![](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/nicshax-1-150x150.jpg)
Nick Shaxson ■ What if tax reform was a fundamental human right?
![x](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/2544/x-2-10-1400x600-c.jpg)
In January we blogged our 2016 Tax Justice and Human Rights essay competition, in partnership with Oxfam. It was a competition aimed at legal students and professionals, seeking ideas on how human rights law can be used in the fight against tax dodging.
The winning student submission was from Megan Jones, a PhD Candidate at the Queensland University of Technology. She has written a joint article in The Conversation, with Kerrie Sadiq, a TJN Senior Adviser who is also Jones’ supervisor. Its title is What if tax reform was a fundamental human right?
The introduction states:
“Most would argue that tax revenue should be sufficient to meet basic economic and social needs of the community. But how does a community determine what these basic economic and social needs should be? One way is by using a human rights framework. This can provide guidance for both developing and developed countries considering tax reform.”
Now read on.
For our tax justice and human rights permanent page.
Related articles
![A large sculpture of face sits in the middle of a garden hedge maze - UNSPLASH A large sculpture of face sits in the middle of a garden hedge maze](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18379/A-large-sculpture-of-face-sits-in-the-middle-of-a-garden-hedge-maze-UNSPLASH-380x210-c.jpg)
Another EU court case is weaponising human rights against transparency and tax justice
Submission to Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers on undue influence of economic actors on judicial systems
![OECD podium - U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons OECD podium](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/16449/OECD-podium-U.S.-Department-of-State-from-United-States-Public-domain-via-Wikimedia-Commons-380x210-c.png)
Litany of failure: new briefing sets out OECD’s manifold shortcomings in international tax talks
![Outline of Africa (cover image from report) Outline of Africa filled with water, forests, money to represent Africa's climate finance](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18104/Cover-image-for-blog3-1-380x210-c.png)
Financing Africa’s Climate Action
![ab062332-0d4e-45f5-ab59-ad1d7a074939](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18119/ab062332-0d4e-45f5-ab59-ad1d7a074939-380x210-c.jpeg)
Tax injustices are eroding women’s rights in Brazil, and we need to talk about it
Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
20 May 2024
The fiscal social contract and the human rights economy
29 April 2024
![Ireland Tech Sector The tech sector in Dublin, Ireland](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/14059/ireland_dublin_tech_sector-scaled-380x210-c.jpg)
Ireland (again) in crosshairs of UN rights body
![Screenshot 2019-12-16 at 17.39.34](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/4584/Screenshot-2019-12-16-at-17.39.34-1-380x210-c.png)
Tax policy and gender disparity: A call to action on International Women’s Day 2024
![podcasts-new-look](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/17696/podcasts-new-look-380x210-c.png)