During the 27th session of the UN Human Rights Council ( September 8 to 26 , 2014) IIMA and VIDES have contributed to the Periodic Review of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica and Nicaragua with a Joint Oral Statement for each country during the  item 6 ( Universal Periodic Review , UPR consideration of outcomes ) . Also presented was another oral statement on the empowerment of young people (Youth Empowerment: a human rights perspective) during Item 8 (General Debate on Follow Up) . The latter was a response to the recent side event (Youth...

Panel on history teaching and memorialization processes

On Thuesday, September 9th, 2014 IIMA attended the High-Level Panel Discussion on history teaching and memorialization at the 27th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The President of the HRC(Baudelaire Ndong Ella) opened the meeting by giving the floor to Flavia Pansieri (United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights), who has introduced the two reports of Pablo de Greiff (the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and Guarantees of non-recurrence). In the first report on the writing and teaching of history, the Special Rapporteur stressed that, in many countries, the historical narratives promoted by...

Human Rights Council: 26th Session – Week Three: June 23 – 27, 2014

The third and final week of the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council took place from June 23 until June 27, 2014 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The week contained an array of official and unofficial events that covered many topics and concluded with the official decision making process on the new resolutions. IIMA attended several of the sessions as well as a few of the side events. On Monday, the Human Rights Council held a Panel Discussion on Preventing and Eliminating Child, Early, and Forced Marriage. Moderated...

Human Rights Council: 26th Session – Week Two: June 16 – 20, 2014

From Monday, June 16 through Friday, June 20, 2014, IIMA attended the second week of the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The week began with a panel discussion on the identification of the best practices in combating female genital mutilation (FGM). Over 125 million girls and women have undergone FGM in 29 African countries that contain the highest prevalence rates, with even more affected within specific populations worldwide. The practice violates the right to physical and mental integrity and is a...

High-Level Panel on the Identification of Good Practices in Combating Female Genital Mutilation

On Monday, June 16, 2014 IIMA attended the High-Level Panel Discussion on the identification of good practices in combating female genital mutilation at the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.  The exceptionally distinguished panel included the First Lady of Burkina Faso, Mrs. Chantal Compaoré, who has worked against the practice of FGM for over twenty years in her country and internationally; Ms. Mariam Lamizana, President of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children; Ms. Nafissatou Diop, Coordinator of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program...

Human Rights Council: 26th Session – Week One: June 10 – 13, 2014

The 26th session of the Human Rights Council began on June 10, 2014 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, opened the Council with her opening statement that described the achievements of the Office since the previous Human Rights Council (March 3-28, 2014) and was followed by a General Debate with the Member States. In her opening statement, Navi Pillay referred to the Universal Periodic Review as an impartial and non-selective process which has succeeded “in encouraging States to recognize...

IIMA participates in the19th Session of the UPR

                                             The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a cyclical review process that evaluates the status of human rights in each UN Member State every four and a half years. During the UPR, Member States of the Human Rights Council provide specific recommendations to the State under review. The 19th Session of the UPR took place from April 28 to May 9, 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. Using the information provided by our...