IIMA delivers oral statement on Unaccompanied Migrant Children

On September 20, 2016, IIMA representative Christian Ruehling delivered an oral statement to the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents.  The intervention occurred after the Committee presented its progress report on this issue, which was mandated by Human Rights Council resolution 29/12 at its 29th session in June 2015. The progress report highlighted the complexities and challenges facing States and civil society in tackling such a global issue. Unaccompanied migrant children are a vulnerable segment of society whose access to primary and secondary education is interrupted when...

Human Rights Council Session : Week 1 (Sept. 13-16)

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...

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime

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...

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 . ...

“Financing of the UN Development System – Current Trends and New Directions”-

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 ;...

“Rethinking Development Strategies after the Financial Crisis”

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...

Reform of the Investment Protection Regime – Views and experiences from Developing Countries

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...