References to human dignity are littered throughout modern human rights and bioethics instruments, from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the European Convention on Human Rights (1950), to UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (2005) and the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki (2008). Dignity is both the background value of these texts, and th...

The following article analyzes the process of conception, elaboration, and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights, and reflects on the lessons it might hold for public bioethics on the international level. The author was involved in the process at a variety of levels: he provided advice to the IBC on behalf of the President's Council of Bioethics; he served as the U...

Over the last few years the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in all sectors of education has increased dramatically – and continues to do so. While the writer is not aware of supporting research specific to education, it is probable that the diffusion and adoption of ICTs in that context is following a pattern similar to that which has characterized the adoption of any i...

The International Bioethics Committee (IBC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is currently drafting a Universal Bioethics Declaration ("the declaration"). The content and even the name of the declaration has yet to be finalized, but it is expected to range widely over human and non-human bioethics. It appears likely to include many articles directl...

If creators and investors cannot earn a fair return, the inevitable result will be a dearth of quality material and a corresponding deluge of rubbish, because quality material is intrinsically costly to produce. Although the new technology is reducing some of the costs associated with producing good material, it is also bringing in new costs. It is much cheaper to produce quality text now than ...

New lessons on the Sudd hydrology learned from remote sensing and climate modeling Y. A. Mohamed, H. H. G. Savenije, W. G. M. Bastiaanssen, and B. J. J. M. van den Hurk UNESCO-IHE, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands ITC (currently with WaterWatch), Generaal Foulkesweg 28, 6703 BS Wageningen, The Netherlands K...