International workshop

International workshop on enhancing cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms 12 to 14 December 2012, Geneva, Palais des Nations, Room XIX

Following Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution 18/14, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is organising a workshop on enhancing cooperation between UN and regional human rights mechanisms to be held in PN (room XIX) from 12 to 14 December 2012. The workshop will focus on cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms in 3 main areas:

information sharing
joint activities
follow-up to recommendations of United Nations and regional mechanisms

For each of these areas there will be an underlying theme of discussion which will allow participants to hold concrete discussions and to produce recommendations on these three areas of cooperation. The themes have been chosen taking into account concrete and practical experience of regional mechanisms, in accordance with HRC resolution 18/14, as well as consultations held with regional human rights mechanisms and with States Members. The underlying themes are: prevention of torture, women’s rights and children’s rights.

Objectives

To develop concrete proposals of cooperation between UN and regional human rights mechanisms in three areas of cooperation: sharing of information, joint activities and follow up to recommendations, as well as to put forward strategies to effectively implement such proposals.

Participants are expected to share experiences, lessons learned and best practices, and to identify common priorities and challenges, as well as ways and means to overcome them. The role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) will be discussed in this context. A document containing specific recommendations is to be adopted as an outcome of the workshop.

Participants

The workshop will gather members of the African Commission and Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the East African Court of Justice; the ECOWAS Court of Justice ; the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights; the Council of Europe (CoE); the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union (EU) Fundamental Rights Agency; the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); the Human Rights Committee of the League of Arab States (LAS); the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); the Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); as well as regional and United Nations independent experts, including Special Procedures mandate-holders and members of Treaty Bodies. States, NHRIs, NPMs, NGOs, as well as academics will also be invited to participate.

Practical Information

To register, please send the registration form filled to Ms. Noris Liza-Doyen: nliza-doyen@ohchr.org. For more information please contact Ms. Vivian Lozano: vlozano@ohchr.org