Thursday 21 June

11:30 - 13:00

Room XXIV, Palais des Nations, Geneva

Download flyer here

Despite significant concerns raised by the international community, the government of the People’s Republic of China exerts extensive control over freedom of expression. This ranges from content management and regulation of tools to access information (e.g., VPNs) to the criminalisation – including harassment, detention and prosecution – of individuals reporting on human rights violations or distributing information that is seen as critical of the Chinese government, Party and President. 

Hosted by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), FIDH, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and ISHR, the event will feature stories from activists, their supporters and their families. The panellists will discuss the overall situation of freedom of expression in China and draw attention to different ways that freedoms are suppressed online and off, and in different parts of the country. In addition, ISHR and CPJ will present their joint submission for the UPR of China.

Panellists: 

• Alim Seytoff, Director, RFA Uyghur Service

• Tibetan human rights defender

• Sarah M Brooks, International Service for Human Rights

• David Kaye, Special rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression 

Moderator: Didi Kirsten Tatlow, Mercator Institute Fellow.

Attendance with UNOG pass only.

Follow us on Twitter @CPJAsia @fidh_un @hrw @ISHRglobal  #ChinaUPR #freedex #HRC38 

Image credit: @badiucao

Wednesday 20 June 

16:00-17:00

Room V, Palais des Nations. Geneva

See the flyer here

You are invited to the launch of PI and CEJIL publication "The time is Now: Effective public policies to protect the right to defend human rights". This is the first in-depth comparative study of protection mechanisms for human rights defenders in the Americas. This will be followed by a discussion focusing on:

• Progress, setbacks and challenges in the creation of public policies for the protection of human rights defenders;
• Global developments regarding laws for the recognition and protection of human rights defenders; and
• Recommendations for State authorities to guarantee and protect the right to defend human rights.

Panelists will include:

• Joel Hernandez - Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
• Mauricio Angel - Protection International
• Alejandra Vicente - Centre for Justice and International Law
• Tess McEvoy - International Service for Human Rights
• Triffi Bassam, Tunisian League of Human Rights 
• Luisa Rios, Peruvian Society for Environmental Law

Follow us on twitter @ProtectionInt @cejil @ISHRglobal  #thetimeisnow #HRC38

Attendance only with UN accreditation.

Wednesday 21 March 
3:30pm
Room XXV
Palais des Nations, Geneva

In November 2017, general government elections took place in Honduras. A series of irregularities led large sectors of the population to question the credibility of the process and to mobilise on the streets in defense of democracy. 

In response, the government declared a state of emergency and agents of the National Police, the Military Police of the Public Order and the Army were deployed throughout the country, using excessive force. Serious violations of human rights took place. During those days, human rights defenders, journalists and social communicators continued to work under high-risk conditions.

What were the facts? What challenges do human rights defenders currently face in order to recover the full exercise of their rights in conditions of security? What are the lessons learned for the countries of Central America and other regions of the world?

Based on the analysis of the facts (1), a conversation between international observers and human rights defenders who have experienced this situation directly seeks to answer these questions.

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

4:30 to 6:00pm

Room XXII

Palais des Nations, Geneva

Dowload Flyer Here

 In the month of the International Women’s Day and in the year of the 20th Anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, this event will highlight the experience of women human rights defenders and the implementation of the Declaration.

 It will also share findings and recommendations related to a recent joint research on implementation carried out by the Colombian Commission of Jurists, the Tunisian League for Human Rights and ISHR.

 Panellists: 

• Ana Maria Rodriguez – Colombian Commission of Jurists
• Djingarey Maiga – Femmes et Droits Humains Mali
• Curtis Peters – Permanent Mission of Canada

 Moderator:

• Pooja Patel - International Service for Human Rights

 Co-Sponsor:

• Colombian Commission of Jurists

We hope you can join us. Attendance with UN identification pass only!

Photo: Karla Cote

Friday 2 March 2018

12:00 - 1:30 pm

Palais des Nations (Room XXIII)

Download flyer here

In the context of an increasingly restrictive environment which tends to consider migration as a security issue that takes precedence over rights' protection, the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), in cooperation with the International Detention Coalition (IDC) and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), and with the support of the Swiss Permanent Mission, convene a side event to discuss how to enhance the rights of migrants and of those defending their rights. The focus will be put on the on-going process to negotiate the Global Compact on Migration.

The reports of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders respectively focus on torture and other ill-treatment in the context of migration and the experience of human rights defenders working in the context of people on the move. Their reports will be presented to the Human Rights Council in March.

In addition, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will present to the Human Rights Council in March a report on the Principles and Guidelines, supported by practical guidance on the protection of the human rights of migrants in vulnerable situations. 

The side event will allow each expert's findings to feed into this process.

Panelists:

• Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
• Laurel Townhead, Representative, Human Rights and Refugees, Quaker United Nations Office
• Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders
• Pia Oberoi, Advisor on Migration and Human Rights, Thematic engagement, Special Procedures and Rights to Development Division, OHCHR

Moderator:

• Barbara Bernath, Chief of Operations, APT

We hope you can join us. Attendance with UN identification pass only!

Photo: Gémes Sándor/SzomSz

The event will combine roundtable discussions and moderated break-out groups for a substantive, interactive ‘working session’ on human rights defenders (HRDs). In particular, we will take into account the UN Working Group’s 30 November consultation in the context of its work to develop guidance for business on respecting and supporting HRDs in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Register here: https://reg.unog.ch/event/16132/

SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday, 25 October 2017
1:15 - 2:30 pm
Conference Room E
UN Headquarters, New York

Download flyer here

In his new report to the UN General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, highlights that the work to defend human rights over ‘profits, privilege and prejudice’ can be dangerous and even deadly. States, business and investors must all contribute to a safe environment for human rights defenders.

This side event will allow the audience to hear from a range of stakeholders, engage with the topic and the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, and discuss steps towards their implementation.

Speakers:

• Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
• May-Elin Stener, Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN in New York
• Tawanda Mutasah, Amnesty International
• Bopha Phorn, former Editor-At-Large, Cambodia Daily, Cambodia
• Juan Auz, Terra Mater, Ecuador
• Anna Pot, APG Asset Management

A light lunch will be served from 12:40 to 1:10 PM by the Vienna Cafe. If you require a UN special pass to attend the event, please RSVP to [email protected] by COB on 20 October. Download a flyer here.

Photo: Jonathan McIntosh via Wikimedia Commons

SAVE THE DATE
Friday, 20 October 2017
1:15 - 2:45 pm
Conference Room 12
UN Headquarters, New York

Download flyer here

Looking towards the 2020 review of the UN Treaty Body system, this side event will provide a space to
discuss developments related to strengthening treaty bodies and maximising their effectiveness, and look at
where to go from here.

Panelists:

• Ambassador Juan Carlos Mendoza-García, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN
• Suela Janina, Chair of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances
• Kyle Ward, Chief of Programme Support and Management Services, OHCHR
• Christen Broeker, Deputy Director at the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights

Opening and closing remarks:

• Ambassador Jouni Laaksonen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN
• Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the UN

We hope you can join us.

Follow the event live on on UN Web TV: http://webtv.un.org
Attendance with UN identification pass only!

Thanks to our event sponsors:

Photo: Mark Garten via UN Photos