Protection needs of human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights
Protection needs of human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights:
Challenges and good practice
Monday, 7 March 2016
13:30-15:00
Room XVIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Human rights defenders play a critical role in securing the right to housing, pushing for adequate health care and ensuring community voices are heard in major development projects.
Despite this, the current and previous Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights defenders have emphasised the specific risks that defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights face. Whether they are activists fighting corruption or promoting transparency, working on land and environment rights, or defending their right to housing, ESC-rights defenders are among the most isolated and stigmatised defenders.
This high-level side event will shed light on the risks faced by economic, social and cultural rights defenders, and draw on the report of the Special Rapporteur presented to the 31st session of the Human Rights Council to present good practices in furthering their protection.
Panellists
- Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Allo Awol, human rights defender from Ethiopia
- Arutchelvan Subramaniams, founder of Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Oppressed Peoples Network)
- Pedro Tzicá, Consejo de Comunidades de Cunén
Moderator
- Catarina de Albuquerque, Executive Chair of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) and former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Interpretation in English and Spanish will be provided.
Follow and engage with the event via Twitter using #ESCRdefenders and download the flyer here.
The event will also be webcast live at www.ishr.ch/webcasts