‘[I]nternational human rights treaties form the keystone of all efforts to promote and protect human rights at the national and international levels’ (p. 1). Numerous reforms in the field of human rights have been implemented in Ethiopia over recent years, and ‘the implementation of international human rights norms indeed strengthens attempts to build a human rights culture in Ethiopia’ (p. 1). However, even though Ethiopian government authorities aim to enforce international and domestic human rights standards, the political and legal reality does not yet reflect the outlined principles (p. 1).

The reviewed book is volume 131 of the series International Studies in Human Rights. The series discusses current legal and political aspects regarding organisational and progressive matters in the context of human rights. The Implementation of International Human Rights Commitments and the Impact on Ongoing Legal Reforms in Ethiopia is a cohesive compendium of contributions of researchers in the human rights field and aims to address key human rights issues in Ethiopia. It provides a comprehensive overview of the gap between Ethiopian human rights commitments and their realisation (p. 2). The book is the product of a partnership project involving the Institute of International Law and International Relations at the University of Graz, Austria, the School of Law and Federalism at the Ethiopian Civil Service University (ECSU) and the Centre for Human Rights at Addis Ababa University (AAU).

Structurally, the book is organised into 13 chapters and divided into four parts: civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; vulnerable groups; and institutional and remedial issues. The editors have taken great care to cover a wide range of human rights. As explained by the editors, every ‘contribution assesses how the realisation of an international human rights commitment in the domestic and regional contexts of Ethiopia plays out in practice’ (p. 2).

The first part, on civil and political rights, consists of three contributions. The first contribution‘s goal is to analyse freedom of expression and ethnic hatred, while the second contribution tackles the topics of political participation and voting rights in the Ethiopian diaspora.