality and Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights’ [2016] Human Rights Law Review
Campbell M, Fredman S and Kuosmanen J, ‘Transformative Equality: Making the SDGs Work for Women’ [2016] Ethics and International Affairs
Fredman S, Kuosmanen J and Campbell M, ‘Transformative Equality: Making the Sustainable Development Goals Work for Women’ (2016) 30(2) Ethics &Amp; International Affairs 177
Fredman S, ‘The Values and the Vision: A Reply to Alan Bogg and a Personal Tribute to Lord Wedderburn’ (2015) 44(3) Industrial Law Journal 348
Fredman S, ‘Foreign fads or fashions? The role of comparativism in human rights law’ (2015) 64(03) International and Comparative Law Quarterly 631
Albertyn C and Fredman S, ‘Equality beyond dignity: Multi-dimensional equality and Justice Langa’s judgments’ [2015] Acta Juridica 430
Fredman S, ‘Reversing roles: bringing men into the frame’ (2014) 10(4) International Journal of Law in Context 442
Fredman S, ‘Addressing Disparate Impact: Indirect Discrimination and the Public Sector Equality Duty’ (2014) 43(3) Industrial Law Journal 349
Fredman S, ‘From Dialogue to Deliberation: Human Rights Adjudication and Prisoners’ Rights to Vote’ [2013] (Spring) Public Law 292
Fredman S and Fudge J, ‘The Legal Construction of Personal Work Relations and Gender’ (2013) 7 Jerusalem Review of Legal Studies (2013) 112
Fredman S, ‘Breaking the Mold: Equality as a Proactive Duty’ (2012) 60(Winter) American Journal of Comparative Law 263
Fredman S, ‘The Public Sector Equality Duty’ (2011) 40(4) Industrial Law Journal 405
Fredman S, ‘The Potential and Limits of An Equal Rights Paradigm In Addressing Poverty’ (2011) 22(3) Stellenbosch Law Review
Fredman S, ‘Positive Duties and Socio-economic Disadvantage: Bringing Disadvantage onto the Equality Agenda’ [2010] European Human Rights Law Review 290
Fredman S, ‘New Horizons: Incorporating Socio-Economic Rights in a British Bill of Rights’ [2010] Public Law 297
Fredman S, ‘Engendering Socio-economic rights’ (2009) 25 South African Journal of Human Rights 410
Fredman S, ‘Reforming Equal Pay Laws’ (2008) 37(3) Industrial Law Journal 193
Fredman S, ‘Recognition or Redistribution: Reconciling Inequalities’ (2007) 23 South African Journal of Human Rights 214
Fredman S, ‘Human Rights Transformed: Positive Duties and Positive Rights’ (2006) 2006(Autumn) Public Law 498
Fredman S, ‘Transformation or Dilution: Fundamental Rights in the EU Social Space’ (2006) 12(1) European Law Journal 41
Fredman S, ‘From Deference to Democracy: the Role of Equality under the Human Rights Act 1998’ (2006) 122(Jan) Law Quarterly Review 53
Fredman S, ‘Providing Equality: Substantive Equality and the Positive Duty to Provide’ (2005) 21 South African Journal on Human Rights 163
Fredman S, ‘Changing the Norm: Positive Duties in Equal Treatment Legislation’ (2005) 12 Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 369
Fredman S, ‘Women at Work: The Broken Promise of Flexicurity’ (2004) 33 Industrial Law Journal 299
Fredman S, ‘Equality: A New Generation?’ (2001) 30(2) Industrial Law Journal 145
FREDMAN S, ‘Care as a Constitutional Value’ International Journal of Constitutional Law
Fredman S, ‘Adjudicating human rights: Bounded Deliberative Democracy’ Federal Law Review
Fredman S and others, ‘Fair Work for Platform Workers: Lessons from the EU Directive and beyond’ Industrial Law Journal
FREDMAN S, ‘Greening the Workforce: A Feminist Perspective’ - International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations
FREDMAN S, DONATI G and Naicker S, ‘New Beginnings: The right to equality and Early Childhood Care and Education’ South African Journal on Human Rights
Fredman S, Discrimination Law (3rd edn, Clarendon Series, OUP 2022)
Fredman S, Comparative Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press 2018)
Fredman S, Discrimination Law (2nd edn, Clarendon Series, OUP 2011)
Fredman S, Human Rights Transformed: Positive Rights and Positive Duties (Oxford University Press 2008)
Fredman S, Women and the Law (Oxford University Press 1998)
Hepple B and Fredman S, Labour Law and Industrial Relations in Great Britain (Springer 1992)
Fredman S and Morris G, The State as Employer: Labour Law in the Public Services (Mansel 1989)
Fredman S, ‘Effects-Based Discrimination: Beyond the Mirage?’ in G Davidov, B Langille and G Lester (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Law of Work (OUP 2024)
FREDMAN S, ‘Engendering Socio-economic rights: How far have we come?’ in M Langford and K Young (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Economic and Social Rights (Oxford University Press 2023)
FREDMAN S, ‘The world of work: a green and feminist future’ in C Albertyn and others (eds.), Feminist Frontiers of Climate Justice: Gender Equality, Climate Change and Rights (Elgar 2023)
Atrey S and Fredman S, ‘Introduction: exponential inequalities: what can equality law do?’, Exponential Inequalities: Equality Law in Times of Crisis (Oxford University Press 2023)
Fredman S, ‘Gender Equality and Article 14 ECHR: Lady Hale’s Contribution’ in R Hunter and E Rackley (eds.), Justice for Everyone (Cambridge University Press 2022)
Fredman S, ‘The Right to Education and Substantive Equality: An Intersectional Reading’ in S Atrey and P Dunne (eds.), Intersectionality and Human Rights Law (Hart 2020)
Fredman S, ‘Taxation as a Human Rights Issue: Gender and Substantive Equality’ in A P and R N (eds.), Tax, Inequality and Human Rights (Oxford University Press 2019)
FREDMAN S, ‘Direct and Indirect Discrimination: Is there still a divide?’ in H COLLINS and T KHAITAN (eds.), Foundations of Indirect Discrimination Law (Hart Publishing 2018)
Fredman S, ‘Living Trees or Deadwood: The Interpretive Challenge of the European Convention on Human Rights’ in N Barber, R Ekins and P Yowell (eds.), Lord Sumption and the Limits of the Law (Hart 2016)
Fredman S and Fudge J, ‘The Contract of Employment and Gendered Work’ in M Freedland and others (eds.), The Contract of Employment (OUP 2016)
Fredman S, ‘Are Human Rights Culturally Determined? A Riposte to Lord Hoffmann’ in P S Davies and J Pila (eds.), The Jurisprudence of Lord Hoffmann (Hart 2015)
Fredman S, ‘From Dialogue to Deliberation: Human Rights Adjudication and Prisoners’ Rights to Vote’ in M Hunt, H Hooper and P Yowell. (eds.), Parliaments and Human Rights (Bloomsbury 2015)
Fredman S, ‘Equality Law: Labour Law or Autonomous Field’ in A Bogg and others (eds.) (Bloomsbury 2015)
Fredman S, ‘Engendering Social Welfare Rights’ in B Goldblatt and L Lamarche (eds.), Women’s Rights to Social Security and Social Protection (Hart Publishing 2014)
Fredman S, ‘Home from Home: Migrant Domestic Workers and the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers’ in C Costello and M Freedland (eds.), Migrants at Work: Immigration and Vulnerability in Labour Law (OUP 2014)
Fredman S, ‘CEDAW in the UK’ in A Hellum and H Sinding Aasen (eds.), Women’s Human Rights: CEDAW in International, Regional and National Law (Studies on Human Rights Conventions Cambridge University Press 2013)
Fredman S, ‘Breaking the mould: equality as a proactive duty’ in N Countouris and M Freedland (eds.), Resocialising Europe in a Time of Crisis (2013)
Fredman S, ‘Engendering socio-economic rights’ in A Hellum and H Sinding Aasen (eds.), Women’s Human Rights: CEDAW in International, Regional and National Law (Studies on Human Rights Conventions Cambridge University Press 2013)
Fredman S and Wesson M, ‘Social, Economic and Cultural Rights’ in D Feldman (ed.), English Public Law (2009)
Fredman S, ‘The Shape of Things to Come: Substantive Equality under the Spotlight’ in O Dupper and C Garbers (eds.), Equality in the Workplace: Reflections from South Africa and Beyond (Juta 2009)
Fredman S, ‘Positive Rights and Duties: Addressing Intersectionality’ in D Schiek and V Chege (eds.), European Union Non-Discrimination Law: Comparative Perspectives on Multidimensional Equality Law (Routledge-Cavendish 2008)
Fredman S, ‘The Positive Right to Security’ in B J Goold and L Lazarus (eds.), Security and Human Rights (Hart 2007)
Fredman S, ‘Precarious Norms for Precarious Workers’ in J Fudge and R Owens (eds.), Precarious Work, Women and the New Economy (Hart Publishing 2006)
Fredman S, ‘Disability Equality: A Challenge to the Existing Anti-Discrimination Paradigm’’ in A Lawson and C Gooding (eds.), Disability Rights in Europe: From Theory to Practice (Hart 2005)
Fredman S, ‘Social, Economic and Cultural Rights’ in D Feldman (ed.), English Public Law (Oxford University Press 2004)
Fredman S, ‘The Ideology of New Labour Law’ in C Barnard, S Deakin and G Morris (eds.), The Future of Labour Law: Liber Amicorum Sir Bob Hepple (Hart 2004)
Fredman S, ‘Discrimination’ in P Cane and M Tushnet (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Legal Studies (OUP 2003)
Fredman S, ‘The Age of Equality’ in S Fredman and S Spencer (eds.), Age as an Equality Issue (Hart 2003)
Fredman S, ‘Sceptism under Scrutiny: Labour Law and Human Rights’ in T Campbell, K D Ewing and A Tomkins (eds.), Sceptical Essays in Human Rights (OUP 2001)
Fredman S, ‘Equality Law: Labour Law or an Autonomous Field’ in A Bogg (ed.), The Autonomy of Labour Law (2000)
Fredman S, ‘From Dialogue to Deliberation: Human Rights Adjudication and Prisoners’ Rights to Vote’ in M Hunt (ed.), Parliaments and Human Rights (2000)
Albertyn C and others (eds.), Feminist Frontiers in Climate Justice: Gender Equality, Climate Change and Rights (Elgar 2023)
Atrey S and Fredman S, Exponential Inequalities: Equality Law in Times of Crisis (Oxford University Press 2022)
Fredman S and Spencer S, Age as an Equality Issue (Hart 2003 2003) 1
Fredman S, Discrimination and Human Rights: The Case of Racism (OUP 2001) 316
Fredman S and Goldblatt B, ‘Gender Equality and Human Rights: Background Paper for UN Women’s Progress of the World’s Women Report (2015)’ (2015) UN Women Discussion Paper Series 20455
Fredman S, ‘The Future of Equality in Great Britain’ (2002) Equal Opportunities Commission Working Paper Series 20455
Fredman S, ‘Intersectional Discrimination in EU gender equality and non-discrimination law’ (European network of legal experts in gender equality and non-discrimination (European Commission) 2016)
Fredman S, ‘Anti-discrimination laws and work in the developing world: A thematic overview’ (Background Paper for the World Development Report 2013 2013)
Fredman S, ‘A Comparative Study of Anti-Discrimination and Equality Laws of the US, Canada, South Africa and India’ (Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 2012)
Fredman S, ‘Making Equality Effective: The Role of Proactive Measures’ (E Network of Experts in the Field of Gender Equality ed., 2009)