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ISHR event: The role, protection and effective participation of human rights defenders in development

Location: ,
Date:

Join the discussion!

Tuesday, 29 October 2013 1:15 – 2:30 pm (EDT)

Watch a live, on-demand webcast of this event at http://webtv.un.org
Follow it on Twitter @ISHRGlobal and and participate in the discussion using #HRDsDev
Or, attend in person at the United Nations in New York, Conference room 1 (Conference Building)
Download the event flyer here

What is the role of human rights defenders in identifying, preventing, mitigating and remedying the adverse impacts of large-scale development projects?
What are the responsibilities of States, corporations and multilateral development actors in ensuring that human rights defenders can undertake their work in a safe and enabling environment?

Human rights defenders can make a crucial contribution to both promoting social and economic development and to mitigating adverse impacts of development initiatives. The recent reports of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the Working Group on Business and Human Rights highlight the worrisome trend of violations, including threats, attacks and harassment, against human rights defenders who work on issues of development and corporate accountability. Defenders working on land rights, including women defenders and those working for the rights of indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to such violations.

Opening and welcome

  • Tine Mørch Smith – Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN

Panellists

  • Margaret Sekaggya – UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
  • Pavel Sulyandziga – Chair of the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
  • Cristina Hardaga Fernández – Strategic and Political Engagement Coordinator, JASS Mesoameric

Moderator

  • Arvind Ganesan - Director of Business and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

This side event will consider the role of human rights defenders in identifying, preventing, mitigating and remedying the adverse impacts of large-scale development projects. Furthermore, it will discuss the responsibility of States, corporations and multilateral development actors in ensuring that human rights defenders can undertake their work in a safe and enabling environment.

If you do not have a UN pass and would like to attend please RSVP to Madeleine Sinclair, [email protected], by 12:00 pm, Friday October 24.