Side event at the 12th session of the Human Rights Council

Time and venue: 16 September 2009, 2-4 pm, Palais des Nations, Room XXIII, Geneva, Switzerland

PROGRAMME   

  • Opening statement: Address by Ms. Marcia V.J. Kran, Director, Research and Right to Development Division representing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • UN study on discrimination based on work and descent: Presentation by Prof. Chin-Sung Chung and Prof. Yozo Yokota, former Special Rapporteurs of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
  • Draft UN Principles and Guidelines in a national context:
    • Statement on good practices and national challenges by the Honourable State Minister for Ministry of General Administration, Government of Nepal, Mr. Jeet Bahadur Darjee Gautum
    • Key issues and perspectives on the promotion of the draft UN principles and guidelines by civil society representatives from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Japan
  • Promotion and implementation of the draft UN principles and guidelines: Suggestions and recommendations on how to promote the draft UN principles and guidelines in UN human rights bodies, by Prof. Chung and Yokota
  • Debate and closing remarks
  • Press briefing with selected panelists (15.30)

Moderator: Mr. Peter Prove, former Chairperson of the NGO Special Committee on Human Rights and Director of the Office for International Affairs and Human Rights, Lutheran World Federation

The event is endorsed by the Government of Nepal, sponsored by The International Movement against all forms of Discrimination and Racism and co-sponsored by Anti-Slavery International, Human Rights Watch, Minority Rights Group International, Pax Romana/ICMICA, The Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches in association with the International Dalit Solidarity Network.

BACKGROUND

In May 2009 a final report on discrimination based on work and descent was published by the Human Rights Council. The report contains a set of draft UN principles and guidelines for the effective elimination of discrimination based on work and descent prepared by Prof. Chin-Sung Chung and Prof. Yozo Yokota of the former Sub-Commission.

The purpose of the side event on is to inform members and observers of the Human Rights Council about the findings of the Sub-Commission study on discrimination based on work and descent, and to discuss recommendations onfollow-up by the Human Rights Council to the draft UN principles and guidelines after its publication as an official UN document.

Read more about the draft UN principles and guidelines – a comprehensive legal framework to eliminate caste discrimination