On September 13, the Human Rights Council (HRC) opened its 33rd regular session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.   HRC President CHOI Kyong-lim presided over the opening of the session which will take place in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room (also known as Room XX) from September 13-30. Room XX was filled with Member States delegates, civil society observers, and NGO representatives who were electrified from the outset by the opening statement of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.  The tone of his statement was a change from the...

Following the Resolution of the UN General Assembly, on December 9, the International Anti-Corruption Day was designated to raise awareness of corruption and the role that the UN Convention on Anti-Discrimination has in combating and preventing it. Corruption is a serious impediment to economic growth and a significant challenge for the development of emerging and developing countries. According to the United Nations Development Program, funds lost due to corruption are estimated to be 10 times the amount allocated to social development assistance. No country, region, or community is immune to...

In September 2015, the UN General Assembly established the “Day of December 9th” because it marks the anniversary of the 1948 adoption, of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment for crimes of Genocide also known as, The Genocide Convention. This day raises awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in fighting and preventing genocidal crimes as well as commemorating and honoring the victims. "Prevention of genocide is a specific obligation under international law. Governments must work on this imperative by investing in preventative actions. On this international observation, let us...

On this day, December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its preamble and thirty articles outline a common standard of success for all peoples and nations and for the first time established that fundamental human rights are universally protected. After sixty-eight years, human rights and values are still under attack all over the world. However, citizens of this world can make a difference by taking a step forward and defending the rights of vulnerable people who are at risk of discrimination and...

IIMA and VIDES participate in a Day of National Mourning observed by Italy badly affected by the earthquake in recent days. We are close to families in this moment of grief and we express our solidarity with the Italian people . ...

 On 30th June 2016 The Human Right Council, during the 32nd session, agenda item 3, Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, has adopted by consensus (approved without a vote) the draft resolution A/HRC/32/L.1, entitled YOUTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS. His Excellency Mr. Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of El Salvador has presented the draft proposal on behalf a core-group of States, namely Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Tunisia. This initiative underscores the need to consider youth...

On May 30th it took place the NGO Briefing where the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation and the Multi Partner Trust Fund Office presented their second annual Report:   « Financing of the UN Development System – Current Trends and New Directions. », looking at the implications of Agenda 2030 for the financing of the UNDS.   It provides a detailed overview of UNDS resources, amounting to $48,6 billion in 2014 and it identifies a variety of essays -still  under discussion- that will be high on the UN financing agenda over the coming years, such as : the different sources of finance and funding mechanism ;...

On May 24th IIMA attended a conference at the Un Library called «  Rethinking Development strategies after the financial crisis », an event organized in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The event, has been an opportunity to launch two books published by Unctad, called ‘Making the case for Policy Space’ and ‘Country Studies and International Comparisons’, which represent a sort of recipe to rethink the development strategies after the economic and financial crisis. During the conference two important facts came out :  the need to find a new type of economic policies that are different in respect...

On May 18, 2016 the Book Launch “Investment Treaties” – Views and experiences from developing Countries on the Reform of the Investment Protection Regime - took place at the UN library in Palais des Nations The panelists were Prof. Carlos Correa, Special Advisor on Trade and Intellectual Property, South Centre, H.E. Mr Xavier Carim, Ambassador of South Africa to the World Trade Organization, Elisabeth Tuerk, Chief, International Investment Agreement Section, UNCTAD, and Kinda Mohamadieh, Research Associate, South Centre. The event was introduced by  Martin Khor, Executive Director of South Centre. The debate on the implications of international investment treaties and the investor-state dispute settlement...

 On May 11th IIMA attended the event entitled “What’s trust got to do with Migration?” at the UN Library, in which the guests shared their personal stories, each focusing on issues related to migration and the importance of trust-building. The initiative was opened by Cornelio Sommaruga, Honorary President of Initiative of Change International (IofC) who stated the importance of consolidating and revaluating human security relating to integration in the global phenomenon of migration. This initiative was animated by the participation of Leonard Doyle, Spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for...