Bulgaria
27.06.08
Events
Special Procedures Seminar Report 2008
- Event Date: 27.06.08
- Event Time: 17:43:00
From 23 to 27 June 2008, OMCT hosted its secondinternational seminar in Geneva on “Addressing the economic, social andcultural root causes of violence through the UN Special Procedures System”.This seminar, attended by representatives of national human rights NGOs from 14countries, is an important element of OMCT’s three-year project on “PreventingTorture and Other Forms of Violence by acting on their Economic, Social andCultural Root Causes” funded by the European Union, the Swiss Agency forDevelopment and Cooperation (SDC), the Karl Popper Foundation, the InterchurchOrganisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO) and the Foundation for HumanRights at Work. The OMCT project, now in its second year,focuses on developing concrete measures to address the economic, social andcultural root causes of violence, particularly torture and other cruel, inhumanor degrading treatment or punishment, including violence against women andchildren. The UN Special Procedures mechanism represents an important resourcein this regard. It is, therefore, important that national NGOs addressing bothhuman rights and development issues are aware of how to interact mosteffectively with this mechanism. The 2008 seminar very much built on theexperience gained during the first Special Procedures seminar in 2007. Thisfirst seminar focused on analysing and understanding the links between theviolation of economic, social and cultural rights and violence, while the 2008seminar gave greater emphasis to developing concrete recommendations to addressthe root causes of violence in specific cases. The opening ceremony was addressed by Ms.Anne-Laurence Lacroix, OMCT Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Orest Nowosad,Coordinator, Civil and Political Rights Unit,
Special Procedures Division, UN Office of the High Commissionerfor Human Rights, Mr. Roberto Garretón, of the UN Working Group on ArbitraryDetention, and Mr. Yves Berthelot, former Executive Secretary, United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe and member of OMCT’s Scientific Council. Ms.Lacroix underlined the importance of efforts to address the economic, socialand cultural root causes of torture and other forms of violence, Mr. Nowosadspoke of the Special Procedures system and the role of OHCHR in supporting it,and Mr. Garretón traced the development of the issue of economic, social andcultural rights in the UN system and underlined the importance of the emergingconcept of human security. Mr. Berthelot concluded this session with apresentation that addressed the links between economics and human rights anddrew attention to the central importance of issues of access to land and food,both in the present and for the future (see Appendix II). The seminar was organised inparallel with the 14th annual meeting of the UN Special proceduresmandate holders. This enabled seminar participants to meet and discuss withmandate holders responsible for Human Rights Defenders, Adequate Housing,Minority Issues, Indigenous People, the Right to Food and the Human Rights ofMigrants. Participants also met with staff of the Office of the UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights and attended a session of the Annual MandateHolders Meeting at which the relations between Mandate Holders and NGOs werediscussed. The substantive framework for the discussionsduring the five-day seminar was provided by presentations from two invitedexperts: Mr. Yves Berthelot (see above), and Mr. Pierre de Senarclens,Professor of International Relations at the University of Lausanne, also memberof OMCT’s Scientific Council and former Human Rights Director of UNESCO (seeAppendix III). OMCT would like to thank all the speakers whotook time to share their insights and experience in the course of this seminar.It would also like to thank the staff of the UN Office of the High Commissionerfor Human Rights for the support and guidance they provided. OMCT is alsograteful to the funding bodies that make this project possible.
Special Procedures Division, UN Office of the High Commissionerfor Human Rights, Mr. Roberto Garretón, of the UN Working Group on ArbitraryDetention, and Mr. Yves Berthelot, former Executive Secretary, United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe and member of OMCT’s Scientific Council. Ms.Lacroix underlined the importance of efforts to address the economic, socialand cultural root causes of torture and other forms of violence, Mr. Nowosadspoke of the Special Procedures system and the role of OHCHR in supporting it,and Mr. Garretón traced the development of the issue of economic, social andcultural rights in the UN system and underlined the importance of the emergingconcept of human security. Mr. Berthelot concluded this session with apresentation that addressed the links between economics and human rights anddrew attention to the central importance of issues of access to land and food,both in the present and for the future (see Appendix II). The seminar was organised inparallel with the 14th annual meeting of the UN Special proceduresmandate holders. This enabled seminar participants to meet and discuss withmandate holders responsible for Human Rights Defenders, Adequate Housing,Minority Issues, Indigenous People, the Right to Food and the Human Rights ofMigrants. Participants also met with staff of the Office of the UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights and attended a session of the Annual MandateHolders Meeting at which the relations between Mandate Holders and NGOs werediscussed. The substantive framework for the discussionsduring the five-day seminar was provided by presentations from two invitedexperts: Mr. Yves Berthelot (see above), and Mr. Pierre de Senarclens,Professor of International Relations at the University of Lausanne, also memberof OMCT’s Scientific Council and former Human Rights Director of UNESCO (seeAppendix III). OMCT would like to thank all the speakers whotook time to share their insights and experience in the course of this seminar.It would also like to thank the staff of the UN Office of the High Commissionerfor Human Rights for the support and guidance they provided. OMCT is alsograteful to the funding bodies that make this project possible.