The efforts to create this new position faced many hurdles, so it’s fantastic that Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn – a former ISHR board member – has commenced his work in this role and will be holding a series of public consultations in Geneva next week.

Together with ILGA, we’re hosting a cocktail reception to welcome him into his role:

Date: 23 January 2017
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location, ISHR office, Rue de Varembé 1, 5th floor, Geneva

Please note that this event is now full, so please only show up if you have registered and received a confirmation from ISHR. Thank you!

It’s time to explore the key opportunities and challenges for collaboration between business, civil society and human rights defenders.

During the World Economic Forum, Microsoft, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) and the Business and Human Rights Ressource Centre (BHRRC) are hosting a discussion in Davos about the shared interest and values of business and civil society in working together to create an open and enabling environment which respects human rights, equality and the rule of law. 

Participants will also get a chance to sneak a peek into the emerging ‘Business network on human rights defenders and civic freedoms’, which will be presented during the meeting.

More than 20 companies and business groups are already engaged in the discussion on how to create the open environment that we want for business and civil society – it will be great to build on this progress.

Speakers:

• Steve Crown, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft Corporation
• Susan Hauser, Corporate Vice President, Business and Corporate Responsibility at Microsoft
• Anisa Kamadoli Costa, Chairman and President of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer at Tiffany & Co.
• Chris Stone, President of The Open Society Foundations
• Phil Lynch, Director of ISHR
• Phil Bloomer, Executive Director of BHRRC

2 to 3pm, Thursday 19 January 2017, Microsoft Cafe, Promenade 101, Davos.

The International Service for Human Rights and the Geneva Academy cordially invite you to a briefing and discussion on the research project : Academic Network on the 2020 Treaty Body Review.

The meeting will take place in room V of Palais des Nations on Friday 9 December from 4 to 6pm.

This briefing is part of a global conference held by the Geneva Academy on 8-9 December, which brings together global academic partners involved in this project to share regional experiences and identify gaps and further research areas. The briefing shall thus allow for a broader exchange with academics involved, beyond the staff of the Geneva Academy. For more details, see attached agenda.
 

Programme

4:00 - 4:15    Opening remarks - Vincent Ploton, International Service for Human Rights, Felix  Kirchmeier, Geneva Academy

4:15 - 4:45    

• Presentation of the academic project on the TB review - Kamelia Kemileva and Felix Kirchmeier, Geneva Academy, Miloon Kothari and Virginia Bras Gomes
• Remarks by OHCHR-Paulo David, OHCHR                         

5:15 - 5:45            Open discussion

5:45 - 6:00            Closing remarks / wrap-up

Purpose of the meeting:

The 10 UN human rights Treaty Bodies are a central pillar of the international human rights protection system. They prevent human rights violations by warning States about areas of concern and advising States on durable solutions that address the root causes of human rights violations.

In 2014, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/68/268 on strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the Treaty Body System. Two aspects of General Assembly resolution 68/268 ensure accountability in its implementation: the biennial report of the Secretary-General on the state of the Treaty Body System and the 2020 review. The 2020 horizon presents an opportunity to further reflect on the Treaty Body System’s future and to develop innovative proposals and solutions without weakening the human rights protection the Treaty Body System currently affords.

The Geneva Academy has initiated in 2015 a global academic process to develop proposals in this regard. Input is gathered via regional consultations, continued engagement with Treaty Body Members, states and civil society and an open call for input. This open meeting, co-hosted by the International Service for Human Rights, shall serve to update the NGO community on the development of the project and to receive feedback on emerging proposals. 

Photo: UN Photo /Jean-Marc Ferré

The UN is hosting its 2016 Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva from 14 to 16 November. 

Monday 24 October
13:30-14:45
Kairaba Beach Hotel

View the event flyer here

You are invited to attend the lauching of ISHR's Model National Law on the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs). Defenders will share their West African experiences and lessons learnt of ongoing initiatives of national protection laws. The Ivorian case will illustrate how women HRDs are also protected in their law.

As the African Union celebrates the year of human rights - with a particular focus on women's rights, it is pertinent to recognise that the legal recognition and protection of HRDs is a key element contributing to a safe and enabling environment for their work. In order to encourage States to enact national laws in line with the Declaration on HRDs, a national Model Law for the promotion and protection of HRDs was developed in consultation with over 500 defenders and endorsed by 27 of the world's leading human rights experts. It rovides authoritative technical guidance to policy makers and legislators and is a powerful advocacy and accountability tool for advocates. 

Objectives

The side event aims to launch the Model Law at the African level and to provide space for HRDs from countries where the HRD protection law has been enacted or in the process of enactment to share their experiences. 

Speakers

• Commissioner Reine Alapini-Gansou, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
• Ms Marthe Pedan Coulibaly, Coalition Ivoirienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CIDDH)
• Mr Wodjo Fini Traoré, Vice-president of the National Human Rights Commission of Côte d'Ivoire (CNDHCI)
• Ms Mary Pais Da Silva, Assistant legal adviser, Africa Programme, Intenrational Commission of Jurists 
• Mr Clément Voule, African advocacy director and programme manager (States in transition), ISHR 

French/English interpretation 

Follow the event on Twitter: #ACHPR59 @ISHRglobal 

Light refreshments will be served

Photo: Multimedia Photography

View the event flyer here

The Permanent Missions of Costa Rica, Finland, and Switzerland to the United Nations, together with Amnesty International and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), cordially invite you to an event held on the margins of the General Assembly’s 71st session:

Implementation of United Nations human rights treaty body recommendations

26 October 2016, 3pm

Conference Room 6, United Nations HQ in New York

How can implementation of human rights treaty bodies’ recommendations be strengthened? What progress has there been in the area of follow-up and implementation since the High Commissioner’s 2012 report on strengthening the United Nations human rights treaty body system and Resolution 68/268? What are the national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up (NMRF) and which models have been the most effective in different States? 

The discussion will focus on tools to encourage engagement and compliance with human rights treaty body recommendations in order to improve the promotion and protection of human rights for all, including the treaty body follow-up procedures, national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up, and the role of civil society. 

Introductory remarks

• Madeleine Sinclair, International Service for Human Rights
• Jürg Lauber, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, on behalf of the Permanent Missions of Costa Rica, Finland, and Switzerland

Moderator

• Jane Connors, Amnesty International

Panelists

• Felice Gaer,* Committee Against Torture
• Jamil Dakwar, American Civil Liberties Union
• Bruce Porter, Social Rights Advocacy Centre (Canada) and Ontario Human Rights Commission
• Elisabeth da Costa, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Ana Soledad Sandoval Espínola, Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the United Nations 

* Speaking in her personal capacity

We hope you can join in this important discussion!

Follow this event on Twitter: #UNTBImpact

For more information, please contact [email protected]. 

Photo: Flickr, Patrick Müller

A video recording of this event can now be viewed online here.

The Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations, Amnesty International, the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Global Witness, the International Platform against Impunity, and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) invite you to a panel discussion

Empower environmental defenders, safeguard our future

Monday, 24 October, 2016, 1:00-2:30 pm

Conference Room 7, United Nations HQ in New York

In his latest report to the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders warns of ‘a truly global crisis’ of killings of environmental human rights defenders and that the vision espoused in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is ‘doomed to fail’ if more is not done to protect those on the frontlines. The Special Rapporteur calls for urgent action and outlines a range of recommendations to empower and protect environmental defenders. 

This side event will foster a discussion of these recommendations: why they are important, what is required to implement them effectively, and what the main challenges are to their effective implementation. 

Speakers will include the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mr Michel Forst, as well as State, NGO, and business representatives.

Please join us for an open and lively conversation.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

Photo: Flickr, Natalie Jeffers

Monday 26 September 2016

15:00 - 16:00 

Room XXI, Palais des Nations, Geneva

View the event flyer here 

Thursday 22 September 2016 

 10:00-11:00 AM 

 Room XXV, Palais des Nations, Geneva

View the event flyer 

Speakers: 

• Mr Ahmed Mansoor, prominent human rights defender and blogger from UAE 
• Ms Maryam Al-Khawaja, co-director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) 
• Mr Phil Lynch, director of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 
• Mr Gerald Staberock, secretary-general of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) 
• Ms Peggy Hicks, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 

Moderator: 

• Ms. Laila Matar, UN Advocate at Human Rights Watch's office in Geneva