Call for Papers – AHRI Conference 2026
AHRI Conference 2026 – Enduring Contributions and Challenges: The 60-Year and 20-Year Legacies of the International Covenants and the Human Rights Council
The 2026 Annual Conference of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) coincides with the 60th anniversary of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), both adopted in 1966. The year 2026 also marks the 20th anniversary of the inauguration of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Marking these milestones, the AHRI Annual Conference 2026 will focus on “Enduring Contributions and Challenges: The 60-Year and 20-Year Legacies of the International Covenants and the Human Rights Council“.
The Conference will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 4 to 6 November 2026 and is co-organized by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (Geneva Acaedemy) (in collaboration with the Law Department of the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID), and the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva (UNIGE)), and the Global Campus of Human Rights.
- The AHRI conference will be held on Wednesday 4, Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November 2026
- Deadline for submission of full papers: 10 September 2026
- Registration for the Conference opens: 25 May 2026
- Notification of proposal selection: 25 May 2026
- Due date for submission of proposals (papers, panel): 25 April 2026
Registration for the event
The AHRI Conference 2026 will be held as a hybrid event, allowing participants to engage either in person or remotely. At the moment of registration, participants will have to choose the modality of their participation. Remote attendees will join the different sessions via a virtual meeting platform. In-person activities will take place in Geneva.
Additional information regarding venues, along with the conference’s agenda and registration process will be provided on this page at a later stage.
Registration fee
The registration fee varies depending on the country of affiliation of the participant’s institution, whether participation is in-person or online, and whether registration is completed during the early-bird period or by the standard deadline. Reduced rates apply to participants affiliated with institutions based in countries of the Global South.
Participants registering under a reduced rate must provide supporting documentation. They are required to email a letter issued by their institution confirming both their institutional affiliation and their country of residence.
A detailed fee schedule, including the applicable country categories and corresponding amounts, will be shortly available on this website. Participants are encouraged to consult our website carefully before registering to ensure that they select the appropriate category.
Please note that attendance at the standing dinner cocktail event is not included in the general registration fee. Participation in this event requires a separate registration and fee. Participants will be asked during the registration process to indicate whether they wish to attend the standing dinner cocktail.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships will be offered to young scholars (under the age of 30) from the Global South to support their participation in the Conference. These scholarships will cover registration fees for the 2026 AHRI Conference. For those able to travel to Geneva to participate in person, some financial help may also be available to cover accommodation costs for up to three nights.
If you wish to apply, please e-mail your CV (maximum two pages) and motivation letter (maximum one page), explaining why you wish to participate in the Conference, whether online or in person, and how this experience relates to your professional development.
Applications that do not include all the relevant information will not be considered. Indicate the subject “APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP, 2026 AHRI CONFERENCE” to ahri2026@geneva-academy.ch by 25 April 2026.
After evaluation of the applications, all applicants will be notified of the results by 25 May 2026. Selected applicants will receive detailed instructions on how to complete their registration for the Conference with the awarded scholarship, as well as additional information on accommodation, dinner and other logistical aspects.
Delegates attending the AHRI Conference 2026 may also be eligible for support from the Centre d’Accueil de la Genève Internationale (CAGI). Established by the Swiss Confederation and the Republic and Canton of Geneva, CAGI supports the international community in Geneva and helps facilitate participation in conferences and meetings held in the city. In some cases, CAGI may provide financial or accommodation support to delegates-particularly those travelling from developing countries-to assist with their stay in Geneva. For more information about eligibility and available support, please visit the CAGI website: https://www.cagi.ch/en/services/accommodation-for-visiting-delegates/
For any matter related to the AHRI Annual Conference 2026: ahri2026@geneva-academy.ch